The Literacy and Homelessness Project

The Literacy and Homelessness Project has worked since 1994 to make literacy accessible and relevant to people who are transient, socially isolated, homeless, and underhoused in Toronto. ¹

In developing literacy and homelessness practice in Toronto, the Project was able to draw on the experiences of innovative programs like Beat the Street, Parkdale Activity and Recreation Center (PARC), Street Haven Literacy, the First Nations Adult Education Project, Graffiti Jeunesse, and the Meeting Place's Black Homeless Initiatives Project. Staff from these programs formed the Project's advisory group and provided training and expertise.

The Project's work has included:

• Facilitating literacy in a drop-in for homeless adults through development of a learning environment provision of tutoring, a writing group, and newsletter production; and training of drop-in staff.
  
  
• Training drop-in, shelter, and community agency staff through literacy workshops and mentoring.
  
  
• Developing a network and forums in which literacy and drop-in/shelter workers exchanged expertise, information, and support.
  
  
• Researching and documenting different ways of doing literacy work with people who are homeless
  
  
• Producing and distributing a clear language map of drop-in learning locations in Toronto
  
  
• Working to improve access to community literacy programs for homeless adults