One essential learning tool in Prince George has received $25,000 to ensure its programs continue running smoothly.
The Learning Circle Literacy Program, operated by the Native Friendship Centre, was one of dozens of literacy programs funded by the BC government this past week.
The program provides the following services to the Prince George community:
- One-to-one tutorial sessions
- Pre-prep GED sessions
- Lending library
- Basic computer training
- Educational workshops
- Tutor training
The province stated it invests $3.4 million annually in literacy programs through the Community Adult Literacy Program. The program operates on a two-year cycle, with 2025–26 funding supporting the first year of the 2025–27 cycle.
The province considers this program essential, as it delivers basic literacy education to adults, families and Indigenous communities — helping people gain life skills, access better jobs, pursue further education and participate more actively in their communities.
The Community Adult Literacy Program now supports 96 literacy programs delivered by 67 providers in 204 BC communities — a 55 per cent increase from 132 communities in 2024–25.
Sheryl Elgie, employment and training team lead and one of the coordinators of the Learning Circle Literacy Program, spoke to The Citizen about what the program offers to the Prince George community.
“We have many different projects with the Learning Circle Literacy Program,” said Elgie. “This funding helps our facilitator recruit tutors. Our tutors are all volunteers. Generally speaking, our tutors have been students from UNBC, but we have tutors who tutor mathematics, English and science. We have a diverse group of tutors.
“Our tutors help students from elementary school age all the way up to folks who are wanting additional help to learn to read and write — so we have elders as well.”
According to the BC government, 45.9 per cent of adults across the province are reading at Level 2 or below. A Level 1 score indicates difficulty with basic literacy, while Level 3 is considered the minimum required to cope with everyday life.
Elgie said programs like this are critical to filling literacy gaps in the North.
“There’s a huge gap in literacy in Prince George — especially in adult learning,” said Elgie. “Especially since John McInnis is no longer doing the Grade 12 upgrading for students anymore. I do realize that people can go to college, but there is definitely a gap still…
“We are closing it with our tutors and providing those supports because many of our elders in the community are unable to have access, and they have difficulties with computer literacy. We really feel that gap in a large way for our community — especially with literacy around technology. A lot of the upgrading has to be done online now. For our students, they very much struggle with that online learning.”
Elgie has seen many students thrive during her time with the Learning Circle Literacy Program.
“We have a lot of success stories around our students — who have picked up or succeeded and have been able to go to college from the online training that they’ve gotten through us. We’re able to fill in that stepping stone for them.”
In addition to teaching reading, writing and computer usage, the Learning Circle Literacy Program also incorporates cultural literacy for people in Prince George.
“We’ve had elders come in and share language during the making of ribbon skirts,” said Elgie. “We believe that’s part of literacy — and it helps with the loss of language we see in Indigenous communities.
“We also have story sharing. We had just recently started, in the spring, an Indigenous women’s story-sharing circle — where elders, Indigenous women in the community, and women in the community as a whole, we just had a sharing circle where they were free to share their stories or stories from their culture.”
If you are interested in learning more about the Native Friendship Centre’s Learning Circle Literacy Program, or in volunteering, visit:
https://volunteerpg.com/listings/learning-circle-literacy-program/
