Blog

We were very interested in the recent labour market forecast for the NWT.  That’s because the NWT Literacy Council exists to promote and support the skills that enable NWT residents to participate fully in work, community, and families. Because of our mandate, experience and expertise we were part of the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Skills 4 Success initiative – an effort to help NWT… Read more.

The Yellowknife Public Library hosted a Little Free Libraries workshop recently with Eric Binion and Simon Taylor, a local architect. Eric built Yellowknife’s very first little free book exchange. This summary will hopefully inspire you to create your very own in whatever corner of the Northwest Territories you live. First off, there is a difference between a Little Free Library and an… Read more.

When I got to my house on a sunny day I found a note pinned to my door, It was from Aggie and what she had to say She sure liked my verses and asked me for more. She told me that April was poetry month I said that I wasn’t a poet I told her that I was a versifier And she said “well, don’t I know it” “But couldn’t you come up with three hundred words?” She said “I need them for a blog…” I told… Read more.

“Our children and youth are the change makers of the future. Education is the key. If youth are supported they will change their circumstances, communities, and this country,” Roberta Jamieson told people at a fundraising luncheon in Yellowknife last week. Ms. Jamieson is the President and CEO of Indspire, an indigenous-led charitable foundation that invests in the education of indigenous people… Read more.

Take a Break!  That is the name and the message of a new parent engagement program that we are testing at the NWT Literacy Council. A similar program at the Grande Prairie Society for Support to Pregnant and Parenting Teens was the inspiration.  We want to attract parents to a fun activity with an opportunity to meet and socialize with other parents. During the evening program, a facilitator… Read more.

I have always been an anxious person. In my university days my anxiety really kicked in, and I would awake in the middle of the night, unable to get back to sleep because I was worrying about an assignment due weeks away. This usually resulted in me staying up working on it, then heading to classes the next day utterly exhausted but with a rough draft complete. Although productive in the moment… Read more.

Baby onesies, a snow suit, other warm clothes, diapers, a box for a new baby to sleep in, bedding, a book, and on and on … Those are a few of the 50 items every new mum in Finland finds in their Finnish Baby Box. The Finnish Baby Box began more than 75 years ago. Originally available only to families with low incomes, now all expectant mothers can receive the package if they register for a… Read more.

Story Walks© are fun for children and for us.  Our biggest challenge preparing for recent Story Walks© was coming up with active "challenges" for the children that relate to the books that we read along our walks.  But it was so worth it.  Story Walks© combine the pleasure of reading a book aloud with the benefits of being active and outside. Story Walks© develop a child’s interest in reading… Read more.

March is my favourite time of year. The sun is warmer and it’s up longer each day.  I feel refreshed, energetic and am anxious to be outdoors.  Everyone around me seems happier. There’s another reason to celebrate.  It’s NWT Aboriginal Languages Month and it’s hard not to be inspired by Jacey Firth Hagen, the young Gwich’in woman leading the social media Gwich’in Language Revival Campaign #… Read more.

Perhaps you’ve heard about the What About the Men? Northern Men’s Research Project. The final report, released in early January, received a lot of publicity.  We did this research in partnership with our colleagues at the Yukon Literacy Coalition, Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ilitaqsiniq – the Nunavut Literacy Council, who led the project.  It was funded by Employment and Skills… Read more.