Annual Report 2012-2013 - READ Saskatoon...The 6th Annual READ Saskatoon PGI Golf Tournament for Literacy was held on Sept 7th, 2012 at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club. Thank Thank

Annual Report 2012-2013

Message from Board Chair

While growth can be challenging for any organization, it also represents tremendous opportunity for broad organizational improvement. With the support and commitment of our extraordinary staff, tutors and learners, and all our volunteers, READ Saskatoon has leveraged a number

of key opportunities this year and has continued to make a tremendous impact on the challenges associated with literacy in our community.

While adult and family literacy remain our core areas of focus, we began working with an expanded definition of literacy that now includes financial literacy. In less than a year, we have presented a variety of workshops to more than 23 different agencies delivering sessions focused on budgeting, banking, credit, consumerism, and understanding assets. Early feedback on the impact of this new programming is encouraging; 300 individuals have participated and there is growing interest in expanding program delivery.

We have also taken significant steps toward strengthening READ Saskatoon’s financial health. This past year, we not only created

a full-time fund development position, but we entered into the second year of our partnership with the United Way of Saskatoon as a member funded agency. Our hope is that these kinds of initiatives will continue to allow READ Saskatoon to become more financially independent so that we can continue to focus our energies on what we do best: supporting literacy in Saskatoon.

I am also particularly proud of the way our Board of Directors has committed to operating effectively and in the best interests of the community. The Board not only began the year by re-focusing READ Saskatoon’s Vision and Mission, but embarked on an exciting – though intensive – process of reviewing its policies and procedures, an exercise that will lead us to a clearer understanding of our role and responsibilities as a board. I look forward to providing you with an update on our progress next year.

While it has certainly been a busy year, it has been an equally rewarding one. It is with great pleasure that I introduce READ Saskatoon’s 2013-14 Annual Report, and I look forward to serving our community of literacy supporters for another year as Chair.

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

- Benjamin Franklin

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READ Saskatoon Board of Directors

Chair – Luke Muller Vice Chair – Shannon Cossette Treasurer – Lisa DunvilleSecretary – Maya Scott

Elected Members at LargePast Chair – Carm Michalenko Dave Salagubus Mary Leggett David Hutton Janet Uchez-Hart Liv Marken Kristen Hamm George Rathwell Kevin Thompson Rick Peddle

Executive Director – Sheryl Harrow - YurachProgram Director – Desiree TirkOffice Manager – Cecilia SchaanResource Development Manager– Michelle AndrosoffAdult Program Coordinator – Susan CarterLiteracy Program Design and Evaluation Coordinator – Joanne LaBrash

Community Literacy Coordinator– Erin L. BergerFamily Literacy Program Coordinator – Lori TkachukFinancial Literacy Coordinator – Nicole WhiteSarah ShokerELL Classsroom Coordinator – Jessica Hiebert Paula RemlingerELL Classroom Facilitator – Jake Gossen

READ Saskatoon Staff

The one-to-one tutoring program is a free literacy program that matches adult learners with trained volunteer tutors. Together they work to improve the learner’s reading, comprehension, writing, listening, speaking and spelling skills.

This year, READ Saskatoon focused on strengthening the capacity of volunteers and staff to enhance cultural awareness. This cultural component is now utilized to enhance our tutor training and resources and workshops were provided for staff and volunteers to ensure cultural responsiveness.

Quick Facts

· worked with 578 adults and 8 organizations;

· hosted 5 volunteer orientations and 5 tutor training workshops;

· worked with 180 READ Saskatoon tutors, and with 205 learners;

· 100 active matches meeting weekly to work towards the learner’s goal.

Adult One-to-One Tutoring Program

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This year READ Saskatoon received funding from SaskCulture to enhance the understanding and integration of cultural awareness within our volunteer tutor program and resources. Although READ Saskatoon has been successfully linking adult learners and volunteers for over 30 years we continually strive to be more inclusive and welcoming.

Cultural Awareness

Family Literacy

In 2012/13, READ Saskatoon’s Family Literacy Program proved successful. Many new community partnerships were formed to promote the benefits of Family Literacy and the value of participating in Family Literacy programs. Through presentations, quality program-ming and training opportunities for practitioners, READ Saskatoon continued to take on a greater leadership role within the community.

Our Good Book Bins were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Saskatoon. Thank you to the Core Neighborhood Youth Coop (CNYC) and W.D. Plastics for constructing the bins.

