Nelson Improves Local Literacy

The Nelson literacy task group received $60,000 from Literacy Now Communities. Funds supported CyberSeniors, which provides computer time and training for seniors; the Rosemont Rainbows Play and Literacy Group for parents and caregivers of children up to age six; the Grandfriends Program Tutor Training where volunteers read to and with young people; Random Acts of Reading that involves spontaneous acts of reading; and various family and child events that develop parents' skills to support learning.

Other programs include the Bigby Place Literacy Program; English as a second language classes and tutoring; Early Literacy Theme Packets, a package of literacy activity ideas; Books for Babies that provides books and literacy information to families with a newborn; Parent-Child Mother Goose that uses singing and rhyming to develop language skills; Love 2 Learn, a program for preschoolers and their parents; a Seniors' Reading Group and an Annual Literacy Award given to a business or organization for its exceptional support of literacy.

Literacy Now Communities guides communities through a planning process to identify and address local literacy needs. The program focuses on building partnerships, networking and sharing best practices within BC's communities and regions. There are currently 96 task groups throughout BC working to improve local literacy. Literacy Now Communities is supported by the Province of British Columbia.