Developing literacy projects

By the Literacy Rotarian Action Group (LitRAG)

Literacy skills are essential for participating in family life, your community, learning and employment and to access services. Literacy skills help people solve day-to-day problems and make the most of opportunities in life.

The Literacy Rotarian Action Group (LitRAG) is a network of Rotarians around the world who have a special interest in acting upon the mission and goals of Rotary International related to alleviating illiteracy; enhancing literacy teaching and learning globally, and helping to provide materials and equipment for literacy education at different levels.

Literacy refers not just to letters and written text, but also to other multimodal, technological and symbolic representations that we encounter daily. Without basic literacy skills everyday tasks are harder – whether it be reading a bus timetable, applying for a loan or job, finding information on the internet, enrolling in a course, taking medicine, or reading to your child. Not being able to do these important activities can lead to a person feeling less confident in themselves and their abilities. It can also lead to experiencing higher levels of social and economic disadvantage. With the support of your Rotary club, taking on a literacy project can help you make a significant difference in people’s lives.

But what is a literacy project? Is it a simple or difficult thing? What if none of us are teachers? A literacy project can be as straightforward as raising funds to buy a set of books for a school, community group, or a retirement village. But a project is not necessarily about raising money. More effectively, it can be about educating people, whether young or mature, who need support in developing their literacy skills. The range of literacy skills people need for everyday life and work changes over time and in different contexts.