PiL Pilot Projects

Family Backpacks

ROWA! is piloting a scheme to take Backpacks and family literacy activities into homes via Family Intervention Project Workers, Family Resource Workers and workers from voluntary organisations working with vulnerable families.

We have just completed our second training session and we now have 12 "volunteer" workers (our partners) fully enthused about using the resources we have provided for them with the families with whom they are working regularly.

We have had to think on our feet at the sessions as the families our partners are coming into contact with have very different needs, from newborn babies with teenage parents to families of children with learning and behavioural difficulties. Our partners have all been in agreement about the value of the pilot and over the next 3 or 4 months we will be supporting them and keeping in touch to see how they getting on.

We provided for our partners:

• A backpack of literacy resources: games, pens, colours, books, writing and drawing pads etc
• A ringbinder full of ideas for literacy activities: speaking and listening, reading, writing and problem solving.
• Awareness Raising training: around recognising, dealing with and supporting people with low literacy levels.
• Training and discussions around the Backpack and ringbinder of ideas.
• Ongoing support through the pilot project, via email, phone and website.
• Provision to exchange the games and books in their Backpacks every so often.

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