Literacy Basics - Community Literacy of Ontario

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MARKETING

Sometimes we think that if we work harder at the things we do well, then we will be successful. But the reality of literacy stands in sharp contrast to that vision. Staff and volunteers devote countless hours to hard work, yet the statistics are daunting. Often, we do not reach anywhere near the number of clients that need our programs. Some clients drop out of literacy programs before successfully reaching their goals. Clearly, if we reflect on some of the issues concerning literacy, we begin to understand that something vital is missing.

On the one hand

On the other hand
  • Four out of ten Ontarians 15 and older do not have the literacy skills needed to meet the demands of modern life.
  • Fewer than 5% of Canadians participate in literacy programs.

    (see Literacy Basics, Learner Recruitment)
  • There are people in our communities who could benefit greatly by our programs.
  • Many of them are often reluctant to even visit our centres to see what we do.
  • Everyone acknowledges we live in the information age, and competent reading levels are vital for employment.
  • Very few employers contribute to adult literacy and only a very small number are aware that adult literacy programming exists.
  • Our communities have social service agencies that share many of our beliefs and goals.
  • Often, these agencies do not fully understand what we do. They do not always see how literacy fits with their mandate. We sometimes feel that we compete rather than collaborate in our communities.

How can we do a better job of convincing our communities that they need our programs? Some marketing experts would say that what is missing between the one hand and the other is an exchange. Others would go further and say that what is missing is a relationship. But how can marketing, which seems to focus so much on sales and competition, help us with building relationships? Long-term relationships are held as vital keys to business health and survival. And if relationships are essential for business, then how much more so for our organizations that depend exclusively on strong connections within our communities to fulfill our mission? To be effective, marketing must be collaborative and relationship-building.

For an excellent discussion of the need to market adult literacy programs visit:
literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Pubs/0200-17.html.

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CLO gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided by the Ontario Government under Employment Ontario and the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES) and the technical support provided by the National Adult Literacy Database in developing this web site.

All external links within this website were valid at the time of publication.
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