By Gina Aphane | Frontline Marketing Support
Since we began our very first reading programme in 2006, we have worked in over 223 schools and helped over 14,000 children learn to read. Our work confronts the severely low levels of literacy in South Africa's children and seeks to ensure that the youth is employable and able to lift their communities out of poverty. With statistics clearly indicating the need for holistic, consistent and innovative approaches to this problem, we are pleased to reflect on the results of the great work produced with the help our supporters and our teams collectively. As at the end of March 2018 we have witnessed 2037 learners being assisted through the various Help2read programmes.
#MyReadingHelper
Our core reading help programme has demonstrated its effectiveness as a method for developing literacy, reading skills and the enjoyment of reading in young learners in South Africa for over a decade. Based on the model of our sister charity in the UK, Beanstalk, we have trained volunteers who have supported children in over-crowded public primaryschools providing one-on-one reading and literacy support for at least two 30-minute sessions each week to 2 or 3 learners whose reading and literacy skills fall below desired grade levels. It has been through these volunteers dedication and commitment that we have we’ve witnessed children not only learn to read, but also gain confidence therefore excelling in school. It’s for this reason that we kicked off the start of our 2018 academic year, celebrating these amazing individuals on International Thank You Day through the launch of our #MyReadingHelper Campaign. Learners were asked to share what they thought about their Reading Helpers, and vice versa. Giving birth to the first #MyReadingHelper campaign video series which we are pleased to see it inspiring other members of society to join and contribute to making a positive impact on the lives of children that struggle to read just by commiting to as little as one hour twice a week. Watch their stories in our #MyReadingHelper video series here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23MYreadinghelper
An additional help2read Thank you to the 286 new volunteers who have joined since the beginning of the 2018 school year, we look forward to seeing you and your learner’s stories in the 2019 #MyReadingHelper video series.
Literacy Tutors Programme Expansion
Our Literacy Tutor (LT) programme was enhanced in 2017 with the aim of providing additional opportunities for literacy development in poor communities whilst expanding the programme of youth work experience. With the youth unemployment rate averaging at 51.91 percent from 2013 until 2017, reaching an all-time high of 55.90 percent in the second quarter of 2017 and a record low of 48.80 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. The LT programme creates opportunities for income generation for these young literate people (18 – 29 year olds) in a sustainable youth-operated income-generating and contributing to support struggling learners
2017 Literacy Tutors & Community Reading Clubs Review:
Over 2,000 children attended the Holiday Reading Clubs and were able to strengthen their interest and love for reading through engaging in fun activities.
Following this success, we are happy to report on the expansion to two new equally needing areas namely:
These holiday Clubs are key to building essential community services to support working parents whilst expanding the opportunities for primary school children to learn and have fun. In addition the aim was to provide additional opportunities for literacy development and prevent what is termed the ‘’holiday literacy slide” that often happens to children from low-income communities -such as the townships we work in. The injection of these clubs provides links to improve on the culture of reading, resources (educational games/books) through reading activities throughout the holiday periods.
Resources alone are part of the equation; we are delighted to report on the introduction of the 2018 new Literacy Tutors at the new and continued partner schools. Our Literacy Tutor Programme in Johannesburg expanded the programme to a new area, Diepsloot North of Johannesburg and continues to serves more schools in Alexandra Township. New partners schools are:
The implication of this expansion sees an exciting of:
Highlights Celebrated
Celebrations of 2018 South African Library Week and World Storytelling Day, saw the launch of our very first Reading Tour and other exciting activities to motivate learners to visit their local library and get reading.
Our Johannesburg team hosted our very first schools Reading Tour, which kicked off at the start of SA Library Week on 19 March. During which we enjoyed the visits with 8-year-old author Khanya, who read to her peers at Observatory Girls Primary School our other partner schools in Johannesburg. The Mother-daughter author team Bianca & Khanya read from their book ‘I Love Me’. Children’s author Lebohang Masango later read her book ‘Mpumi’s Magic Beads’ to our little readers.
Western Cape team, along with Volunteers and Literacy Tutors, celebrated World Storytelling Day (20 March) at a number of partner schools. Activities varied in theme such as the learners of Portia Primary were treated to fun and interactive sessions and readings with Melanie Lippert; while learners at Simon’s Town Primary School were treated to a creative drawing workshop facilitated by the founder of “Little Bo Babies’, Schatz.
Help2read team is proud of all the participants and supporters who contribute to the spreading of the love of literacy and we are certain that there are a great number of budding authors in the making amidst the learners.
2018 Participants of World Storytelling Day & SA Library week
New Partnerships one Block at a time
We recently partnered with Care For Education to incorporate LEGO Duplo into our Book Boxes at schools and external partners. This partnership saw the help2read staff and Literacy Tutors attend training in order to obtain the knowledge necessary to use LEGO effectively in our one-on-one reading sessions as LEGO facilitators
help2read Staff & Literacy Tutors at the LEGO Facilitator Training
On 27 March, we hosted our first LEGO workshop for volunteers at St Mary’s Primary in Cape Town. Volunteers had the opportunity to experience first-hand how learning through play can be beneficial and how experiential learning is used to impart key skills with children when LEGO is employed:
Where to from here?
Teaching a child to read and write can change their life and yours, forever. When you volunteer as a Reading Helper or Literacy Tutor, you’re equipping children with a life-long skill that will help them get the most out of their schooling. The ripple effects of your effort include tackling unemployment, breaking the cycle of poverty, and upholding democracy. Empowering young people with the tools to not only access information necessary to their success, but to also record, interpret and contribute intellectually to their community.
When you donate and sponsor a child, you enable us to train and equip our Reading Helpers & Literacy Tutors who will reach more learners and engage young children in reading activities; thereby increasing the culture of reading that promotes family literacy.
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