For nearly three decades, the NWT Literacy Council has followed a simple yet powerful mantra: SA国际影视传媒淓veryone has a right to literacy.SA国际影视传媒�

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a vision that has helped the non-profit organization support and strengthen literacy in the NWT by bringing families, communities, cultures and languages together through an array of specialized programs.

SA国际影视传媒淟iteracy involves everyone SA国际影视传媒� individuals, families, communities, business, labour, government,SA国际影视传媒� said executive director Kathryn Barry Paddock.

SA国际影视传媒淟iteracy and essential skills are the foundation of life-long learning,SA国际影视传媒� added Barry Paddock, who has headed the council since 2015.

To lay the groundwork for that foundation, the NWT Literacy Council focuses on a handful of programming areas: Indigenous language and literacy, youth and adult literacy and family and community literacy SA国际影视传媒� an area Barry Paddock calls the council's "flagship."

Family literacy relates to the many ways families learn together, whether through conversing, cooking, singing, reading or being out on the land. Running for over 20 years, the program SA国际影视传媒� funded by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment SA国际影视传媒� offers training and workshops to librarians, early childhood workers, recreational leaders, parents, caregivers and children from communities across the territory, who then "choose the programs that work best for them and their families in their communities," said Barry Paddock.

Within the councilSA国际影视传媒檚 youth literacy program, training is also offered to community-based organizations so educators can provide programs SA国际影视传媒� from financial and digital literacy to health and workplace literacy SA国际影视传媒� in their own communities.

"Literacy nights" see young people take the reins themselves, organizing feasts, sporting events and tea gatherings for elders, with the goal of getting young people back onto a path of learning.

"TheySA国际影视传媒檙e gaining lots of skills by carrying out those activities," said Barry Paddock.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not happening in a typical classroom setting SA国际影视传媒� and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the point.

Barry Paddock said an enduring barrier to literacy in the North is rooted in the long and painful history of the residential school system.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why the council aims to offer informal and non-judgmental programming to youth and adults alike, to SA国际影视传媒渂reak down some of those systemic barriers,SA国际影视传媒� said Barry Paddock.

Working with the Indigenous Secretariat and language coordinators in various communities as part of Indigenous literacy programming, Barry Paddock said "weSA国际影视传媒檝e heard loud and clear," that community leaders and students donSA国际影视传媒檛 just want resources translated into Indigenous languages.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey want an opportunity to come together and share different things going on in the community,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The council usually hosts an Indigenous language gathering annually, inviting elders and youth from various regions in the territory.

Through Immigrants, Refugees and Citizenships Canada (IRCC), the council also runs a program aimed at connecting new Canadians to their new communities through informal literacy activities and classes SA国际影视传媒� from a cooking class at the Calvary Church and a womenSA国际影视传媒檚 swim night to trips to the on-the-land Indigenous healing camp in Yellowknife.

And, of course, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 the Bison Bus, one of the driving forces behind the councilSA国际影视传媒檚 family and community literacy program.

Purchased with funds raised solely from community donations, the one-time diamond mine shuttle bus now travels from community to community with a trove of donated books free for the taking.

The Bison Bus just returned from a stop in Fort Resolution and another in Hay River during the townSA国际影视传媒檚 Hay Days celebration.

The book-mobile will stop for a picnic at Fred Henne Park on July 21, before heading out to Fort Smith and Enterprise on Aug. 7.

When literacy in the North is nurtured, its residents gain SA国际影视传媒渁 lot,SA国际影视传媒� said Barry Paddock.

SA国际影视传媒淲e gain citizens who are confident in their abilities, citizens who then have the ability to hopefully come up out of poverty SA国际影视传媒� to then have the skills to get a better job and to support their families,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e know itSA国际影视传媒檚 linked to how people feel.SA国际影视传媒