Cradle to Career: Report tracks progress in literacy outcomes

Cradle to Career-Miramichi is an initiative designed to help prepare every child who lives within the greater Miramichi area for success from birth to career.

PRESS RELEASE
(Cradle to Career, March 31, 2021)
Mayor Adam Lordon and Senator David Adams Richards released a report today that tracks the progress of their Cradle To Career partnerships in improving literacy outcomes for every child in Miramichi. The report shows that despite COVID 19 restrictions, progress has been made on 8 outcomes, and 8 new initiatives were launched.

“The COVID-19 global crisis has tested us as a community, but one thing is crystal clear — the groundwork we laid over the past few years of establishing the Cradle to Career Miramichi partnerships has empowered us to strive ahead during this challenging situation. For this, we want to thank all the members of the Leadership Council and partner organizations,” said Lordon

Cradle to Career-Miramichi is an initiative designed to help prepare every child who lives within the greater Miramichi area for success from birth to career. The partnership provides the infrastructure for working across sectors to strategically inform, align and leverage resources to affect positive change. The Department of Post-secondary Education Training and Labour has seconded a consultant, Ann Morrissy to act as the backbone of the partnership to drive work forward and support the data-driven action.

Senator Richards said no single leader or organization has the capacity to drive major changes in a community. It takes all of us, pulling together over time to make major improvements. We are united in building a future in which every child has equitable opportunities that allow them to define success for themselves and achieve it. Together we are bringing great change including:

Highlights of the report:
• There was a 51% increase in the number of K to grade 3 striving readers attending summer literacy camps (68 children).
• 100% of K to grade 3 parents of striving readers in our summer camps were encouraged to get their child an eye exam and shown where resources were available.
• 99% of parents enrolled in a new initiative WORK IT! increased their literacy skills.
• 88% of parents enrolled in WORK IT! obtained a job & /or enrolled in postsecondary education.
• Eel Ground First Nations also launched a summer literacy camp, along with the anglophone and francophone camps making our selections more inclusive.
• A new program was launched so that every child receives a book every month from birth to age 5, thanks to the Chatham Rotary Club (125 babies to date).
• A new COVID 19 friendly program was launched, StoryWalk ®, an outdoor reading experience whereby a children's book is deconstructed, and the pages of the book are laminated and placed on wooden stakes along a walking trail.
• Two organizations launched programs to increase the number of one-to-one reading sessions in elementary schools both during and after class.
• The following components were installed into adult literacy classes to ensure a Two-Generation Approach (helping both parent and child): 1)Postsecondary Education and Employment Pathways; 2) Early Childhood Education and Development; 3) Economic Assets; 4) Health and Well-Being; and 5) Social Capital.