Wordworks is 20!
Celebrating 20 years of making early literacy everyone’s business! Over two decades, Wordworks has grown from a small idea into a national movement – sparking joy, confidence and connection around language and literacy.
- Fondest memories
- Did you know?
Fondest memories
As Wordworks celebrates two decades of changing lives through early literacy, we honour the voices and memories of partners, donors, parents, teachers, practitioners, and service providers who have shaped this journey.
Did you know?
As Wordworks marks our 20th anniversary, we’re sharing 20 “Did you know?” moments: small stories, milestones and behind-the-scenes glimpses that together tell the bigger story of how Wordworks, its partners and communities have worked hand-in-hand to give every child the best possible start.
Did you know Wordworks began 20 years ago to help parents, teachers, and community volunteers turn everyday moments -like telling stories or playing games into powerful opportunities for children to learn language and literacy, and to support early learning more broadly?
Did you know that long before it was common practice, Wordworks championed the vital role of caregivers, grandparents and Grade R teachers in helping children learn to read and write?
Did you know that through practical resources and training, Wordworks has supported many families and teachers to feel confident about nurturing early literacy -often with simple, joyful activities?
Did you know Wordworks’ work reaches classrooms, homes and community spaces across South Africa – showing that building language starts with conversations, songs and everyday stories?
Did you know Wordworks now has partnerships and active projects in eight out of nine provinces in South Africa – making it one of the few early literacy organisations with such a national reach?
Did you know some of Wordworks’ work has been externally evaluated, showing clear evidence of its positive impact on children, caregivers and teachers?
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Did you know, some of our funders first hear about Wordworks through word of mouth or recommendations from respected partners and leaders in the sector – a testament to our reputation in the field?
Did you know Wordworks’ team has grown to include experienced former teachers alongside young professionals, ensuring continuity, fresh thinking, and sustainability?
Did you know Shine Literacy’s generous legacy donation supported Wordworks to develop this multi‑layered national resource hub, providing many practical tools to strengthen early language and literacy across South Africa? This work is helping us build a legacy of literacy that will last another 20 years!
Did you know the TIME (Together In My Education) resources were created as a collaborative COVID-19 response to support parents and children learning at home. Wordworks partnered with Red Ink to develop TIME, and with the support of donors, provided daily story-based language and maths activities for Grade R and Grade 1 children. These resources helped families keep up with learning during school closures.
Did you know Wordworks’ develops multilingual literacy materials – this means Foundation Phase teachers, parents and caregivers can access early literacy resources in multiple South African languages – making it easier to support children’s early language and literacy development.
Did you know Wordworks’ first large-scale program rollout, Stellar, started in the Western Cape and grew from there. Supported by dedicated team members like Ange, Kathy, and Brigid Comrie who wrote the first story outlines. Stellar expanded through partnerships with education advisors and teachers, helping build strong early literacy foundations across schools.
Did you know innovation and flexibility have been central to Wordworks’ growth. From adapting presentations for online workshops during COVID-19, to evolving programmes likeTIME, the team continues to innovate to stay relevant – always guided by strong relationships, hand-in-hand support, and a shared commitment to improving early literacy in South Africa.
Did you know that the first pilot of Wordworks’ Home-School Partnerships (HSP) programme was run single-handedly by co-founder Brigid Comrie in five local schools. Driven by a passion to bridge the gap between homes and classrooms, Brigid designed and tested the programme – long before it became part of Wordworks.
Did you know Wordworks’ programmes were shaped around real families’ voices. From kitchen-table discussions to partnering with community volunteers, speech therapists and teachers, programs like HSP and Every Word Counts were refined through on-the-ground learning – not just office-based design.
Did you know Wordworks grew out of genuine connections and a shared vision. Founder Shelley O’Carroll invited Brigid Comrie, our co-founder, to join her after meeting at the Potter’s Market – bringing together grassroots experience, research expertise, and a heartfelt commitment to make early literacy everyone’s business.
Did you know that some of Wordworks’ beloved Stellar and Little Stars songs were partly written and even recorded by our very own Early Literacy Specialists! Their creativity brought language learning to life through music, making stories even more engaging for young children.
Did you know? In 2019, Wordworks received a Community Chest Impumelelo Social Innovations Award in the School Innovation category for our Home-School Partnership (HSP) Programme.This award recognised the excellence, service, and innovation showcased in our mission to improve the lives of South Africans.
Did you know Wordworks, alongside LiTASA (Literacy Association of South Africa), established the Shelley O’Carroll Early Literacy Award to honour a pioneering contribution to early literacy in South Africa? This award is presented annually at the LiTASA conference to individuals, teams, or organisations whose work significantly advances early language and literacy development. It was named in honour of Wordworks founder Dr Shelley O’Carroll and presented in 2022, with winners including Adele Mooi and the Dr CL Smith Foundation.
Did you know that Wordworks was recognised by the Western Cape Department of Social Development for its contribution to early childhood development in under-resourced communities.
