Released on September 25, 2007
With the support of over $684,000 from the SaskSmart Innovations Fund, 12 communities will engage in community literacy programming this year. This funding will allow new innovative family and workplace literacy programs across Saskatchewan to begin this fall.
"Funding recipients will have a greater opportunity to address their communities' literacy needs," Minister responsible for Literacy Deb Higgins said. "Grassroots literacy programs make it possible for people to gain the skills they need to participate fully in the labour market and to create a better quality of life for themselves and their families."
Recipients of SaskSmart funding are community partnerships that have collaborated to design literacy plans which address local needs and build on local resources. Proposals were submitted to the Saskatchewan Literacy Commission in May. In this second year of the SaskSmart Innovations Fund program, literacy partnerships will receive amounts ranging from $25,000 to $70,000 to implement community-based literacy programs.
"Developing strong literacy skills is essential to individual success at home, at work and in the community," Higgins said. "The SaskSmart Innovations Fund is one more way that we are making Saskatchewan the best place to live, work and raise a family."
The SaskSmart Innovations Fund is also providing nine communities with Expressions of Interest grants of $7,500 each, to develop plans that address local literacy needs.
The Saskatchewan Literacy Commission works closely with community partners to co-ordinate resources dedicated to literacy in the province.
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For more information, contact:
Jacquie McLean
Learning
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5609
Email: jacquie.mclean@sasked.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-535-2261