Time to Read 2013
August 2013:
In this article we hear from our generous funder, the Bord Gáis Foundation, and we see how a partnership flourished in one of the 15 schools who took part in Time to Read over the past year.
Bord Gáis has been the generous funder of the programme during the pilot and post pilot phase. John Barry, Acting Chief Executive, described his view of the company’s participation:
“Bord Gáis has been proud to support and actively contribute to developing the Time to Read programme with Business in the Community. We are delighted that our financial support and the support provided by our dedicated and committed staff volunteers has delivered tangible results in building the reading confidence of participating school children.
We see education as a great facilitator and, in particular, see reading not only as an essential tool but one that nurtures the imagination and broadens horizons. We continue to be committed to the programme , which combines the efforts of Business in the Community, responsible businesses, teachers, parents and children with those of our volunteers in schools in Cork and Dublin.”
Mentioning Castaheany Educate Together to Time to Read volunteers from the Institute of Technology in Blanchardstown (ITB) is guaranteed to bring a smile to their faces.
ITB has been partnered with the school since September last and meet their students weekly helping to increase their enjoyment of books, increase their fluency and comprehension and to have fun. They have embraced the programme with great enthusiasm and energy.
The children have also visited Blanchardstown Library twice with their volunteers, principal, teachers and parents. Alan Dunne, Librarian, gave the children a tour of the library and then to great excitement each child got a prize which was their choice of a book and some colouring pencils. This year’s programme will wrap up in ITB when the children will get to see where their volunteers work and experience life on campus. Mary Healy, Principal of Castaheany Educate Together has been a huge support and has involved parents in giving feedback and attending many of the visits.
The volunteers have really enjoyed reading with the children and look forward to each session and it’s great to see how the children run in to welcome their volunteer and can’t wait to get their folder and start reading. It’s really interesting too, to see how the children select a book and love learning new words, they are so full of imagination when asked what they think will happen next …. budding authors without a doubt.
