New LLC Membership Criteria

At the Laubach Literacy of Canada Annual General Meeting held in Ottawa in June, a ten-year strategic plan for the national organization was approved. As a result, there will be changes to the organization. There are no longer individual members of LLC. Instead, the provincial Laubach organizations are the only members. As such, the provincial organizations must meet specific membership criteria. The criteria include demonstrating proof of incorporation, having a process in place to elect or appoint a student representative to the National Student Caucus, a process in place for electing or appointing a Member Representative to the LLC Board of Directors, signing a confidentiality agreement, having in place volunteer and student screening processes, and having Directors and Officers liability insurance coverage in place. Provinces must meet the criteria by December 2005.

These new requirements have significant meaning for Laubach Nova Scotia. We have already met most of the criteria, and the Board and staff are working to compile the documentation. Volunteer and student screening, however, will require additional work at both the provincial and council levels. Approximately, five years ago, LLC-NS developed and approved a volunteer screening policy. It came to our attention through the research project conducted last year, that most Councils are not consistently screening volunteers. We also learned that there is too much administrative work required of volunteers and that adding more would not be welcome. Unfortunately, we no longer have a choice. In addition to being the prudent course of action and the professional way of conducting ourselves, we will no longer be able to operate under LLC as of January 2006 without these policies being approved and implemented. Over the next few months we will be working to develop a student screening policy, and to update the volunteer screening and membership policies for LLC-NS. Additional information on this topic will be distributed as it becomes available.

Strategic Planning-An Invitation

LLC-NS will soon be developing a strategic plan for the next five years. Due to the changes occurring at the national organization and with the knowledge obtained from the research project conducted last year, we recognize that changes are needed to LLC-NS. There are three main areas that must be addressed:

1. the provincial organization, and thus the Councils, must develop strategies to comply with the new membership criteria of LLC,
2. strategies must be developed for Laubach programs to operate as part of the provincial literacy community,
3. and LLC-NS must develop strategies to enable the organization to meet the needs of learners in NS as well as addressing the concerns expressed by the membership.

Obviously, there is a great deal of work to be done. Although change can be scary, it can also be exciting. LLC-NS will be hosting a two-day meeting in January. Invited to that meeting will be the Board of Directors and a representative from each Council. A second meeting will be held in February that will include representatives of LLCNS and invited guests of other literacy organizations.

We realize that traveling during the winter can be unpredictable, but due to the funding requirements we must complete the entire plan by March 31. We apologize for the timing and strongly express our desire for Council representation. It is important that the local level of volunteers be represented and that fresh ideas are brought forth. Now is the time you can contribute to the future of Laubach. If you think you'd be interested in attending this meeting, please contact your Council Chairperson or Susan King at the LLCNS office.