Ballina Library gets child literacy funding
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation this week presented Ballina Library with $15,000 to fund the ‘Ten Minutes a Day’ early childhood literacy program.
Ten Minutes a Day is an educational program which aims to improve literacy rates within the community by engaging parents and their children aged one to four years old.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Chairman Michael Slater said the program is designed to educate parents and carers about the importance of reading to children at an early age and provide a range of reading materials through their local library along with group sessions for parents and their children.
“The Charitable Foundation has proudly supported the program since 2006 and is delighted to assist in expanding the program to Ballina Library,’’ Mr Slater said.
“There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that children who are read to on a regular basis are more readily able to read once they start school.
“Reading for just 10 minutes a day to a child is a wonderful investment in their future.”
Ballina Area Librarian Kerrie Fairlie said Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation’s support would provide a wonderful opportunity for Ballina children to discover the joy of reading books at an early age.
“The 10 Minutes a Day program provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to bond with their child while teaching them a valuable skill,” Ms Fairlie said.
“The funding from the Charitable Foundation will provide picture books and CDs along with instructional material and training to empower parents to read to their children.”
The program will commence at Ballina Library on 22 July.
