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The Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society works with communities, schools and organizations to support literacy and learning on North Vancouver Island.

Ongoing programs include Mother Goose on the Go, The Literacy Bus, ONE-to-ONE volunteer reading tutors, and Fostering Literacy tutor-mentor reading coaches.

We also hold community literacy events and provide literacy resources to community events.

*MWFLS supports all kinds of literacy in our communities, including health, digital, art, cultural and food literacy!*

What is Literacy?

Literacy is the ability to use and understand written and spoken information to allow individuals to achieve their personal and working goals.

It is also communicating and functioning in the world, which expands literacy to include:

Digital and computer literacy
Health & Mental Health literacy
Financial literacy
Nature literacy
Cultural literacy
Emotional literacy
Music and Art literacy
Food literacy

Our Mission

To seek and support a full range of learning projects and programs identified by our communities in the Mount Waddington / North Vancouver Island region so that we become even more resilient. We honour the diversity of our communities by acknowledging, encouraging, and celebrating each community’s vision.
Our role is to facilitate that vision by coordinating funding and guiding projects through to completion.

COLLABORATION: We believe connections within communities and acknowledgment of community voice is integral to the success of literacy initiatives.

INCLUSIVITY: We embrace life-long learning that is accessible, cross-cultural, and intergenerational.

RELATIONSHIP: We approach our relations in the community with respect and acceptance.

RESPONSIBILITY: We seek indicators of success and encourage responsibility in our communities.

Our History

The Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society was established as an official nonprofit society in 2008. It became the umbrella organization for Pre-school literacy, Mother Goose on the Go and The Literacy Bus initiatives of the early 2000’s under School District 85.

In 2010, the BC provincial government funded Literacy Outreach Coordinators across BC through the provincial literacy organization Decoda Literacy Solutions. Our local Literacy Outreach Coordinator works with community organizations to build and enhance literacy services and programs according to the community’s specific needs. They help communities to assess literacy gaps and develop ways to address them.
In 2015 our first ONE-to-ONE volunteer reading tutor programs began at two North Island elementary schools.
In 2016 the Society hired its own bookkeeper to become independent from the School District.
In 2017 the Fostering Literacy reading coach and mentor pilot project was launched at three North Island elementary schools.
In 2019 MWFLS became part of a three-year federal study on enhancing literacy and essential skills of workers displaced from their jobs.
In 2020 MWFLS became involved in food security and food literacy through food bank support, Backpack Buddies, the Food for Thought program.
In 2021, we created digital literacy curriculum and held Connect4Work Intro to computers for job seekers programs in Port Alice, Port Hardy and Port McNeill.
In 2022, we supported the seniors’ Tea & Toast project; began United Way School’s Out programs in Port Alice and Coal Harbour, expanding to Sointula, Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation, and Fort Rupert; began the United Way Community Food Hub project; and began the Community Adult Literacy Program.

Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society is pleased to partner with United Way British Columbia on School’s Out programs and Food Hub funding.