Family literacy program reaches Canadians in five first languages with new website and activities


TORONTO, April 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ABC Life Literacy Canada (ABC) is proud to announce the new and improved HSBC Family Literacy First website -- www.familyliteracyfirst.ca – now with access to over 50 downloadable family learning activities.

Designed by ABC with support from long-time charitable partner HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC), HSBC Family Literacy First is a free program that brings parents and children together to practice family literacy in many first languages. Workbooks, individual activity sheets and stories are now available to download in five languages – English, French, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog and Arabic.

“The new website’s user-friendly design will make it easier than ever for learning centres, schools and families to access the free resources,” said Mack Rogers, ABC Life Literacy Canada’s Executive Director. “Research has found that children’s reading habits mirror those of their parents. Parents are children’s first and best teachers and we want to support them in engaging in family learning every day.”

HSBC Family Literacy First was launched in 2015, and 10 learning modules were created in multiple languages. This year, ABC developed five new activities in all five of the program languages and released six newly translated learning modules in Simplified Chinese. Community workshops will also take place across the country with HSBC volunteers facilitating the program.

“As a member of Toronto’s business community and HSBC Family Literacy First volunteer, I’ve seen first-hand the importance of supporting literacy skills in our communities,” says David Kuo, HSBC Bank Canada’s Head of Branch Network for Ontario. “With programming offered in five of the most common languages spoken in Canada, we’re looking forward to helping more families build a foundation for the skills they’ll need to thrive in a global economy.”

More than 270 HSBC employees have volunteered at HSBC Family Literacy First workshops across the country since 2015.

Every HSBC Family Literacy First learning module includes an original story and supporting activities that engage the entire family and reinforce literacy skills. The entire program is available online at FamilyLiteracyFirst.ca, and is supported by an easy-to-use Facilitator Guide for parents, teachers, and learning centre facilitators.

About ABC Life Literacy Canada
ABC Life Literacy Canada is a non-profit organization that inspires Canadians to increase their literacy and essential skills. We mobilize business, government and communities to support lifelong learning and achieve our goals through leadership in programs, communications and partnerships. We envision a Canada where everyone has the skills they need to live a fully engaged life. For the latest news and information on adult literacy please visit www.abclifeliteracy.ca, follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook page.

About HSBC Bank Canada
HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, is the leading international bank in the country. We help companies and individuals across Canada to do business and manage their finances internationally through three global business lines: Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Retail Banking and Wealth Management. Canada is a priority market for the HSBC Group – one of the world’s largest banking and financial services groups with assets of US$2,522bn at 31 December 2017. Linked by advanced technology, HSBC serves customers worldwide through an international network of around 3,900 offices in 67 countries and territories in Europe, Asia, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. For more information visit www.hsbc.ca or follow us on Twitter: @hsbc_ca or Facebook: @HSBCCanada

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Milena Stanoeva
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
ABC Life Literacy Canada
1-800-303-1004 ext. 122
mstanoeva@abclifeliteracy.ca