There have been both challenges and opportunities at the Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC) in the past year. Unfortunately, after a short return from a leave of absence to conduct research, OLC’s Executive Director, Susan Sussman, left on a health-related leave. Anette Chawla and Sue Folinsbee have been acting as Co-Executive Directors since March 2002 and will continue to do so until the end of March 2003.

Positioned for the future
There have been many changes at the OLC which position the organization positively for the future. The OLC recently adopted the Carver model of governance which has allowed the organization to better pursue its mandate and mission. The OLC is also working diligently to implement recommendations that came out of its recent organizational review. This includes finding ways to support people with literacy challenges who are in Literacy and Basic Skills programs but to also discover ways to support those who are not in programs. To this end, we are hoping to develop new partnerships with diverse communities and organizations in Ontario that have an interest in literacy issues. We are presently developing a fundraising strategy which will support these new directions.

Clear communication
Support to people in Ontario with literacy challenges involves clear communication. In the last year, the OLC developed a clear language policy which we are in the process of implementing. We also hope to further develop our website to provide important information to people with literacy challenges using a multimedia approach.

Field development
On the field development front, the OLC has been busy in the areas of family and workplace literacy. We recently hosted a symposium, Family Literacy Matters! for 60 people in family literacy, Ontario’s Early Years Initiative and related fields. Symposium delegates gave the OLC a clear mandate to set up a provincial working group to develop a common vision and mission for family literacy and provide leadership for a provincial strategy for family literacy.

We have also been busy in the area of workplace literacy. OLC has provided training and orientation to five of Ontario’s literacy networks and their delivery agencies. These five “first sites” will be responsible for marketing and delivering workplace education in their regions in the spirit of experimentation. As part of this work, the OLC has produced two research reports, one on good practice in use and the other on models of practitioner development for workplace literacy. The titles of the reports are : Workplace Educator Professional Development : Literature and Field Interview Report by Karen Geraci, 2002; Workplace Good Practice in Use: Guidelines for Good Practice in Workplace Education by Mary Ellen Belfiore, 2002. Each one can be purchased from the OLC for $5.00 plus shipping and handling.

Another notable piece of research the OLC has undertaken is in the domain of self-management and self-direction. This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the supports that people needed to maximize learning. It also provides a tangible framework for thinking about how to integrate self-direction and learner support into programming.

Public awareness
Last but not least, the OLC has continued to build public awareness of literacy issues. A new project in social marketing will provide lifelong learning activities in three communities to enhance awareness of literacy issues. Materials and activities developed through this project will be made available on our website in the spring of 2003.

For more information :
OLC, 365 Bloor Street East, Suite 1003 Toronto, ON M4W 3L4
Tel. (416) 963-5787   Fax (416) 963-8102
olc@on.literacy.ca   www.on.literacy.ca/