Folk University is an experiment in slow learning. How can we use our ideas, interests, and skills to bring us closer together and develop community resilience? Folk University receives program support from the Cortes Island Literacy Coordinator and from many, many neighbours and organizations. Here are some things we’ve been up to:
Folk University Friday Talks: Neighbours Share their Skills, Interests, & Literacies every Friday during the academic year.
2019-2020 Program Calendar:
9/13/2019 to present (went onto radio 89.5FM with COVID).
2018-2019: 10/12/18 to 5/31/2019
Neighbour Micro-Grants aka Seed Grant Program.
This program has run almost every year since Cortes Literacy was founded. In 2019, $5,000 was given to neighbours and grassroots initiatives to promote literacy and community connection including: community kitchen initiative, musical theatre fro all ages, youth editing class, Wild Cortes Discovery Boxes, Songwriting and Guitar workshops, Mindfulness for Youth, Community Waste to Creation, Women’s Centre library, Cinema for Queer and Allies, When Reading and Math Aren’t Fun workshop, CCHA Family Support Book Study.
Creators Circles
Those project and organizational programmers or social-profit “creators” meetings to discuss how to support each other’s work: bi-weekly on Fridays, 2/2020 to present.
Folk First Aid (in partnership with community paramedic & CCHA Teen Szene) monthly on Fridays 9/2019 to 3/2020 (paused due to COVID)
TGIFolk Friday Movie Nights (in partnership with Linnaea Ed Centre) and Family Game Nights
Folk Workshops:
Six Week Sewing Series with Jade Jordan (2 sessions): 10/11 to 11/16/2019
Resonance Code: 12/14 to12/15 2019
Handcrafting Arts: 12/4 to 12/7 2018 and 3/25 to 3/29 2019
When Reading is Hard (strategies for teachers, parents, and learners): 5/3/2019
Animal Slaughter Fall 2019
Blueberry Pruning Spring 2019
Emergency Book Aid:
Coordinated and executed book drop-off and delivery of hundreds of books—purchased by Cortes Literacy, donated by Cortes School and Linnaea Ed Centre —during COVID: 4/2020 to present.
Young Adult Literature Class and All-Island YA Book Club: weekly (monthly) from 9/2018 to 5/2019