Programs at Prospects

One-On-One Volunteer Tutoring:

Volunteers work individually with adults who read or write below a grade nine level.

Staff who are reading specialists interview and assess students; tutors assist students in setting goals and evaluating progress.

Volunteers receive orientation, training, and on-going support. Students and their tutors meet once or twice a week in our learning centre or other suitable locations.

Students work in small groups with one or more tutors for eight to ten week sessions.

Workshops offered at Prospects include reading, writing, spelling, math, reader's theatre, book club, and paired reading.

Our newest program provides a range of literacy development services for families. We work with community partners including the University of Alberta, schools, daycares, Headstart programs, and social service agencies.

Our aim is to help parents support their children's language and literacy development.

This support will enable children to be more successful in school. Parents may also increase their own literacy skills in these programs.

An exciting new project is underway at Prospects. We are in the process of setting up a Centre for Family Literacy in Edmonton. It will be the first of its kind in Canada! We're going to do this with a number of partners including United Way/Success by 6® and the University of Alberta.

We will continue to do all the programs we currently run at Prospects and maybe some new ones as well. We will also provide information, training, and resources to other literacy programs in the province. Currently available family literacy resources at Prospects include three manuals created by F.L.A.G (Family Literacy Action Group).

Below are some of the family literacy programs currently run at Prospects, soon to be held at the brand new Centre for Family Literacy.

Books Offer Our Kids Success (B.O.O.K.S.) We work in partnership with the University of Alberta, schools, community and daycare centres to help parents learn how to read and share books with their young children. B.O.O.K.S. is based on the Homespun model from Brooks, Alberta.

Rhymes-That-Bind An oral language development program for parents and pre-schoolers that focuses on rhyme, story and song. This program is based on the Parent-Child Mother Goose program in Toronto.

Community Literacy Intervention Program
A partnership program with schools and the University of Alberta that sees university students working in schools with children who have learning problems.

Books for Babies A partnership program with health centres and the Junior League of Edmonton which makes bags full of books available to low-income families.

Literacy Workshops for Professionals
Literacy awareness workshops for professionals such as health care workers and social workers.