Next Steps for the Literacy Action Agenda

MCL’s objectives in developing a National Literacy Action Agenda have been:

• to bring a unified literacy community vision to the federal government's skills and learning consultations and ensure that adult literacy / basic education is a component of any national skills and learning strategy;

• to promote the development of a high quality system for adult literacy / basic education that is flexible enough for provinces / territories and communities to identify their own needs and solutions;

• to ensure that this system is backed up by policies, funding, infrastructure, and research;

• to ensure that high quality literacy services are accessible to all who need them, along with the supports necessary to enable them to participate.

When finished, the Literacy Action Agenda will outline “what needs to be done” over the coming years to improve literacy in Canada, from the perspective of the Canadian literacy community. Now that our community has endorsed the proposed principles, priorities and goals, MCL will develop suggested action steps for each goal based on the responses to the discussion guide, as well as on existing research and advice from literacy leaders with specific expertise. Finally we’ll seek the agreement of national and provincial/territorial literacy organizations. Only action steps on which there is consensus will be included in the Agenda.

In the end the Literacy Action Agenda will be useful as a guide and rallying point:

• for our own organizations in developing initiatives that respond to the needs and have the support of the broad literacy community (especially important for national organizations);

• for funders in assessing proposed initiatives in the light of needs and priorities identified by the wider literacy community;

• for government and non-government partners in understanding the bigger picture and how they can work with us toward a more literate Canada.

The value of MCL’s efforts in pulling together a unified literacy “voice” is evident in this excerpt from a letter we received from Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada.

“Within the recommendations in the area of ‘Strengthening Learning Culture’ (at the National Summit on Innovation and Learning), I was pleased that delegates identified establishing a pan-Canadian literacy/essential skills system as a priority.…

As we collectively develop approaches to implement the outcomes of the summit, I am encouraged by the enthusiasm of organizations like the Movement for Canadian Literacy and others across the country who want to work collectively towards common goals on important issues such as literacy and learning. The recent documents you have submitted … are key documents that the government of Canada will want to draw upon as it moves ahead in the important area of literacy. I would encourage the Movement for Canadian Literacy, on behalf of all the national literacy organizations and the broader literacy community, to continue to keep in touch with Human Resources Development Canada as our work in this area progresses.”