Reading, writing and arithmetic. We鈥檙e taught from a young age that these are the skills that make us literate, but the NWT Literacy Council says it鈥檚 actually about much more. 

鈥淟iteracy promotes community,鈥� says Coleen Hardisty, youth literacy coordinator at the NWT Literacy Council.

鈥淭here鈥檚 physical literacy and cultural literacy and digital literacy 鈥� we鈥檙e for promoting literacy where maybe it鈥檚 missed otherwise,鈥� she says.

The literacy council is a non-profit charity with a stated mission of supporting literacy and 鈥渆ssential skills programs鈥� in NWT communities. It promotes a more fulsome approach to literacy.

Last week, the council posted an 鈥渆lephant craft giveaway鈥� on its social media channels that could be used 鈥渇or all kinds of literacy games,鈥� Hardisty says.

The elephants, which are paper dolls, could be sorted 鈥渂y colour, by size, you could make up pattern games, or stories about them. All of that is literacy,鈥� says Hardisty.

Charlotte Upton, the council鈥檚 family literacy coordinator, says literacy can be embedded in all kinds of programs. Sewing and cooking activities, some of the council鈥檚 most popular programs, are based in numeracy and conversions.

鈥淵ou have to be able to read a recipe and then maybe you have to double it, or half it,鈥� she explains.

Upton says the council aims to help residents feel confident to participate in their communities: to be able to independently fill out a government document for a health card, for example, or go grocery shopping and understand exactly what they're buying and what鈥檚 on their list. 

The council would normally sponsor more summer programming, including their Bison Bus - a 鈥渓iterary centre on wheels鈥� that brings books and games to communities on the highway system, but of course Covid had other plans. In addition to the elephants, which Yellowknifers can pick up at the council's 48 Street office, the organization is offering online resources for Indigenous language learning, career development, puppet making and other games and activities for all ages. 

Upton says the council aims to build capacity and facilitate programs, but also guide community members through starting their own programs and provide funding to help bring literacy training around the territory 鈥� in whatever capacity that may be.