People in Canada who are striving to overcome social, economic, and educational barriers
Canada is a literate and learning society allowing all to reach their potential
Strengthening communities, families and individuals through literacy and learning
The Further Education Society of Alberta (FESA), is a registered charitable organization with an important mandate - to pave the way for lifelong learning opportunities for every person in Canada. We believe learning opportunities must be available to everyone.
Participants in our programs face many barriers to learning and skill development. Our initiatives seek to empower families by building on the individual's existing skills. Simultaneously, these initiatives also help develop the community capacity to address low literacy.Founded in Calgary, FESA started its work locally in Alberta. We have expanded to provide curriculum and training for local programming across Canada. Together with our partners we are providing families with the tools to change their lives and their communities.
When Elaine Cairns and Laureen MacKenzie, Co-founders of FESA, started their research on literacy in 1993, literacy programs targeting parents were not available. Recognizing this need, they set out to develop Literacy and Parenting Skills (LAPS), an innovative program designed to provide literacy and parenting skills training to at-risk parents that desire to receive such training. In 1996 they incorporated The Further Education Society of Alberta as a not-for profit organization dedicated to research and curriculum development, training program facilitators and delivery of local family literacy programming. FESA became a registered charity in 2003.
FESA developed the Calgary Community Family Literacy Program (CCFLP) in partnership with Bow Valley College and more than twenty other local organizations in 1996. Created to provide a framework for program delivery within the city of Calgary, the CCFLP includes LAPS, Books for Babies/Jump Start, Parent Child Mother Goose and Homespun.
The new millennium began with momentum when FESA won the 2000 Canada Post Literacy Award in the Community Leadership in Literacy category, for the LAPS program. Since then, LAPS has been adapted for francophone, aboriginal and ESL audiences. Supplements for these programs have also been developed. Over 2100 individuals have now been trained to deliver programs in more than 175 communities across Canada. FESA's reach keeps growing.
Simultaneously, the research arm of FESA has had continued success since 1993. FESA's research has culminated in more programming and curriculum development for addressing the needs of at-risk learners.
Our most recent research involves integrating Essential Skills into our LAPS program and into workplace settings. Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. By taking family literacy programs to the workplace several barriers many learners encounter are overcome such as transportation, childcare, and having the time to attend.
Where we're going
Adults in Canada have an infinite capacity to grow when they are given the opportunity to learn. However, adults have different learning needs. Learning environments must be respectful of established learning styles and learning itself must be affordable.
FESA believes that by providing family literacy programs that are competency based, culturally sensitive, and grounded in grass roots initiatives, we can reverse Canada's disappointing literacy statistics. +
Parents who develop skills in parenting and language and literacy proficiency, are preparing their children for success. These children will be the leaders of tomorrow that the world will need. By including members of the entire family in family literacy programs, we will positively impact the intergenerational cycle of low literacy skills as well.
Just as important is the building of community capacity to address local literacy issues. This is necessary for sustainable, far reaching solutions.
FESA is committed to the further development of an organization that embraces these beliefs. We will continue to provide products and services that turn these beliefs into solid strategies that honour them.
We will begin by engaging all organizations in the community and challenging them to take part in the quest for greater literacy in Canada. By introducing family literacy approaches to community members and growing our list of partners and donors, we will tackle the effects of low literacy as a united front.
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