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Global Network For Early Years > Read to Me > Read to Me

Read to Me

Nova Scotia, Canada
Programme name

Read to Me.

Country

Nova Scotia, Canada.

Date of information

December 26th 2023

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Organization name

Read to Me

Organization address

IWK Health Centre, PO Box 9700 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3K 6R8

Goal/objective

To motivate and empower every family in Nova Scotia to read, talk and sing with their baby. To advocate for and promote early literacy in Nova Scotia.

Organization contact

Nancy Edgar

Position of contact person

Program Manager

Organization website

readtome.ca

Organization type

Provincial early reading promotion program

How many staff does your organization employ?

2 full-time staff, 3 part-time staff

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Basic details

Programme name

Read to Me.

Country/Province/City where the programme takes place

Nova Scotia, Canada.

Year started

2002

Programme goal/objective

To motivate and empower every family in Nova Scotia to read, talk and sing with their baby. To advocate for and promote early literacy in Nova Scotia.

Funding sources

Endowment (made up of contributions from Federal Government, Provincial Governments, foundations, corporations and individuals).

Geographic coverage

Province (delivered at every hospital in the province that provides maternal newborn services).

Purpose of the programme

Not for profit?

Not for profit.

Religious or political purpose?

None.

Local consistency of model

Is your programme model consistent across your geographic area, or are there regional differences?

Consistent.

Book Packs

What are the contents of your gifting pack?

The contents of the English Read to Me bag are: a) Babies Love Books parent guide (month by month parent guide with information on how, what and when to read to babies in the first 18 months, updated every 2 years, available for sale to programs from Nimbus Publishing) b) Information on the Public Library and a coupon to receive another free Read to Me book at the library c) 50 Best Books for Babies booklet (lists best books for 0-2, updated every two years– for sale to programs from Nimbus Publishing) d) two developmentally appropriate board books – new selections made every two years (2019/2020 titles – Here Babies There Babies, by Nancy Cohen, illustrated by Carmen Mok, and Look at Me, Baby’s First Book of Faces, Silver Dolphin Books). The contents of the Chinese, Arabic, French and Mi’kmaq bags include similar resources in the respective languages.

Is your programme offered free of charge to all families?

Yes.

Partnerships and Delivery

What are your primary `points of contact` with the population you serve? (i.e your local programme partners.)

Hospital.

Who gifts/hands-out your pack to families?

Healthcare workers, early literacy specialists, volunteers.

Does your programme uses volunteers?

Volunteers in some hospitals deliver the bag to new families, volunteers assemble gift bags at the provincial office.

Audience

Is the programme universal or targeted?

Universal.

How many children does your programme serve a year?

Approx. 10,000 per year.

At what age/gifting period do children receive your programme?

The Read to Me bag is delivered within 24 hours of birth of baby.

Diversity provision

Does your program include provisions or resources for children with special needs?

Yes, books in braille, and signing books.

What language populations does your programme serve?

Complete Read to Me bags are provided in: a) English b) French c) Arabic d) Chinese e) Mi’kmaq. As well we provide dual language books in approximately 15 other languages which can be gifted with an English bag.

Evaluation and research

Have you conducted programme evaluation or research (including longitudinal)? If yes, has this evaluation/research been published?

Uptake study, conducted in 2006-2008 “Newborn literacy program effective in increasing maternal engagement in literacy activities: an observational cohort study – BMC Pediatrics 2012, 12:100”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3426472/ 2010 Survey: Early Childhood Literacy Programs in Canada: A National Survey. http://www.en.copian.ca/library/research/early_childhood/early_childhood.pdf

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