Quick Facts

· Through partnership with 20 community groups, we worked with 859 adults, 852 children. 181 staff and 79 volunteers;

· Maintained 55 story bags that were loaned out 241 times;

· Family Learning Olympics kit was borrowed 20 times;

· 714 Reading and Parents Program Packs (RAPP) went out this year;

· Maintained 12 Good Book Bin locations.

Partnerships:

Saskatoon Public Schools

Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools

Saskatoon Public Library

CHEP

Columbus Bosco Parent and Tot

Community Associations

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88%

68%

46%

44%

86%

Now use a Budget

Taken steps to repair Credit

Shifted habits in saving

Will share learnings with family

Increase in Financial Literacy Knowledge

100 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Financial Literacy

On January 7, 2013, Social and Enterprise Development Innovations (SEDI)

announced that the TD Financial Literacy Grant Fund awarded more than $90,000 to READ Saskatoon to support its financial literacy program. Administered by SEDI, a charitable non-profit organization focused on expanding economic opportunity for Canadians living in poverty, the Fund provided grants to 12 charitable and non-profit organizations across the country that support and promote financial literacy for low income and economically disadvantaged people. “Eighty percent of the clients at READ Saskatoon are employed with

most earning a low income,” said Sheryl Harrow-Yurach, Executive Director, READ Saskatoon. “The TD Financial Literacy Grant will ensure our community has increased access to mainstream financial education opportunities. It will also help us to position financial literacy as an essential skill, alongside reading, writing, and numeracy, allowing for systemic change within families and more broadly within our community.”

Quick Facts

· 48 workshops facilitated to 300 adults.

Financial Literacy became a new programming pillar for READ Saskatoon. We hosted a variety of workshops for adults that would help them make informed financial decisions for their families. This infographic displays the achieved outcomes.

READ Saskatoon receives National Financial Literacy Grant

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LIFE Program

LIFE Classroom

The new Literacy Instruction for Everyday Program (LIFE) was a new initiative to meet the literacy needs of English language learners who may not have had access to other available programming. By using a task-based approach, learners became familiar with common situations they may face in Canada. Through an emphasis on group activities and peer-assisted activities, this classroom gave learners a jump-start on their reading and writing skills to instill confidence, and assist newcomers to adapt more quickly and easily to our community.

Quick Facts

· 79 adults participated in the LIFE program with 13 volunteers and 2 staff.

· 4 twelve week sessions were hosted from October, 2012 to August, 2013.

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Speed Scrabble™ Tournament for Literacy

Feb 13th, 2013 marked the 2nd Annual Speed Scrabble Tournament for Literacy. 16 teams competed to win the title of 2013 Speed Scrabble™ Tournament for Literacy Champions. What started as a small event on campus has sparked enthusiasm and generosity of many partners. The winners this year were the WORD Workers with back to back wins. Everyone’s got speed Scrabble fever!

This year’s event raised almost $7,000 with proceeds going to READ Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association for Family and Adult Literacy programming.

READ ‘n’ Feed Celebrity Auction

The READ ‘n’ Feed Celebrity Auction continues to grow and provides READ Saskatoon with another opportunity to raise the profile of Adult and Family Literacy in our community. This year we raised over $30,000. The 2012 Sylvia Vicq Tutor Award was awarded Joan Parkins, who was nominated by her learner, Larry Zazula.

We would like to thank MC John Lagimodiere, the team at McDougall Auctioneers, Kinsmen servers and all of the committee

members. Special thanks to the Western Development Museum staff, and to the Giggle Factory for the amazing decorations!

Thank you to our celebrities: Roman Goodheart, Living Sky Winery, Pat Atkinson, Ned Powers, Lana Doke, Chief Felix Thomas, His Worship Don Atchison, Nancy Broten and Matt Johnson, Marcus Story, Chef Thomas Brown, Amy Jo Ehman, Dawn Wreford, Dr. Ernie Walker, Greg Johnson and Don Narcisse.

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K+S Potash Canada presents

READ Saskatoon’s PGI Golf Tournament for Literacy

The 6th Annual READ Saskatoon PGI Golf Tournament for Literacy was held on Sept 7th, 2012 at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club. Thank you to everyone who was involved with the day as we raised over $50,000. A true testament to everyone who believes in the work of READ Saskatoon and know that investing in this agency, helps make Saskatoon an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

PGI Golf Tournaments for Literacy happen in every province and territory across our nation. Each PGI is organized by a local committee and every dollar raised stays in the community to support local literacy programs. Special Thank you Poet Laureate Charles Hamilton.

