Early learning through Active Movement at Auckland City Libraries

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Early learning through Active Movement at
Auckland City Libraries
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What is Active Movement?

• Carefully planned exercises and activities which
  help build eye and brain connections
• These exercises build pre-literacy, learning and
  movement skills
• Active involvement of carers so that they too can
  use the activities with their children
• Positive and fun movement experience
• A head start to learning and reading
• A Sport and Recreation NZ (SPARC) initiative
  which is unique in the world

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How movement links to early literacy and learning

• Example When a baby watches a ball roll from
  side to side, the eye muscles become stronger
• this helps the child to develop the ability to
  eye track
• eye tracking is important for following words on
  a page when reading.

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Active Movement at Auckland City Libraries

• Targeted at children 0 2 and their carers
• Delivered in partnership with Sport Auckland by
  both Library and Sport Auckland staff
• Programme commenced 2008
• 14 programmes weekly at 12 sites

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What was the need?

• 6000 births in Auckland City annually
• many in communities facing socio-economic and
  language barriers
• The number of children who struggle to learn to
  read is growing
• Growing awareness of importance of early literacy
  development
• Yet very few agencies are active in this area
• Building reading literacy is an important and
  traditional niche for libraries
• No other organisation can focus on early literacy
  as effectively
• Customer research identified a need for the
  Library to provide a structured programme for 0
  2 year olds
• Both partners were seeking a low cost opportunity
  to reach this age group effectively

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What did we want to achieve?
Objectives of the 2 partners different but
aligned

• Library objectives
• Raise awareness of the importance of early
  literacy
• Deliver early literacy skills in a low cost
  structured way
• Increase membership and use of libraries
  especially by young children
• Maximise use of libraries and library spaces
• Offer professional development opportunities for
  staff
• Reinforce the important role of libraries in the
  community
• Raise visibility and political support of
  libraries

• Sport Auckland objectives
• Ensure all children have opportunities to
  participate in active movement
• Educate parents and caregivers on why active
  movement is important from birth
• Extend programme reach effectively, relative to
  the birth rate

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How is the programme delivered?

• Pilot programme at 2 libraries to test and refine
  the concept
• Library staff trained on ongoing basis by Sport
  Auckland active movement co-ordinator
• Delivery alternates between library and active
  movement staff
• Coordinator costs are shared library pays 1/3
  400 per month
• Minimal set up costs - 2 shop for balls,
  scarves, etc
• Incorporated into existing story times, but with
  a more targeted and structured approach

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How is the programme delivered 2

• SPARC resources e.g. activity guides made
  available to parents
• Regular process of quality assurance, evaluation
  and research to assess programme effectiveness
• Programme structured as low cost so that delivery
  is sustainable and within staff resource
• Marketed through posters, articles and now
  largely word of mouth

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Advertising within a library other
opportunities have been created from this
partnership
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What is innovative?

• This structured holistic and scientific approach
  to learning using movement is unique in NZ and
  possibly internationally.
• This is more than a storytime for babies
• Partnership between a library and a regional
  sports trust to deliver a programme jointly is a
  first
• Targeting just 0-2 year olds is a first for the
  active movement programme
• Previously has targeted 0-5 years
• New and effective 3 way funding model
• Sport Auckland Recreation Services at Auckland
  City Auckland City Libraries
• Valuable and complementary extension of library
  staff skills
• Professional development for library staff from
  Active Movement Advisor
• Use of libraries as a venue is a successful first
  for Sport Auckland
• Flexible, multipurpose, accessible and free
• Whole model is simple, easily implemented, and
  sustainable

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The results !

• 28,061 babies and their carers participated since
  February 2008
• Over 600 participants every week
• 51 more members aged 0 2
• 28 more issues of early childhood learning
  materials
• 17 more issues of childrens music cds
• 41,500 more issues of children's materials
• 89 of carer participants found the sessions
  valuable
• 94 of carers continue active movement for their
  children at home

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The benefits !

• Parents love the programme and return often. They
  grow in confidence, make friends and build social
  networks
• Sport Auckland has achieved a reach and uptake of
  active movement participation not otherwise
  possible
• Library staff skills and confidence have grown.
• Storytimes generally are better planned and
  structured, benefitting all children
• High levels of community support for this
  programme has lead to increased political
  awareness and goodwill
• Community benefits include development of social
  and cross cultural networks
• The children - a head start to reading, learning
  and fulfilling their potential

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Now the Librarys biggest problem is

• where to park the baby buggies !

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How can others benefit?

• The programme is already proven to be
  transferable
• Its structure, training, flexibility and minimal
  resource requirement make it possible to add
  additional programmes as customer demand grows
• An application from a partnership of 10 sports
  trusts, recreation teams and libraries across
  Auckland region for SPARC funding for 3 years has
  been successful the programme will extend to
  50 libraries across the region, starting October
  2009
• Every regional sports trust in NZ delivers an
  active movement or similar programme that
  libraries can draw on there is potential for
  even further benefit for our youngest children
  everywhere.

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So how does this entry meet the 3M Award
criteria?

• excellence and innovation in library and
  Information services
• an innovative and entrepreneurial approach
• significant enhancement of customer service
• evidence the project was successful in
  stimulating effective use of library and
  information services by its innovative approach

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The proof

• Click on this link to watch a video of parent and
  staff feedback.
• For more information,
• read the entry
• Visit the website