City of Powell River Council has been given a read on the state of literacy in the community.
Ilona Beiks, literacy outreach coordinator for Powell River Literacy Council, appeared as a delegation before council at its November 6 meeting, outlining her responsibilities.
Beiks has been in the position for two months, which had been empty since the spring. Even so, advocacy for literacy in Powell River has carried on, she said.
“There are a lot of people doing really great work in this community,” she said. “I’m trying to figure out what the next step is. When I was taken onboard I was given the mandate to take it to the next level. In the past there has been a focus on awareness and how important literacy is. It’s not just about books and reading. It’s much more than that. It’s an economic driver in the community.”
Beiks said nobody knows better what is needed for literacy in this community than the people on the ground level. “Everybody at the table is so committed to doing this,” she said of members of the literacy council.
Beiks has been reaching out to other literacy outreach coordinators around the province and finding out what they are doing, plus what is and isn’t working in their communities. “There are things we can learn and there are a lot of really innovative ideas,” she said.
“We need something that is long term and sustainable. I’m working on finding out where are the gaps in the community and where people are falling through. You can pretty much guarantee, underlying it all, literacy is a tool that can help. What we want to focus on is what does the community need and where are the problems? My job is to bring the different groups together and facilitate them.”
Beiks said her ultimate goal is to secure funding. “How do you navigate the world? Literacy helps you navigate this world and achieve your potential,” she said.
