A major Burnaby social service organization has been chosen to receive provincial funding to further its literacy program.
Today (July 26), Burnaby Neighbourhood House was unveiled as one of 66 non-profits in a $3.4-million yearly investment through the 2022-23 Community Adult Literacy Program.
The province says the community adult programs are designed to help British Columbians, newcomers, work permit holders and refugee claimants improve their reading, math and digital skills, and builds on the $2.9 million invested in 2021-22.
"Ongoing financial support for the Burnaby Community Adult Literacy Program has been essential to access literacy learning support for adults in our city. This has included reading and writing, numeracy, and financial and digital learning," says Burnaby Neighbourhood House CEO Antonia Beck.
"We work very closely with our partners at Simon Fraser University, the Burnaby School District and the Burnaby Public Library to recruit and train tutors who are matched with learners and provide an option for a flexible and barrier-free learning environment. It has made all the difference in the world to support so many individuals work toward their life and work goals."
Literacy programming typically includes one-on-one tutoring and small group instruction, which support all levels of literacy.
Programs are offered by trained volunteers and focus on basic literacy, numeracy, life skills and employment preperation.
"Community-based literacy programs give people the skills to thrive in the workforce and the community,” Burnaby-Lougheed MLA Katrina Chen says in a separate statement.
"These programs are not just designed to empower people in the next phase of their careers, but also to build their confidence and help them support their children in learning."
The funding is set to support almost 100 programs in 128 communities across B.C.
In 2020-21, community adult literacy programs provided services to more than 3,200 learners.
