Little Readers Project Brings Community Together

Good ideas often start with a conversation.

For the Rotary Club of Ryde, the Little Readers Project grew from two meetings held just a week apart, each highlighting the importance of early literacy and the opportunity to support young families in our local community.

The first was a visit to Meadowbank Public School, where Principal Alexandra Crawford and teacher Mark Fenech spoke to Rotary members about the school's diverse student population. More than half of the students have Mongolian heritage, and the discussion highlighted the importance of encouraging children to develop a love of books before they begin school.

The following week, club members attended a presentation at Ryde Library by Lindy Alwis and Barbie Bates from Paint the Inner West REaD, together with library staff, about the 1,000 Books Before School campaign. Their message was simple: children benefit enormously from being read to from an early age, and it doesn't matter whether those stories are shared in English or another language. Every book, every story and every conversation helps build the foundations for learning.

The two presentations prompted an obvious question. Were there suitable books available for Mongolian-speaking preschool children in the Ryde area?

Finding the Gap

Rotary volunteers began speaking with local organisations, including Ryde Library, the Community Migrant Resource Centre and the West Ryde Child and Family Health Centre.

The answer was consistent. While there were plenty of children's books available, there were very few resources that reflected the language and cultural background of local Mongolian families.

Rather than seeing this as a problem, the club saw it as an opportunity.

A Book Created by Students

Working with teachers at Meadowbank Public School, an idea quickly took shape.

Students with Mongolian heritage were invited to share stories and fables that had been passed down through their families. Those stories became the inspiration for an original children's book.

Other students then illustrated the story, producing artwork that brought the characters and scenes to life.

Teachers told Rotary members that the students embraced the project from the very beginning. They were excited to contribute, proud to share their culture and fully immersed in the creative process.

The finished book is something the students can genuinely call their own.

More Than Just a Book

The Little Readers Project is about much more than publishing a story.

It recognises that reading starts long before a child walks through the school gate. It also acknowledges that families build literacy every day by talking, reading and telling stories together, regardless of the language they speak at home.

By helping create a book that reflects the experiences of local families, the project encourages children to see themselves in the stories they read while giving parents another opportunity to share books together.

Volunteers Making a Difference

This project is a great example of community organisations working together to meet a local need.

What began with two presentations led to conversations, partnerships and, ultimately, a lasting resource for young families.

The Rotary Club of Ryde is proud to have helped bring together the school, teachers, students, community organisations and volunteers who made the Little Readers Project possible.

It's a reminder that volunteering isn't always about doing big things. Sometimes it's about listening, recognising an opportunity and bringing people together to create something that will benefit children for years to come.