Taurus has been asked to assist WestWords – Greater Western Sydney’s Premier Literacy Organisation with their strategy.
WestWords is dedicated to celebrating and championing the stories of people, places and cultures that compromise the heart of Western Sydney. Literature, self-expression and creativity has the power to change the lives of children and young people.
Championed by Author Libby Gleeson AM (Chair) The Western Sydney Young People’s Literature Development Project (WestWords) was established in 2007 to address the low level of literature development in Western Sydney. Originally an initiative of the NSW Government, Blacktown City Council was invited to host the project in the initial stages.
Greater Western Sydney one of the central hubs of our country. As well as being home to culturally diverse areas with over 100 languages, and representing over half the worlds population coming from more that 170 countries, it boasts 10% of the Australian Population – That’s 1 in 11 Australians!
1 in 5 children are behind in their language skills before they even start school and a staggering 44% of Australian adults have low literacy skills which WestWords is working to change with a strategic focus on young people, facilitating their artistic development through workshops, residencies, fellowships and support.
Micheal Campbell Executive Director of WestWords who was nominated for 2021 Excellence in Arts and Culture, and 2021 & 2020 Outstanding Business Leader in the WSABE awards said that, “Reading is the first step to a self-actualised life. It is the step before writing and finding one’s voice and articulating who you are in the world. This belief is at the core of my work at WestWords.”
WestWords ambassador and Actor and Author Bryan Brown AM said, “WestWords celebrates and enhances the power of literature and literacy through honouring the stories and experiences of the people, places and cultures of Western Sydney.”
Learn more about WestWords here.