Reads for the Future
First Book Canada and the Bank of Montreal have partnered together to champion strong communities and the organizations supporting them by fostering an inclusive society.
Background
Promoting Inclusivity And Sustainability In Communities Across The Country
First Book Canada and the Bank of Montreal have partnered together to champion strong communities and the organizations supporting them by fostering an inclusive society. The program includes distributing an estimate of over 19,000 brand-new, culturally relevant books to communities across the country.
In 2024, the Reads for the Future program will launch and invite the First Book Canada Network™ to apply for up to $500 worth of brand-new diverse books. Anyone working in a school or representing a program serving at least 7 out of 10 participating children from a low-income family are eligible to apply.
The Need
Rising Data Trends In Canada
The World Health Organization reports mental or neurological disorders as the leading disability worldwide. Despite this significant impact, there continues to be an urgent need for mental health programs and support on a national scale. The National School-Based Mental Health and Substance Abuse (SBMHSA) Consortium reported approximately 85% of board-level respondents expressed concern regarding student mental health and/or substance use. However, they also identified several challenges to implementing support services such as insufficient funding, a need for parent awareness, engagement, and stigma. In response to these challenges, for 2024 First Book Canada and the Bank of Montreal are collaborating to enhance social and emotional learning environments nationwide.
A Closer Look
- The home environment is the primary context for children’s early learning and socio-emotional development. A child’s home literacy environment is a strong predictor of later literacy development. In 2022, UNICEF found children who do not have access to books in their household–foundational reading skills decreased by 8 percentage points.
- During the COVID-19 lockdowns, The Hospital for Sick Kids (SickKids) found over 70% of children aged two to eighteen years experienced a decline in mental health. From the disruptions of closure for school-based services combined with online learning challenges greatly contributed to mental health deterioration among children.
- Social Emotional Learning interventions that addressed the five core competencies led to an 11 percentile points increase in academic performance among US-based students, compared to students who did not participate.
The Community
Advancing Educational Equity Through Evidence-Based SEL Strategies
Social and emotional learning (SEL) can help all young people thrive personally and academically, develop and maintain positive relationships, and contribute to a more caring, just world. Educators can use SEL to promote the lived experiences and cultural assets each child brings to the community. The CASEL framework creates a foundation for applying evidence-based SEL strategies within a learning environment.
The CASEL 5 addresses five broad, interrelated areas of competence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The CASEL 5 can be taught and applied at various developmental stages from childhood to adulthood and across diverse cultural contexts.
- Self-Awareness: The ability to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts.
- Self-Management: The ability to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.
- Social Awareness: The ability to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, & contexts.
- Relationship Skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.
- Responsible Decision Making: The ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations.
© 2024 CASEL All Rights Reserved. CASEL.org
How To Engage
Interested In Applying For The 2024 Reads For The Future Program?
Reading is considered a foundation for functioning learning environments. A rich literacy home environment is essential to cultivating children’s reading attitudes. First Book Canada and Bank of Montreal have partnered together to provide the First Book Canada Network™ with the opportunity to receive funds through our Reads for the Future program to get quality books for children in need and emphasize the social-emotional well-being of the members and learners in their community.
- Be a representative from a school or an organization reaching low-income families.
- Be a registered First Book Canada member. If not already a First Book Canada member, sign-up now!
Applications for the 2024 Reads for the Future Program have closed. The application period was from November 7th, 9:00 AM – December 13th at 5:00 PM. If you have applied, the status of your application will be revealed in mid to late January 2025. For future opportunities, sign up to be a First Book Canada member and hear about upcoming funding opportunities.
About the Partners
About First Book Canada
Education transforms lives. First Book Canada is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the 20,000 members of the First Book Canada Network, the largest online community of educators and professionals dedicated to children in need across Canada. This Network is the key to creating systemic change. To address their needs, we provide free and low-cost books, resources and access to leading experts. We use aggregated buying power to influence what is published or created to support this underserved community. Founded in 2009 as a nonprofit social enterprise, First Book Canada is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning and inspiring young minds.
About the Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal’s Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, informs our strategy, drives our ambition, and reinforces our commitment to double the good. It’s how we are driving progress for our colleagues, customers and communities. We are focused on providing access to opportunities and enabling growth for our colleagues, our customers and the communities we serve through our Zero Barriers to Inclusion 2025 strategy. We are committed to supporting equity, equality and inclusion and to building a more just society – especially for groups facing systemic barriers. You can learn more about Bank of Montreal’s impact here.