The Lead Alliance has launched a new Literacy Program to encourage children to get lead tested while also improving their literacy skills.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Literacy Program was launched at Mount Isa Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday January 20, which will see every child who has a lead level test receive a free book.
Mount Isa Lead Alliance Chair Robbie Katter said the initiative encouraged locals to live safely with lead, while also enhancing literacy skills.
"From early 2021, all children in Mount Isa who attend Gidgee Healing or Child Health Clinic for a lead level test, will receive a story book as part of this initiative," Mr Katter said.
"What we aim to achieve through this program, is to encourage children to read and play and for parents to help develop their child's long-life literacy skills during the most critical years of they development."
Mr Katter said the concept of the Lead Alliance Literacy Program had been in the works for 12 months, established in April last year following a national lead workshop in Broken Hill.
"There were a lot of positive ideas that came from that workshop especially for kids, including this Literacy Program, which with support from Glencore Queensland Metals was brought to fruition," he said.
"We are very proud to introduce this program to the community and look forward to updating the community on its progress on how it develops."
Queensland Metals General Manager for Health, Safety, Environment and Community, Maryann Wipaki, said the Literacy Program was funded for two years and would deliver 1000 books to Mount Isa children.
"We are proud to be a founding partner of the Lead Alliance," Ms Wipaki said.
"In the mid-2000s the Lead Alliance was established and it was an important part for us be a part of that group to make sure that the education and awareness was provided to the community in a consistent way.
"We are certainly playing our part in sponsoring this program to see 1000 books to children who also receive point of care.
"For us we need to understand lead levels in Mount Isa, and this is just one way of providing a education and literacy programs to the community."
While you are here, subscribe to our weekly email delivered to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.