|
Led by the City of Surrey, the Surrey Public Library and the Surrey School District, more than 100 community organizations are participating in a comprehensive and collaborative plan to promote literacy and life skills in Surrey and White Rock.
The initiative, called "A Community Literacy & Essential Skills Plan for Surrey & White Rock" has been launched today with a ceremony at Surrey’s Enver Creek secondary school.
"Our success as a city depends on a coordinated effort to improve learning opportunities for everyone," says Mayor Dianne Watts. "This initiative further enhances our ability to deliver on the objectives established in the Surrey’s Learning for Life Strategy."
2010 Legacies Now provided a $40,000 grant and the City of Surrey provided $5,000 to fund the strategy planning. The plan was developed after extensive surveys of literacy providers and other agencies, community forums, consultation meetings with several community agencies and focus groups. The result was almost 200 recommendations that have been prioritized under five "Action Plan" pillars:
- Early learners
- K-12 learners
- Adult learners
- Aboriginal learners
- Multicultural learners
"We are grateful to 2010 Legacies Now and the City of Surrey for providing the funding to develop this plan," says Surrey Public Library chief librarian Beth Barlow. "This strategy will provide a focus for our communities to work together to improve services for learners of all ages."
The Community Literacy & Essential Skills Plan for Surrey & White Rock includes six over-arching goals:
- Inter-agency communication and collaboration is enhanced.
- Children are well-prepared to enter school.
- More students graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education.
- More opportunities for adult literacy and essential skills learning
- More aboriginal students graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education.
- Multicultural learners improve English skills and literacy levels.
"Our district has been a leader and innovator in developing programs and initiatives aimed at improving student literacy," says Surrey Board of Education vice-chair Shawn Wilson. "Our board is thrilled to partner in a program like this that engages and encompasses the entire community; to the benefit of our community and beyond."
The initiative qualifies for implementation funding from Literacy Now, a component of the 2010 Legacies Now non-profit society.
Last Updated: March 26, 2009
|
