Make a difference with Shine literacy programme
The reading programme is run from the Waterloo Primary School, and is now in its fifth year since inception.
OPEN a Book for a Child is looking for volunteers to help them run their Shine literacy hour. The programme is about story sharing, creating a love of books, expanding the horizons of the children and supporting those who are at risk of not learning to read, which is crucial for long-term success in today’s world. The social investment initiative activates communities to assist children in developing their English reading skills with the goal of improving their education and opening up a new world to them.
The reading programme is run from the Waterloo Primary School, and is now in its fifth year since inception thanks to the dedicated volunteers and educators taking time to read to and interact with the pupils one day a week for as little as an hour, or more.
The concept is based on Shine in Cape Town, a multi-award winning non-profit organisation that provides language and literacy support to young children through an innovative and measurable programme. Shine believes that targeted early support for children fosters independent learning habits and instills confidence and curiosity, and is the key to raising literacy rates and wider educational standards in South Africa.
Maddy Loynes, programme coordinator and one of the volunteers involved in the running of the programme, said the reading programme is aimed at Grade 2 and 3 children, and the success of the programme hinges on volunteers.
“The children just absolutely love the interaction and the volunteers love being able to give back. By reading, it helps open up new worlds for them and also boosts their confidence. We have a number of volunteers who have been with us from the start, but the reality is we need more dedicated volunteers.
“We are appealing to anyone who has an hour or two to spare a week, and who shares our passion for helping a child to discover the joy of reading, to volunteer for the programme,” she explained.
Contact Megan Viljoen on 082 458 8811 or e-mail openabookforachild@gmail.com.
