Programs designed to support literacy in British Columbia continue to evolve and benefit from the foundation built leading up to and during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
In an effort to ensure the community literacy work of 2010 Legacies Now continued to contribute to the development of strong individuals, families and communities by providing literacy resources, training and funds Decoda Literacy Solutions was formed. Decoda was established by bringing together two literacy organizations - the literacy area of 2010 Legacies Now and Literacy BC.
Ten years after the 2010 Winter Games, Decoda supports children and families, youth, adults, seniors, Indigenous and immigrant communities through community-based literacy programs and initiatives in more than 400 communities across BC. In that time, 1,653,137 people have attended literacy programs workshops and events.
Margaret Sutherland Executive Director of Decoda Literacy SolutionsThe community planning and capacity building work that was started and supported by 2010 Legacies Now has helped communities develop strategies and provide services to address community literacy needs.”
“Those with strong literacy skills often take for granted the impact those skills can have on a person’s life. It can benefit the things that really matter to people - family, education, work, community and health,” said Margaret Sutherland, Executive Director of Decoda Literacy Solutions. “Over the last ten years, good literacy work has been embedded in communities across the province.”
“The community planning and capacity building work that was started and supported by 2010 Legacies Now has helped communities develop strategies and provide services to address community literacy needs,” said Sutherland. “That is a tangible legacy of the 2010 Winter Games, and we want to thank the Government of BC for their ongoing support.”
2010 Legacies Now was an innovative non-profit organization that leveraged the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to create tangible community legacies throughout British Columbia that would continue to live well beyond 2010. It is considered a best practice by the International Olympic Committee.
2010 Legacies Now was made possible thanks to invaluable support from the Province of BC, other government partners, corporations and foundations. Support and collaboration from communities, not-for-profits, agencies, VANOC, Four Host First Nations Society and others were also key in driving success.
LIFT Impact Partners evolved from 2010 Legacies Now into a national non-profit that builds the capacity of social purpose organizations Canada-wide to become more sustainable and effective at delivering greater social impact in the areas of health, education and skills development leading to employment.