Over the years, Alta has found that stigma, fear and shame have stopped thousands of non-readers around the country from coming to our free community classes. Many want to come but are afraid to face people who believe that non readers are "dunce" "stupid" or "lazy." Many others have internalised this stigma and find it difficult to make the decision to come to Alta. Our Alta classes are welcoming spaces and spaces where non readers can change their story.
Over the past 20 years, Alta has heard thousands of stories of people who struggled with reading disorders such as dyslexia which went undiagnosed, or people who grew up in dire socio-economic conditions which prevented them from attending or completing school.
We want people to be willing to come to Alta, and to do this we have to change the way people think about reading and non-readers. We want non-readers to recognise that Alta classes can change their story. They can achieve CSEC passes, get a better job, help their children with their homework and participate fully in life without being hesitant due to poor reading or writing skills. To this end, this year we launched our My Story campaign–an anti-stigma campaign aimed at reducing stigma associated with non readers in T&T.
With help from Pepper Advertising and sponsorship from the Citizen Security Programme (CSP), our anti-stigma team has planned and is currently executing an integrated marketing communications campaign. We hope that this campaign will be effective enough to increase the number of students registering for Alta classes at libraries around the country on September 6 and 7.
Pepper's expertise is transforming our ideas into media tools, the first of which is a radio ad campaign titled My Story, which tells stories highlighting the feelings of freedom, usefulness, pride, connectivity and achievement our students feel. It will also look at why people may not have acquired reading and writing skills when they were younger, in an effort to increase public empathy and understanding. These ads are currently being broadcasted on local radio stations.
We have also produced a television commercial with a twist which can be viewed at MovieTowne until the end of August.
It will also be broadcasted on TV6 and our social media pages (@Alta TT), so be sure to look out for it. We have also produced some videos of current and past students telling their stories and encouraging non readers to come to Alta.
If you would like to help us with this campaign don't hesitate to give us a call at 624-2582 ext 227.
�2 MORE INFO: Please look and listen out for our radio ads and television commercial and spread the word. The countdown is now on for Alta Student Registration 2016 on September 6 and 7 at libraries nationwide.