What this study attempted

Canada's low level of adult basic literacy has been well documented by numerous national and international studies.

The past decade has seen the development of a national consensus that basic literacy levels in the country's population must be improved, along with a corresponding rise in outreach efforts to potential literacy learners.

Still, despite increased public awareness of adult literacy issues, the recruitment and retention of adult learners in literacy and upgrading programs remain major challenges, and we have little nationally representative information about the experience of people who attempt to access literacy services.

Because follow-up research has typically been done with people who have either completed or dropped out of programs, little is known about the experience of those who attempt to enrol but are unsuccessful.

And that's why this study, "Patterns of Participation in Canadian Literacy and Upgrading Programs", was conducted for ABC CANADA, in partnership with Literacy BC. It addresses some important questions at a national level, such as:

In a basic sense, this study addresses the degree to which individuals are being linked to services, and the extent to which the services axe meeting their needs. In a broader sense, the study provides some early answers to much larger questions about the capacity of the Canadian literacy field to meet the current demand for literacy services. By implication, the degree to which current demand is being met gives insight into the field's capacity to handle the potential demand for services, should ongoing outreach efforts achieve increasing success.