Today (Sat) is the 25th anniversary of Family Literacy Day in Canada.

It’s a day to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in literacy-related activities as a family.
The idea is to make learning fun and the theme this year is ‘Let’s have a family party’.

According to the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, which will be releasing its newest data later this year, 48 per cent of Canadians have literacy levels that are below the high school level, which negatively affects their ability to function at work and in their personal lives.

Executive Director of Foundations Learning and Skills in Saskatoon, Sheryl Harrow-Yurach, says they can help.
Her organization works with about 4,000 people a year through the help of trained volunteers.

They provide free one-on-one support, workshops, and small group support in all areas of literacy including financial literacy.
Harrow-Yurach describes family literacy as the influence that parents, caregivers and loved ones have on children’s lives.

Children do what they see in the home, so the home is the child’s first classroom and community is a child’s first school.
So, if children see those around them learning, they will be inspired to do the same.

There are activities planned around the country today.