Canada Post Flight for Freedom on 12 City Tour

by Donald Campbell

Canadian literacy continues to soar in the on-going Flight for Freedom. In late September, in the wake of International Literacy Day, the winners of the 1998 Canada Post Flight for Freedom Literacy Awards will be announced.

Winners will be honoured in 12 different awards ceremonies, one in each provincial and territorial capital. Thirty-eight awards will be made in three categories: Individual Literacy Achievement (24 awards - two per province and territory for achievement in both English and French), Literacy Leadership (12), and Literacy Education (2).

Winners in the Individual Literacy Achievement and Literacy Leadership categories will receive computer systems, and Literacy Educators will receive $5,000 scholarships. Selection criteria for the three awards vary, although written submissions are required by all. Nominees for the Individual Literacy Achievement award were required to write a newspaper-style article explaining how and why they became committed to personal literacy, how they benefited from the literacy programme they pursued, and the impact that literacy has had on their lives.

The Literacy Leadership award required nominees (which must be non-profit literacy organisations) to submit an account of the organisation’s contribution to literacy, the long-term impact of that contribution on its community, the innovation and leadership displayed in administering its literacy programme(s), and the excellence of its organisational and personnel strengths. Nominees for the Literacy Education award must demonstrate they have made a significant contribution to literacy, been innovative and creative in designing new or using existing programmes, have a high degree of commitment, and have had a significant impact on either individuals or organisations committed to literacy. All submissions are judged by a committee made up of representatives of literacy organisations, business leaders and educators. The judging committee evaluates and scores submissions against the relevant selection criteria.

In 1998, two new sponsors, CIBC and DOMTAR, joined returning sponsors the National Literacy Secretariat, National Tilden, SHL Systemhouse and The Financial Post as key Flight for Freedom supporters. CIBC and DOMTAR are sponsoring, respectively, the Literacy Education and Literacy Leadership Awards; the four returning sponsors are aligned with the Individual Literacy Achievement Awards.

The prestige of the Canada Post Flight for Freedom Awards, their list of distinguished sponsors and the quality of the prizes awarded testify to literacy’s significance today. There is more to being literate than just being able to read. One must be able to use what one reads to be most productive and effective today.

Today, approximately 40% of Canadian adults are unable to meet the daily demands of society because of poor literacy skills. The social and economic cost of such poor literacy is staggering. It stands to increase as Canada moves further towards to an information-based economy where a literate work force is not only required, but necessary for survival in the competitive, global economy.

The Canada Post Flight for Freedom Awards seek to address this important issue, which is of concern to all Canadians.

For more information, contact : Canada Post Flight for Freedom Awards, 2701 Riverside Drive, Ottawa ON K1A 0B1, or check out their website at:
http://www.canadapost.ca/CPC2/corpc/events/flight/literacy.html