LITERACY NOW BURNABY

Update to Burnaby Interagency Council – November 25, 2010

� It may be hard to imagine, but 42% of Canada's adult population is not equipped with the literacy skills needed to cope with the demands of everyday life and work in our advanced society.

Why literacy ?

Literacy…

� is more than reading and writing

� includes ability to communicate

� includes ability understand social codes needed to participate in society the economy

� includes use of technology

� is the foundation required for all other skills.

What did we do?

As part of a Provincial literacy initiative,

Burnaby, along with many other communities, developed a Literacy Plan geared to meet the specific needs of people in their community.

Key

elements

of the plan� Encourage and Hap

� Encourage and Support

� Encourage and support what is Already happening

� Program Sustainability

� Support for and enhancement of programs that provide effective services and intergenerational literacy

� Support for community-based multi-service hubs

First Year activities - 2009

� Funded eight projects in line with plan priorities. For children, seniors, ESL, homeless.

Gaps noted – no applications received for adults & youth.

� Boys and Girls Club After-School Program for children age 6-12,

81% of parents report child reads more at home now.

they are reading

2009 activities, cont’d

• Burnaby Association for Com. Inclusion (BACI) - Tutoring Special Needs Elementary School Children• school reports improved and parents gained skills to help

• Burnaby Family LifeLending Library of Take-Home Kits in several languages.

2009 activities, cont’d

� Burnaby Multicultural Society

A Pilot program of ESL Conversation Classes

for Newcomer Seniors.

� Burnaby Public Library/South Burnaby

Neighborhood House

Adult ESL Reading and Conversation Circle.

2009 activities, cont’d

� Cameray Child and Family Services Family Literacy Circle – three 8 week programs for children and families.

� Douglas College I CARE/ Burnaby

Public Library, Kingsway - Learning Table Expansion

� Second Street Community School-

A ‘talk” program for children 3-5 years, from homes with a mother tongue other than English and their parents or caregivers.

Reading

Community Capacity

Workshops

� Community Agency Meeting – May 6th, 2009 Breakout sessions to generate ideas - 35 registered

� Proposal Writing Workshop - May 11th 2009 presenters Vancouver Foundation – 32 registered

� Financial Literacy Workshop - Family Services

20 participants – November 2009

Health Literacy

� International Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS) results show;

� More than 55% of Canadians have less than adequate health literacy skills.

� For those over the age of 65 the numbers rose to 88%.

� This confirms that we have a serious Health Literacy problem.

Reading is linked to

better health

Health Literacy Collaborative

� Four BC communities participated in a Health Literacy Pilot project with Impact BC and “Patients as Partners”

� Hazelton, Victoria and Tri-Cities and Burnaby, worked with Impact BC, Literacy Now & Ministry of Health

� Teams; - a medical practice, (Dr.& Staff) a literacy learner and tutor, Health Dept. Staff and Literacy Coordinator.

Health Literacy goals

� to support primary health care practices to make improvements in Doctor/patient communication

� to involve patients to participate as active partners in their own health care

� find ways to ensure that patients understand

instructions and take medications correctly

Health and VOBS - Voices of Burnaby Seniors

� Seniors are at high health risk with 88% low health literacy & taking more medications

� Presented Health literacy video and conversations with Voices of Burnaby Seniorsand Rec. Center Senior Groups

International Literacy Day

� September 8th proclaimed “Burnaby Reads Day’ by Mayor Corrigan.

� “Read In” Events had 80 to 90 people attend & coverage on CBC and in local papers.

� “Burnaby Reads Photo Contest” offered $100 cash award in each of 8 contest categories all with photos of real people reading in Burnaby locations.

What Makes Burnaby a Special

Place to Read

Photo Contest - Recognizable

Participation in

Community Committees

� Burnaby lnter-Agency Committee

� Early Childhood Development

& Neighbourhood Action Team

� Eastburn Interagency

� Norburn Interagency

� Metrotown Interagency

Community Committees cont’d

� Burnaby Intercultural Planning Table

& Intercultural Community Forums

Looking In - Reaching Out, A Welcoming and Inclusive Workplaces & Project Report

Plain Language Executive Summary – provided by Literacy Now

Community Capacity 2010

� Plain Language Workshop – May 12, 2010

22 registered, 18 attended

� Evaluation Workshop – June 3rd 201021 registered, 16 attended

� Program Sustainability Planning Workshop

September 22nd 2010 – 70 applicants, 35 attended

� Proposal Writing Workshop – October 19, 2010

� Train the Trainer Plain Language Workshop

Nov 22, 25 attended (Oct 19, 26 attended)

Workshops in Early 2011

� Three workshops are planned for 2011

� February - Project Development

� March - Community Development

� April - Community Engagement

Drop Everything and Read

(DEAR) Events

� Financial support for literacy awareness in October. Events were held at;

� Stoney Creek Community School

� Burnaby Multicultural Society

� Continuing Ed – ELSA 2 – 6 classes

� The Burnaby Hospice Society

� Maywood childcare

� Eastburn Community Center

� Stride Avenue Community School

� 12 Strong Start Programs

Photo

New Activities 2010 cont’d

� Late to Reading Program for Youth

with School District 41 – a new program to help youth who have not mastered reading skills.

� Daily one-on-one student support from a specially trained teacher.

� Byrne Creek, Moscrop, Burnaby North, Burnaby South, Fraser Park; Lochdale, Armstrong, Capitol Hill Alternate Programs and Central Bridge part of the program

New Activities 2010 cont’d

� Reading, Conversation and Book Lending

at BC Housing Hall Towers, with Tommy Douglas

Library, BC Housing, CMHA & Literacy Now

� Weekly reading and conversation groups starting January 2011

� Articles and books read out loud & conversation

(to attract people who may not be able to read)

� Lending library with specially selected books

Working on

� Continue working with focus group teams identified at Community Forum

� Literacy & Strong Starts are meeting in all communities in BC – joint activities tba

� Early Childhood Development/ Neighbourhood Action Team – add on literacy piece to project idea.

� Volunteer Translation services

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

� Literacy Now Website www.literacybuildscommunities with videos about the Health Literacy Project, two communities and their activities & a literacy video

Questions… Comments…