Literature for Life is committed to engaging at-risk young families in building a culture of literacy and learning to overcome systemic barriers, thereby investing in their own and their families’ future.

.Literature for Life understands that the key to literacy is not simply teaching people how to read, but in creating a love of reading and building a culture of literacy and learning in at-risk families.

Each year 1,400 babies are born to teenage mothers in Toronto.  Statistics show that about 20-25% of teen mothers will give birth to a second child within two years.  Most of these families live in poverty and isolation.  They either live or are destined to live in one of the 13 “poverty by postal code” neighbourhoods identified by the United Way.

In 2000 Literature for Life held its first Women with Words reading circle at Jessie’s Centre for Teenagers.  Since that initial pilot the reading circles have grown to 8, partnering with various community organizations across the city.  We produce a magazine called Yo’ Mama, written by young mothers for young mothers, and deliver a Lullaby Program – music therapy workshops that focus on language acquisition, developmental stimulation and bonding between mother and child.

We value the young mother as the principal investor in her own future and that of her child/children and as such, we operate as an inclusive community that engages young moms to participate in program evaluation, implementation and advisory work and employment opportunities. 

Our actions demonstrate our commitment to this value. Over the last 6 years Literature for Life has not only hired staff from the client group but also provided them with numerous volunteer opportunities. Several of the young moms have finished high school, gone on to post secondary education, employment or started their own businesses.

To accomplish our mission, Literature for Life has developed 3 core programs:

1.Women with Words Reading Circles –Our flagship program.  Each week, pregnant and parenting teenage girls meet at various shelters and youth centres throughout the City to read and discuss novels with trained facilitators – for many of the girls this is the 1st book that they have ever read.  The young moms begin to see language as a tool to express themselves. They become empowered through reading, writing and discussions – finding new ways to solve problems and learning to be proactive in their lives instead of reactive.  They begin to understand that their voices and stories have value and meaning which leads to increased self-esteem, a renewed interest in literacy and learning as well as an investment in their community.  They pass these values onto their children who are then better prepared to attend and do well in school, less likely to become involved in gang activity or to be incarcerated.

1. Participants commit to 1.5 hour reading circle over a 10-month period
2. 1,200 young moms have participated in Women with Words.
3. 2,000 children have received age appropriate books to build a family library
4. 10,000 books have been distributed to young moms and their children

2.  Yo’ Mama Magazine –our outreach program, a tool for youth leadership, community and economic development. Yo’Mama is the only magazine of its kind in Canada.  In contrast to the deficit-model approach to young parenting, Literature for Life and Yo’ Mama Magazine take a youth-positive approach. This reflects the participatory and empowerment-oriented approach of the organization, which greatly improves upon the more traditional “top-down” service-delivery model that frequently alienates the population it attempts to serve.  Specifically, the goals of the magazine are organized around fostering the capacities and abilities of youth.  We do this in 2 ways:

1. Youth Leadership, Community and Economic Development

Written by young mothers for young mothers is more than a tag line. A youth leadership project,Yo’Mama is managed by a former client who is the editor-in-chief and an advisory committee of young mothers.  Mentored by journalists and business advisors, they maintain quality control standards including design, consistent distribution, writing deadlines, and funding sources. They are given training and experience in pitching, researching and writing stories. They are taken step-by-step through the editorial process and are paid for the work - giving their stories a sense of value as well as providing them with a source of income.

2. A quarterly health and lifestyle magazine

Yo’ Mama engages young mothers as contributors and as readers. It is driven by and responds to the particular interests and needs of its target audience, and as such is effective in delivering a magazine that is “client-relevant, informative and inspiring”. The editorial staff decides on themes which they know are important to the audience to help them undersand and to deal with issues of relevance including, parenting, health, violence, mental health, self-esteem, sexuality and more. Our own reseach as inform us that Yo’Mama is not only an excellent resource for young mother, but those that work with them.

1. 20,000 copies are distributed annually
2. 150 agencies receive quarterly issues
3. Employed 35 young moms as writers,  graphic designers, distribution managers, editors and production.
4. Sponsorship pilot generated $20,000 over the last 2 years.
5. Editor and advisory committee long term strategic plan
1. to increase base of contributors for Yo’Mama from client group
2. to increase revenues to make Yo’Mama self sustaining over the long term.
3. increase distribution outside of the City of Toronto

3.Lullaby Program – our second outreach program, run for various Public Health Centres in the City of Toronto. Run by a registered music therapist, the program contributes to early life by supporting parent-child relationships in the peri-natal period so crucial for subsequent healthy development of a child.  By promoting a relationship with the unborn child through music and throughout infancy young parents are sensitized to the complex needs of their infants that can be met through music.

Over the last 6 years Literature for Life’s work has been recognized by a host of awards, including the Mayor’s Community Safety Award, YWCA’s Woman of Distinction, YWCA’s Young Woman of Distinction and Canada Post’s Community Leadership Award for Literacy. We have also been featured on CTV National News, Success Stories, CBC Metro Morning, TVO’s Imprint and City TV’s Second Chance.