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New Building

This has been a very exciting year for READ Saskatoon as we look forward to a brand new home.

Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon purchased the Parish Hall on 20th Street from the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of St. George’s. Plans are well underway to renovate and develop the space into a collaborative co-facility for community-based organizations united in the vision of improving lives and strengthening community through education, family support and mentorship.

Potential tenants, including YMCA Childcare, will join READ Saskatoon in establishing a sustainable, affordable and visible facility that maximizes the impact of organizations in the community by enabling a reach that exceeds that of individual entities alone.

The synergies and efficiencies realized through the establishment of shared space and services, shared delivery of core-programs, shared

knowledge and resources, will allow READ Saskatoon to expand capacity, amplify impact and advance mission.

Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon will be leading a capital campaign to

raise funds to cover the cost of the building and renovations later this year. If all goes according to plan, the anticipated move to our new home will be in the Fall of 2015.

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Our Impact and Research

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Vision A community that values, promotes, and supports literacy.

READ Saskatoon continued to build on its financial success in 2012-13. Our audited financial statements are available upon request by phone at (306) 652-5448. We are a registered charity which depends on the generosity of our community to provide our many programs and

services. We are grateful for the support of our funders and sponsors. Our annual fundraising initiatives provide READ Saskatoon with our largest sources of undesignated funding. We are grateful to the many sponsors and attendees who make the events so successful.

Communities Served by READ Saskatoon

The requests for our Adult, Family and Financial Literacy trainings have grown over the past five years. We are very pleased to provide programming expertise and support to agencies and communities throughout the province.

· 87% of READ Saskatoon long term learners are reaching their goals, which include:

– Successful entrance to Kelsey SIAST and U of S post -secondary institutions;

– Conversation skills for newcomers to integrate within community;

– Reading and filling out forms (medical, job, resumes, government);

– Workplace literacy skills (improved spelling, listening, speaking, grammar, punctuation skills).

We work with adults and families determined to change their circumstances. 80% of our clients are employed with most earning less than $30,000 per year. They are working to change the fact that non-high school graduates earn at least $3,000 less per year than those who have graduated from high school but not continued on

to post-secondary education. (Taking Stock of Lifelong Learning in Canada, Canadian Council on Learning, August 2010).

· 96% of learners feel supported, encouraged and respected by READ Saskatoon.

· Study habits are reinforced; learners do an average of 3 hours per week of independent study, over and above the time they meet with their tutors.

· Currently 20% of Saskatoon’s adult population hasn’t met the requirements for a high school diploma. At this level, they are performing below the level internationally considered necessary for full participation in a knowledge-based society. If Saskatoon continues to grow at a rate of approximately 2%, its population will reach 300,000 by 2026 (Saskatoon Speaks, background paper, 2010).

· The demand for Financial Literacy programming is tremendous. Preliminary results indicate the training has significant impact on behavioral changes. Program participants are changing the way they save. More importantly these changes are still happening three months later. To date:

– 32% opened an RRSP; – 46% reported taking steps to repair their credit; – 44% changed their spending habits, and – 68% set a family budget and stuck to it 3 months later.

Mission READ Saskatoon addresses and supports the advancement of literacy and learning in our community. We provide access to a range of literacy services for adults and families through the work of staff, trained volunteers and community partners.

READ ‘n’ Feed Celebrity Auction Sponsors

PGI Golf Tournament for Literacy Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Garvin & Associates

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Award Recognition

Adam Belcourt Learner Achievement Award – sponsored by the Saskatoon Lions Club

Alan Sklapsy Gzowski Award – READ Saskatoon PGI Golf Tournament for Literacy 2012

Joan Parkins Sylvia Vicq Tutor Award – sponsored by Dakota Dunes Community Development

#304 -1114 22nd Street W, Saskatoon, SK S7M 0S5Phone: (306) 652-5448 [email protected]

Funders

Financial Literacy Funders

READ Saskatoon Agency Funders

Family Literacy Program Funders

Adult Literacy Program Funders

Governmentof Canada

Gouvernementdu Canada

Legal Follies