Lloydminster and the whole nation celebrated Family Literacy Day on Wednesday, January 27th.
The day is meant to encourage families to strengthen their literacy skills together and the Lloydminster Learning Council Association, in conjunction with the City and Lloydminster’s public library were challenging people in the community to read for at least 15 minutes on Literacy Day and then let them know about it by contacting either the LLCA or the library to report their participation. Communities across Alberta competed to be the province’s most readerly citizens. To participate contact the LLCA or the public library to report having read for at least 15 minutes today. This was the first year of the 15 Minute Challenge for the community on Family Literacy Day.
Literacy Coordinator with the LLCA, Desire Gatin, says, “We need reading for all areas of life… Literacy is a big thing for any community and anyone who wants to learn and expand their knowledge. It’s good for children, great for adults, and it’s just a skill that we feel is very important.”
The LLCA offers several programs for people in the community including Books for Babies and Rhymes that Bind.
“The first one is for families to come together once a week for four weeks. It’s a program for parents and caregivers of babies, newborn to 1-year, that recognizes, supports, and celebrates parents as their first teachers. And Rhymes that Bind is for families to come together once a week for 8 weeks; it’s a program for parents and caregivers, for children of 2-4 years, which uses songs, crafts, story-telling for the joy of learning,” explains Gatin.
While Alberta seeks its province’s most readerly community, Saskatchewan is also on board to support literacy it seems. The Ministry of Education allocated $2.4 million in 2015-16 for literacy initiatives, including the Family Literacy Initiative Program.
Gatin says there’s also a new program upcoming through the LLCA. The Introduction to Family Literacy Program, which is a full-day certificate workshop, for anyone wanting to facilitate or coordinate literacy programs on their own time, in their own way. The workshop will be held Thursday, April 21st from 9am-4pm at the Community Service building.
For more information contact the Association at 780-875-5763.