AGASSIZ– New Democrat MLA Kelli Paddon says funding boost to community-based Indigenous, adult and family literacy programs will help people gain skills in reading, writing, math and digital literacy.

“We don’t often think about how much we rely on literacy in our everyday lives,” said Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent.  “Whether it be daily tasks like reading the ingredients on the back of the cereal box, or more complicated things like filling out job applications or doing your taxes, our government knows that providing adults with literacy opportunities will help ensure that they have the tools they need to succeed.”

In Chilliwack-Kent and area, the Community Access to Literacy and Learning (CALL) program through the Agassiz-Harrison Community Services Society will receive funding, as well as the Read Right Society in Hope.

The New Democrat government is investing $2.9 million in the Community Adult Literacy Program which includes a one-time investment for 2021-22. This support will fund 97 programs, delivered by 66 organizations in 128 communities throughout the province.

Community based Indigenous, adult and family literacy programs are provided free of charge and delivered by community organizations, Indigenous-led organizations, and public-post secondary institutions. Literacy programming typically includes one-on-one tutoring and small-group instruction which supports all levels of literacy. In 2020, many programs shifted to online service delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.