Why is United Way Regina focusing on early literacy?

We believe every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident reader and thrive.

United Way Regina is sharpening its focus on early literacy and putting reading at the centre of its work.

By concentrating our efforts, UWR has an opportunity to make a stronger contribution to a challenge that matters to the long-term well-being of our community.

This next chapter also builds on nearly a decade of early literacy work, partnership, and community investment across Regina.

Why reading?

Reading opens the door to learning, confidence, opportunity, and participation in community life.

The journey to becoming a confident reader begins early — through everyday conversations, stories, songs, play, books, and time spent together. These early experiences with language and learning all help set the stage for reading.

What are we working toward?

The long-term community goal is that by 2035, all children in Regina are reading at grade level by the end of Grade 3.

It is a bold goal, and no single organization can achieve it alone. Families, schools, governments, early learning providers, community organizations, and many others all have important roles to play.

This is a community goal. United Way Regina’s role is to contribute to the shared effort around it.

Why Grade 3?

Grade 3 is an important milestone because children are increasingly using reading to learn across subjects. When reading is difficult at this stage, it can affect confidence, learning, and future opportunities.

But the work starts much earlier — at home, in early learning environments, at school and throughout the community.

Why now?

This is not a sudden change in direction.

For nearly a decade, United Way Regina has worked alongside Regina’s school divisions and other community partners on family literacy, school readiness, attendance, access to books, and summer learning.

Those years of experience, partnership, and community investment have helped UWR better understand where it can make its strongest contribution. This next chapter builds on that work with a clearer, more concentrated focus.

What is United Way Regina’s role?

United Way Regina’s role is to bring people, partnerships, support, and resources together to help move this shared work forward.

Is United Way Regina becoming an education organization?

No. United Way Regina is not a school division and is not replacing the role of educators or government.

Schools and educators are essential to children’s learning, but the journey toward reading begins well before and extends beyond the classroom. Families and caregivers, early learning providers, libraries, community organizations, and many others all contribute.

United Way Regina will work alongside these partners as part of the broader community effort around children and reading.

Are United Way Regina’s mission and vision changing?

No. United Way Regina’s mission and vision remain unchanged.

What is changing is where we are concentrating our efforts. UWR is sharpening its focus on early literacy and putting reading at the centre of its work.

Does this mean other community needs no longer matter?

No. Regina continues to face many important and interconnected community needs.

A sharper focus does not mean those needs are less important or that UWR’s previous work did not matter. It means United Way Regina is choosing to concentrate its efforts in one area where it can make its strongest contribution.

Over time, UWR’s partnerships, investments, and activities will increasingly align with the early literacy focus and the long-term community goal.

What does this mean for existing partners and investments?

United Way Regina values the relationships, knowledge, and community impact built through years of partnership and investment.

As the new direction takes shape, some relationships and investments may continue, evolve or conclude over time. UWR is working through those decisions and will communicate directly with partners as more details are confirmed.

How will future community investments be decided?

United Way Regina is still determining how future investments, partnerships, and activities will align with the early literacy focus. More information will be shared as that approach takes shape.

How will progress be measured?

United Way Regina will work with Regina’s school divisions and other community partners to determine the best way to measure progress and success.

Grade 3 reading will be an important long-term measure, but progress will not be measured by a single number alone. UWR will also look at earlier indicators that can help show whether the work is moving in the right direction and what is being learned along the way.

As the approach takes shape, UWR will share more about how progress will be tracked and reported over time.

What happens next?

This next chapter will continue to take shape with the community. United Way Regina will keep working with partners and bringing people, support, and resources together around the long-term goal.

Not every detail is decided yet. UWR will continue to share what comes next, what is being learned, and how people can be part of the work.