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Summer Newsletter 2023

A Reading Tent in British Columbia

We have a lot of fun and engaging events happening this summer. However, we also want to express our concern and care for everyone whose life has been affected by the wildfires that have been occurring across the country. We hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe and are able to enjoy all the season has to offer.



In this newsletter, you will find:



• Opportunities to participate in free Reading Tents with your family and friends
• Free, downloadable Financial Literacy Resources
• A Save the Date for the upcoming National Forum, The AI Revolution and Literacy: Threat or Opportunity?
• Our approach to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
• An invitation to participate in Scrabble for Literacy: Summer Edition

A mom and child reading together at a Reading Tent in Montreal

In communities across Canada, we're offering free Reading Tents and day camps all summer long. These events are great opportunities for kids and families to get outside and have fun with books.

Here are some highlights:

In Edmonton, Reading Tents take place in parks around the city all summer. Follow

@UnitedForLiteracyAlberta on Facebook or Instagram for more information.

Kids in Sudbury are invited to join a free summer day camp that includes arts and crafts and fun with math and reading. There are two camps running this year: July 17 to 21 and July 31 to August 4. Register here and follow @UnitedForLiteracySudbury to keep on top of local events.

Fridays in July and August will be fun in Thunder Bay. Join us for Literacy in the Parks, a Reading Tent that takes place at Hillcrest and Vickers Park. For more details and to find which location is hosting, follow @UnitedForLiteracyThunderBay.

To find out what's happening in your area, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnitedForLiteracy.

It's summertime and kids are out of school. While it's a time to relax and play, it's also important for kids to keep their minds active through reading and learning. But access to books and fun, engaging activities are not available to all children in Canada. That's where you can help!

A love of reading or curiosity about learning new things is a key determinant of future success. So, at our Summer Literacy Camps, we introduce campers to activities and experiences that spark their imaginations and encourage exploration. 

At camp, friendships are made, bursts of creativity, and "a-ha!" moments are shared when an activity sparks a child's imagination. Filling their summers with reading, crafts, healthy snacks, physical activity, and educational games would not be possible without your vital support.



We need your help today, so we can provide free, high-quality, year-round programs tomorrow. From camps to homework clubs to adult programs and GED support, United for Literacy makes reading, writing math, financial literacy, and other vital skills more accessible to more people.

Make an impact on a person's life today. Donate now.

In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Education, we have created a series of Financial Literacy Resources. There are individual guides and supporting activities for Grades 4 to 12, with some items targeted for teachers and some for families and others wanting to teach young people ways to understand and manage money.

These resources provide clear information about everything from compound interest to investing. Although targeted at school children, they are useful for people of all ages.

To access the Financial Literacy resources, go to unitedforliteracy.ca/Resources and search Financial Literacy Guides and Resources. You'll be asked to provide some basic demographic information to help us learn who is downloading these materials.

July 17 - August 11



Our signature Scrabble for Literacy event is going online this summer. Join other Scrabble enthusiasts to have fun and raise money for literacy programs across Canada. Participants play in a tournament-based game using the ScrabbleGO app starting on July 17.

Registration is $40. Make a donation of $40 (or more) or raise funds from your friends and family to play. You will receive a tax receipt for your donation.

Prizes include a Kobo e-reader. Register today!

United for Literacy is committed to promoting Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (JEDI) and emphasizes a working and learning environment for everyone.

Our JEDI framework reflects the "All Welcome" philosophy that is at the core of all United for Literacy internal and external relationships, practices, and policies. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way many of us live our lives. Predictive text and other programs are causing people to look at the connection between technology and people through a new lens.

This year's annual National Forum will take a deep dive into the complex role of AI on literacy: the helpful, the concerning, and the unknown.The forum, The AI Revolution and Literacy: Threat or Opportunity? takes place online on Thursday, October 5.

Hosted by Martine St-Victor, General Manager at the communications firm Edelman, the National Forum on Literacy and AI will feature a wide-reaching array of panelists:

• Matthew Johnson – Director of Education at MediaSmarts: Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy.

• Valentine Goddard – Lawyer, certified mediator, and an inter-arts curator. She is a member of the Advisory Council on AI of Canada and a United Nations Expert on AI Policy and Governance.

• Ocean Pottle-Shiwak – Community Literacy Worker from Rigolet, Nunatsiavut

• Yuanda Zheng – Instructor Coordinator at United for Literacy

Follow United for Literacy on social media and check out our website in the coming weeks to find out how to register.

It's summer now, but we'll soon be recruiting volunteer tutors for our fall and winter programs.

Our volunteers are of all ages and from all walks of life. You don't have to have a teaching background to be a tutor. You can make a difference in your community by supporting a person as they learn to read, improve their math ability, and learn other important skills.

Find out more about volunteering with United for Literacy and complete the Volunteer Inquiry Form.

A volunteer and learner in Manitoba work on math together

unitedforliteracy.ca

1-800-555-6523 | information@unitedforliteracy.ca