Picture this: A family literacy instructor is seated on the floor of a participant's family home. She has been here before, doing literacy activities with the family as part of the family literacy program. She glances over to see a man and his wife seated together in the big armchair. The husband's arm is around the wife's shoulder. Two of the children are seated at their feet. Two other children are around the coffee table doing a puzzle. The wife is reading to her husband.

This is a scene you might see if you were a home visitor in the PVLEA (Pembina Valley Language Education for Adults) Family Book Partners Program in Winkler. It is one of the many stories I heard and saw as I traveled around rural Manitoba this Spring. Exciting things are happening in Family Literacy in this province and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about some of them.

Part 1: Consultation and Consolidation
Our preliminary objectives were to develop an annotated bibliography of family literacy resources, to investigate past family literacy projects, to create a presentation package to facilitate program linkages to community partnerships and to provide one-to-one support to programs pursuing partnerships. The Family Literacy Resources Bibliography will be soon downloadable from NALD. We have gathered a wealth of information, stats and quotes from several sources including: IALS, Health Canada, Child and Youth Secretariat, as well as from family literacy leaders from across the country. This information is available through Literacy Partners of Manitoba Resource Centre.

Part 1 - Phase 2 Field Development
It quickly became apparent that we needed more current information on the needs of the family literacy field. We embarked on a Family Literacy Field Development project with the primary objectives of developing and conducting a family literacy needs assessment. The results of this survey were combined with information gathered through phone, fax and on site visits to determine the direction of Literacy Partners of Manitoba concerning Family Literacy in our province. Based on the information gathered, we hoped to address the needs of the field through:
a) the formalizing of the Family Literacy Coordinator position to be a resource to programs, to develop a directory of Manitoba Family Literacy Programs, and to develop networking vehicle as directed by the field.
b) initiation of outreach assistance to various community sectors
c) creation of specialized promotional materials
d) representation at national family literacy events
e) family literacy presentations in various rural communities.

The Family Literacy Needs Assessment Survey a.k.a. "Everything you wanted to know about Family Literacy in Manitoba but were afraid to ask". Adult education principles have guided us to be learner-centered in our adult literacy programs. It is equally important that organizations must be member-centered. Your participation in this information gathering has allowed us, to respond to your expressed needs. The needs assessment indicated an overwhelming need for networking among Family Literacy Programs in our province. All respondents wanted to know more about family literacy, even those programs who did not have an existing family literacy project. Materials, training and support were perceived needs.

Promotional materials
A Canadian Family Literacy Directory is being compiled through Brock University as an NLS Project Information about Family Literacy programs in Manitoba has been submitted to this master list. This directory should be available soon.

Materials
Survey results indicated a need for family literacy materials. The Resource Centre at Literacy Partners has over 80 family literacy titles available for lending to members, including “how-to’s”, bibliographies, and children’s books. Phone, fax, or come in.

Representation at National Family Literacy Events
The Western Canada Regional Family Literacy Symposium was held June 4th to 6th in Saskatoon. Manitoba delegates represented Literacy Partners of Manitoba, Adult Literacy and Continuing Education, Health Canada, Community Action Plans for Children, Family Literacy Practitioners Winnipeg, Child and Family Services, and the Winnipeg Public Library. This was an amazing event featuring renowned researchers as guest speakers and allowing provincial and interprovincial conversations to take place. You may be pleased to know that Manitoba is highly regarded in literacy circles. We are well positioned to take a lead role in the development of a dynamic system of family literacy networking, partnering and evaluation. Common themes across provinces included need for funding, need for partnerships, and learner-centered, flexible, diverse programming. Common challenges included recruitment, professional development and developing a standard of qualifications for staff. Promotion and documentation of our work, from its inception, including evaluation and tracking was emphasized. A small family literacy working group was formed as a result of this symposium. The group identified a training event, focusing on providing an opportunity for networking among those interested in family literacy, to be a priority. More news about the plans for such an event is listed under COMING EVENTS.

Coordination, evaluation, and partnering for sustainability were the other main issues arising from these talks and our assessment of the field.

I represented Selkirk's Growing Years Family Resource Program to the Montreal Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs conference "Families and Children: Our Priority" in June. Highlights included an opportunity to network with family resource programs, a session on LAPS, a session on research concerning health and intervention, evaluation package including software, resources, and conversations with Celia Lottridge concerning Parent-Child Mother Goose training in Manitoba.

Family Literacy presentations in various communities
When doing on-site visitations, program coordinators were invited to include board and community members in our conversations. This proved to be beneficial, whether on a casual or formal basis. Details of these events are available from me by contacting LPM.

WHAT NOW?
Sustainability is on everyone's mind in these days of restraint. LPM is working hard to make the necessary connections, through networking and awareness building, to ensure family literacy in Manitoba is alive and well. A proposal was developed for the United Way of Winnipeg. This project would allow for networking with programs and agencies in Winnipeg. LPM is working with ALCE and NLS to explore ways of continuing our work.

The Family Literacy Steering Committee is endeavoring to secure funds to develop guidelines for Family Literacy Programs in Manitoba. There is a need for structure and continuity in our projects so that we will maintain our validity and integrity.

In answer to the expressed need for training, a fall training event is now being planned. This event will include LAPS (Literacy and Parenting Skills) training and an opportunity to share and network with other programs. Other events will be posted as they are developed.

The winner of the survey appreciation draw was the Betty Gibson Parent Council – Brandon (Nancy DeRoo) She will be sent a complimentary copy of My Name’s Not Susie: A Life Transformed by Literacy, written by our Patron, Dr. Sharon Jean Hamilton. As you can see, we have had a very busy year in family literacy! Congratulations to the 14 family literacy programs throughout our province that provided an invaluable service to their communities. I hope to have the opportunity to serve you again next year. Have a wonderful summer!