Literacy volunteers wanted

Empire Bay resident Ms Alayna Sutcliffe is encouraging local residents with a spare hour a week to become a volunteer in the Program to Aid Literacy.

Ms Sutcliffe has been a PAL volunteer and course trainer in the Peninsula area for a number of years.

She said she was a big fan of the initiative that currently has volunteers in Empire Bay, Woy Woy and Umina Public Schools.

"When you're helping a child with reading and you see the progress they make, it's a privilege to share in their achievements," said Ms Sutcliffe.

"The quality of training and support we give our volunteers is very high and schools have come to love the reliability and responsibility of their PAL volunteers".

Being a PAL volunteer takes only one hour a week and volunteers meet with a child at their school to help them improve their reading and writing.

Volunteers can be parents, grandparents, carers or community members who have a love of reading and want to share that with a local child.

The course has been developed in consultation with the NSW Department of Education and Training K-6 English Syllabus.

A PAL training course will be held in Gosford at the St John Branch in Mann St beginning Wednesday, July 20.

The course covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of the reading process.

To find out more about becoming a PAL volunteer, phone 9745 8738.

Media Release, 1 Jul 2011 Louisa Milward, St John NSW