This Mother’s Day, I’m planning to celebrate by going for a walk in nature with my children — one of our favourite ways to spend time together.

Mothers, grandmothers and caregivers play a powerful role in supporting their children’s learning. This issue of The Decoder highlights how literacy grows within families.

Aboriginal PALS (Parents as Literacy Supporters) is a program that supports Indigenous families through storytelling, language and cultural connection.

By empowering families with culturally grounded education, Aboriginal PALS helps children build strong literacy foundations while strengthening their ties to their community and heritage.

Thanks to the generous support of the Rina M. Bidin Foundation and FortisBC, we are thrilled to share that we will be able to run an Aboriginal PALS program in Mission. Our goal is to run two programs in Mission, one in Burnaby, and on Vancouver Island in the communities of Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Coombs, Errington and Nanoose Bay.

Learn how Aboriginal PALS is supporting Indigenous families’ literacy and culture.

Last year, more than 280 trained tutors, including 120 youth, supported over 450 elementary school children in 23 BC communities through the Fostering Literacy program. Read one learner’s success story and quotes from schools, parents, learners, tutors and program coordinators.

IPALS (Immigrant Parents as Literacy Supporters) is a program that helps newcomer families adjust to life in Canada and become familiar with our school system. Learn how this family literacy program has helped build bridges for one mother and more than 4,500 immigrant families.

In December, we learned that the federal government would be cutting funding to services supporting immigrants — including IPALS, which was once fully funded.

We are now working hard to raise $40,000 by September to keep five sites running. Thanks to your generosity, our Save IPALS campaign has already raised nearly $10,000 — but we still have a ways to go. Consider supporting this important work if you can.

It hasn’t been easy — but thanks to our incredible team, our partners, our funders and our donors, we are navigating these uncertain times with focus and optimism.

As BC’s literacy hub, Decoda continues to connect and collaborate across the province. Since January, we’ve shared our work through invited presentations with ABE-ABC, Community Learning Network, Edmonton, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) and the Chelsea Park Seniors community. Our staff and Board also gathered in person to reflect on our shared roles, aspirations and hopes for literacy in BC.

As part of our ongoing commitment to reconciliation, Decoda staff joined the Women’s Memorial March on February 14 to honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Thank you for believing in the power of literacy and the strength of community. Together, we are helping to build a stronger future by supporting mothers and their families across the province.

For those who celebrate — wishing you a very Happy Mother’s Day.

Warmly,
Sandra Lee
Executive Director, Decoda Literacy Solutions

We are hiring summer students! We have one position as a Library and Information Management Technician, and another as a Content Creator and Social Media Assistant. Decoda is a supportive team doing great work. If you or someone you know might be a great fit, share this post and apply now!