A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
It seems just yesterday that we were writing this report for the start of our 10th Anniversary year. And what a year it has been.
We saw the 14,140th child enter our programme and benefit from the one-on-one attention and care of our Volunteer Reading Helpers and Literacy Tutors.
Operationally, 2016 was a very important year. A staff and stakeholder strategic review in September re-established a powerful “Preferred Future” vision, and kicked off the process of internal restructuring to establish an optimal programme environment, one positioned for growth and success. As you will have read, our activities are increasingly well defined and focus on three programmatic areas of activity, each supported by a drive to secure the resources and reading spaces to support our learners.
This process laid a strong foundation and 2017 has already started at a pace that will see us achieve significant growth goals for the year, welcoming new team members in programme activity in both Gauteng and the Western Cape, expanding our external partnerships programme in communities, universities and children’s homes and implementing extra-mural reading club sessions to promote child, family and community literacy in our communities.
As an organisation specialising in the development of reading and literacy skills in South Africa’s children, we believe we are well positioned to increase our reach and achieve a national footprint through a wide network of civil society partnerships.
We made an excellent start on establishing collaborative programmes between literacy organisations with common goals and complementary offerings. We believe this joined up action will unlock potential and maximise efficiencies and benefits for the children and communities we reach.
Central to all that we do is the dedicated one-on-one reading help and literacy development support that is provided by our Volunteer Reading Helpers and Literacy Tutors. We were thrilled that our December #readinghelper-and campaign saw so many keen volunteers join the programme and position us even more strongly for growth.
We look forward to the year ahead with great excitement and encourage you to continue the work of helping South Africa’s children to read.
– Mandy Trevor, Director of Operations at help2read
Registered SA Non-Profit 063-979 PBO 930027054 UK Charity Reg No. 1109567 Registered Office: Oak Farm Cottage, Mill Street, Gislingham, Suffolk, IP23 8JT