About Us

The Fort Nelson Community Literacy Society (FNCLS) is a nonprofit group dedicated to lifelong learning. We support learning through tutoring, workshops, events, and community development. Our aim is to boost literacy in various areas like finance, health, physical, and emotional wellbeing. We hope this will lead to a healthier community, better job opportunities, and more contributions back to society. We offer our services for free and welcome everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.

Our

History

The Fort Nelson Community Literacy Society began with a community meeting, discussing what was needed to plan a "Literacy Now" initiative for Fort Nelson back in May 2005. Literacy Now was a government funded program designed to increase literacy in British Columbia.

Organizer Val Keeler initiated a second meeting where 30 key members of the community launched the start of the process.

A charitable, non-profit society was formed and a Coordinator was hired to liaise with existing community programs and initiate new literacy projects n the Fort Nelson community. The Coordinator, Julie, sourced additional funding, secured and set up office space, and began the process of building partnerships for programming in the community.

The Society was granted funding by Community Adult Learning Programs (CALP) through the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development (ALMD) and English as a Second Language – Settlement Assistance Program (ESL – SAP). The CALP funding was used for three programs: The first, “Sikanni Adult Learning Program”, operated out of the society office and offered tutoring and learning assistance to adults.

The second program was the “Prophet River Family Drop-In Program”, operated on the First Nations reserve in Prophet River.

The third program was the “Family Literacy Program” held at the Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Society.

The society soon hired its first two volunteers and a grand opening was organized for December 1, 2007. Since then the society has developed into a key community service provider in Fort Nelson with partnerships and relationships formed to reach out to the people in our community.

In the years following, FNCLS has expanded its programs, staffing and physical space to provide a diverse, multi-faceted and thriving gathering space and a one stop shop for community programming, resources and advocacy.