The City of Whittlesea is a local government area located to the north-east of Melbourne. It is one of the most rapidly growing suburbs in Victoria and has become a melting pot for people from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds.
The City of Whittlesea’s Let’s Read program is currently being delivered in the suburbs of Thomastown and Lalor, as well as the City of Whittlesea Maternal Child Health initiatives aimed at vulnerable families. In addition to City of Whittlesea, The Smith Family partners with 12 different organisations to deliver the program to over 500 children.
A primary school in Thomastown held a school readiness expo, targeted at families who have a child enrolled in prep the following year. The expo is an opportunity for families to learn about school transitions and for partner services to collaborate in providing a range of services, especially those which promote emergent literacy development.
The Smith Family ran a Let’s Read booth at the event, where program coordinators and other trained community professionals could talk to families about emergent literacy and book them into one-on-one appointments where they could engage with Let’s Read resources in English and other community languages. Through this event the families are also able to learn about and access a number of emergent literacy environments, such as Story Time at the local library and the school’s two playgroups. Both playgroups deliver Let’s Read.
There are a number of other education settings and emergent literacy environments that deliver Let’s Read in this community and provide families the opportunity to engage with emergent literacy resources and environments. Many of these are interlinked and include supported playgroups, school based playgroups, kindergartens and pre-schools.
September 2018
June 2013
The Epping Let’s Read team ran a community literacy event on 1 June 2013 in partnership with the Thomastown Neighbouthood House.
At this event children and families took part in a number of reading themed activities such as colouring-in, making book marks, posters and book readings. The children and families were joined by Sponge Bob Square Pants and Puff the Magic Dragon for this day of fun!
The Let's Read program in Epping is sponsored by The Smith Family.
E letsread@thesmithfamily.com.au