We are concerned that New Zealand's social and educational indicators are falling behind other first-world countries. Since 1999 we have supported the Books in Homes program devised by Mr Alan Duff (author of Once Were Warriors- you may have seen the movie or even read the book!). This program targets 463 elementary schools in the lowest-decile areas, and aims to break the cycle of booklessness in many poorer families.
By the time the children leave elementary and junior school, they will have up to 55 books each, chosen by themselves to keep for themselves. There is a big variety of book titles they can choose, including some awful rubbish- which some grown-ups can't understand! (The point is to encourage reading of any sort- even if a child starts with a comic, they will associate books with enjoyment rather than with compulsion, and may start a lifetime habit.) Our hope is that they will have developed a love of learning and the tools to escape the poverty trap. There is some evidence that the program is working, and the kids' teachers all have success stories to tell when we visit them.
BDG Synthesis sponsors 1050 children from 5 schools in the central North Island and some of our staff have also chosen to give substantial support to the scheme.
Many families in the lower-decile areas move around a lot. (One of the main reasons a family moves into the area we support is to be close to their inmate father who has been moved to the local prison.) This makes it hard to keep track of the children in a family. Book in Homes has started the Kids at Home program, whereby the children attending school are used to gather information about younger siblings at home. When signed up to Kids at Home, the child at school will take home to the younger child, a book and a birthday card, at each birthday from age 1 until the child starts school. The earlier the start with the book habit, the better the outcome. BDG Synthesis is a major sponsor of Kids at Home. Our total sponsorship of Books in Homes averages $36,000 p.a.
