Lismore Communities for Children Initiative: Lismore Let's Read feedback summary (round 1)

About Lismore Let's Read Lismore Let’s Read is part of the Lismore Communities for Children initiative, which is facilitated by YWCA NSW, with funding from the Australian government’s Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. It is administered and proactively promoted by Lismore and Goonellabah librarians and the Rotary Club of Lismore. The Lismore Let’s Read program received total funding of $30,000 (August 2005 – June 2008) and aims to encourage families to read to their very young children. Key elements of the strategy include: • giving one of four age-tailored Let's Read bags to all children aged up to 5 years – containing a free colourful book, a DVD and summary tipsheet demonstrating age-appropriate reading techniques, a list of age-appropriate book suggestions and information about the local library; • enrolling each child receiving a bag with their local library (Lismore or Goonellabah); and • engaging the business sector and service clubs in the project to provide commercial sponsorship to achieve long-term sustainability. Lismore Let’s Read was launched, in August 2005, by the Honourable Kaye Patterson, then the Minister for Family & Community Services. The majority of the funds have been used to purchase the resources that go into the Let's Read bags, allowing them to be distributed freely to local children.