National Adult Literacy Database

Canada Post has announced the finalists for its 2011 Community Literacy Awards. In two categories, Individual Achievement and Educator, finalists were chosen by a committee of judges from Canada Post from entries submitted from across the country. Literacy advocates from organizations across Canada will determine the ultimate winners.

This feature article by Astrid Van Den Broek is posted on NALD with acknowledgement that it was first published in the Canadian Library Association publication 'Feliciter,' Vol. 57, No. 2, and is used with permission of the Canadian Library Association.

Low morale in the workplace can lead to poor co-operation, low productivity, increased turnover – and ultimately stop a business from reaching its goals.

A simple first step is to ask exactly what restrictions are imposed in one’s own workplace. In some cases, raising the issue along with a reasonable case for employee rights might well ensure that an employer who hasn’t given the issue much thought will prove willing to allow workers to speak freely.

Twenty-three English schools across Quebec have reinvented themselves as part of the movement in the province’s English education system to become community schools. It’s a concept that involves forging partnerships with community-based groups.

Yukon youth will have the opportunity to showcase their talents in the skilled trades and learn about career options in the trades and technology sectors, thanks to support from the governments of Canada and Yukon.

Canada’s sector councils play a key role in helping industry develop training programs that benefit workers in their industries. Many of these programs are adapted by other organizations and by educational institutions.

NIACE welcomes recognition of the importance of ensuring that colleges and universities are ