Table 2: Reasons family literacy programs seek community partners

Recruitment/access to target group
  • looking for agencies who have a 'captive audience' or group already formed (Adult Basic Education, friendship centre, hospital, public health nurses)
  • looking for a good location, where parents can be contacted
  • looking for agencies who have early contact with parents of newborns
Financial reasons
  • family literacy/literacy programs don't have the resources or finances to do a full-fledged promotion and recruitment
  • for general financial assistance
  • finding partners was a requirement for funding
To include family literacy as part
  • family literacy seen as fundamental to health of another program by coordinator and nurses
  • another agency's proposal included family literacy as one component
Because it "makes sense"
  • agencies share similar goals
  • agencies are trying to reach the same kinds of people
  • collaborating seemed like a natural evolution
  • coordinator wanted a holistic approach to supporting families
  • coordinator wanted to improve families' access to other services
  • collaborating with health agency seemed like a natural step
To create a greater awareness of
  • literacy and family literacy programs have to family literacy let other agencies know they exist
  • having collaborated has created a very educated group that will not drop literacy because it's now a priority


Identifying potential partners

You may be one of many literacy coordinators who are already members of an inter-agency group or community services network in their communities. Perhaps you sit on one or more boards or committees in your community, or have had experience in collaborating on other projects. Perhaps your literacy program has an advisory council which includes members from other disciplines. If so, you are well on your way towards forming a partnership for a family literacy program, because you are already familiar with other community members who recognize the value of cooperation and mutual support.


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