Build capacity. Invest in new leadership. Host a Minnesota Literacy Leader or Summer Reads!

Meet Nick. After volunteering as an Intermediate English teaching assistant, Nick brought his skills in language, teaching and relationship-building to Open Door Learning Center-Lake Street in Minneapolis, where he is serving in his second year of service and piloting a new volunteer Navigator program. This Navigator program will help adult learners express and identify pathways to achieve their academic, professional, and life goals.

Do you have a dream project on the “back burner,” and you just need someone with the time to dedicate to getting it off the ground? The Literacy Leadership Program works with AmeriCorps VISTA to place energetic individuals with organizations, schools, districts and consortia looking to launch or expand literacy programming, such as navigation, distance learning, digital literacy, workforce readiness, family literacy, student outreach and retention, and more.

Looking for help over the summer?

Organizations can also host AmeriCorps VISTAs with our Summer Reads program for 8 weeks over the summer, to help adult learners who are parents persist in their own education while their kids are out of school. Summer Reads VISTAs work directly with elementary children as literacy mentors in a variety of program environments, bringing literacy to life through tutoring, cooking, gardening, games, theater, and more.

Are the Minnesota Literacy Leadership and/or Summer Reads programs right for my organization?

Literacy Leaders build infrastructure for programs that help low-income Minnesotan preschool children, adults or young adults not currently served by the K-12 school system, and families with reading, writing, oral language and digital communication skills. Literacy Leaders serve full-time for one full year, while projects may last up to 3-5 years. Summer Reads members serve full-time for 8 weeks over the summer as literacy mentors for children entering grades K-4.

With Minnesota Literacy Leadership and Summer Reads, you can increase organizational capacity at minimal cost and increase your impact, all while investing in the next generation of literacy leaders.

Questions?

Visit our website and contact Meghan Paul-Cook at [email protected], 651-251-9069, with any questions, to talk over project ideas or sign up for an Info Session.