What is Paint Blacktown REaD?

Paint Blacktown REaD (pronounced 'red', a pun on 'read') is a whole-of-community early literacy support program. It is based on the very successful 'Paint the Town REaD' program which was initiated by Rhonda Brain, principal at Parkes Public School, over 10 years ago.

This Australian program recognises that neuro-linguistic capacity is developed within the brain during the critical years from 0-5, prior to formal reading education. It is designed to raise awareness of children's need for a language-rich environment right from birth.

'There's a plethora of research now on the brain's need for stimulus for language development, from birth right up to age five,' says Rhonda Brain. 'It's the from birth that's news to me. I'm very aware that early environment shapes our attitudes and sets patterns for the rest of our life. But I wasn't aware of how important it is right from birth.'

A Sydney-based international consultant on literacy and visiting professor at San Francisco State University, Loretta Giorcelli, who has been closely involved since the beginning, says it is a unique project that is being widely watched. Positive early literacy experiences can have long lasting effects and contribute to future academic success.

The program's aim is to encourage everyone in the community to support the development of children's early literacy skills from birth, so that they will be ready for reading and writing at school. An important element of the program is fun - sharing books, telling stories, singing songs and talking.

Blacktown City Council has partnered with Mission Australia and a number of other non-government agencies to encourage all levels of the community to support reading to very young children, at home, at the shops, at libraries and preschools, anywhere and everywhere. It does this by encouraging parents and carers to introduce reading and literacy into everyday activities with their children from birth, and by encouraging community members to support early literacy in any way they can.

Each local committee has its own mascot, who reads and sings with the children. Mascots visit local festivals and playgroups.

Blacktown's mascot is Rooby the Reading Kangaroo.

Have you read to a child today?