The CAPE (Community Adult Participants in Education) Committee has received funding from the National Literacy Secretariat to conduct a public awareness campaign regarding the importance of literacy and life- long learning. Deon Perry, Literacy Co-ordinator with The Cape Committee, believes the campaign will have a positive impact in the region .

"We hope that by creating a greater awareness regarding literacy issues, we will motivate people to take action and get involved with literacy development in our area,' says Mr. Perry.

The CAPE Committee is a community based, non-profit volunteer group. The committee serves the communities in the Cape Freels area on the north east coast of the province. The aim of the organization is to address literacy and learning issues, The group is also involved in other activities which include looking at the concept of Community Learning Centres and searching and identifying existing learning resource agencies. The CAPE Committee will also be involved in developing a long range plan for literacy development in the Cape Freels area.

Four one-day Life-Long Learning Forums will be held in late November and early December in Catalina, Shoal Harbour, Port Rexton and Plate Cove East. The forums are sponsored by Eastern College in partnership with the Bonavista Peninsula and Surrounding Area Literacy Outreach Office and the Bonavista and Clarenville Literacy Focus Groups.

"There has been a great deal of activity happening on the peninsula with regard to literacy services and programs. However, many people are still reluctant to come forward to take advantage of them," says Angela Abbott, Program Coordinator with the Reaching Out! Program. "The attitude still remains that literacy just means reading, writing and numeracy skills and people feel they are looked down upon if they admit they cannot read or write. As a result, these forums are being held to motivate people to become life-long learners. Hopefully, they will change the perception that literacy means only reading, writing and numeracy skills, and helping people understand the benefit of literacy skills for individual and community development."

The forums have been designed to involve all levels of the communities and use different approaches to provide expertise on, and reinforce the benefits of, life-long learning. Some of the activities planned for each of the forums include a presentation by Rising Tide Theatre, a panel of learners telling their personal stories about learning, a local person speaking about the rewards of life-long learning, a luncheon speaker, a presentation on economic initiatives, displays on career choices, employment opportunities in the area and individual success stories, and a feedback session for participants.

Ms. Abbott has been hired by Eastern College to organize the forums in conjunction with the Learning Access Centre coordinators in each of the areas.

"I'm confident that these learning forums will help participants see that there are individuals just like themselves, and from their own hometowns, who are taking advantage of literacy programs and further developing their skills for the benefit of themselves and their families," says Ms. Abbott. "Hopefully, this will motivate the participants to do the same."

The forums will be held at:

Catalina
November 22

Shoal Harbour
November 27

Port Rexton
December 6

Plate Cove East
December 13

For more information on the forums, please contact Angela Abbott at 709-468-7286 or Michelle Brown at 1-800-228-1995.