IMPROVING EDUCATION IN A CHILD’S EARLY YEARS IS A GAME-CHANGER Thanks to the generous support of our major partner, Portland Aluminium, our early Literacy Program has reached hundreds of children across the Glenelg Shire. Early intervention is critical, with the research showing that almost 90% of children who are poor readers in Year 1, remain poor readers in Year 4. Sadly these children are less likely to complete school, and more likely to enter into poverty later in life. United Way Glenelg is working to break the cycle, using a two-level approach to ensure: • communities in the Glenelg Shire have low-cost

access to quality books, and; • disadvantaged kids are supported to develop

their early literacy skills before it’s too late. With your support, we’ve helped hundreds of children get ready to read and together, we plan to do so much more.

THE STORY SO FAR Over the past year, more than 350 children have benefited from our high-impact literacy program, ensuring they’re school-ready, and on track to a brighter future. Coming from disadvantaged communities where as many as 22% of children who begin school without numeracy and literacy skills needed to keep up, the odds were stacked against them. Now they’ve got a chance to succeed.

Since the launch of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in the Glenelg Shire, we’ve built partnerships with individuals, corporate, government and non-government agencies and communities to turn this into a highly successful program.

We believe everyone has a part to play in ensuring children and young people in communities have the best chance to succeed at school and beyond, That’s why our work over the past year has engaged children and parents in-need, as well as community leaders, corporate government and non-government agencies working with disadvantaged families and community members. This has included:

• Connecting the program to organisations and agencies such as Karreeta Peeneeyt Mara Portland Child & Family Complex, Glenelg Shire Supported Playgroup, OzChild, Brophy Family & Youth Services, Dartmoor & District Bush Nursing, Glenelg & Southern Grampians Drug Treatment Centre, DHS, Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly Community Health Services, Winda Mara, Kathleen Millikan Centre, YMCA and Goodstart Early Learning Centre.

• Investing in literacy kits so organisations can encourage parents to read to their children “early and often”, Raise the awareness of reading, rhyming, singing from birth, ensure vulnerable families are aware of the program and “register” their child to receive books, model ways parents can read a book to their child and repeat the reading message multiple times to parent.

• Strengthening the capacity of our community by educating about the importance of reading to children “anywhere, anytime” and help to connect families with local programs such as reading time at libraries and supported playgroups.

“WE READ TO OUR SON

EVERY NIGHT”

KEY ACHEIVEMENTS IN 2013-14 Through our work, we have been able to deliver immediate and longer-term positive outcomes for our local community. Below are just some of the highlights from the last year. • More than 350 children in 26 different communities of the Glenelg Shire have been provided with over 2265

quality age-appropriate books from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library

• 3 Community awareness & engagement events across the shire to build community support for reading

• Parent Education partnerships with 11 government and non-government agencies in the Glenelg Shire who are working directly with vulnerable children

• Introduction of printed and multimedia resources to support behavior change to read to children every day, some of which is posted along with the monthly books

• A grant from Pacific Hydro to deliver Literacy kits to government and non-government agencies throughout the shire

• Partnership with local community radio station 3RPC. The monthly books are read over the radio for children to follow with the “Read with Aunt Hilary” program.

• A grant from Glenelg Shire Council to run activities throughout the shire during book week

• Grant from The Andrew Jack Foundation of $60,000 to directly place books into the hands of more children living in the Glenelg Shire

• A grant from Portland Aluminium to build a literacy trail at Heywood

Kylie and Max have been receiving the books since their son Tyrae’s birth.

Tyrae is now 10 months old and both mum and dad read to him every day and he loves it!

“The books are good for Tyrae’s age and he loves listening to the stories” Both Kylie & Max share the reading.

Tyrae and mum, Kylie, attend a

supported playgroup in Portland. The

playgroup facilitators have noticed real

improvements with the reading skills of

the parents who attend. Parents who

have previously been quiet in the group

are confidently reading aloud with their

children.

Tyrae is developing vital early Literacy

skills, including familiarity with letters,

numbers and other shapes too.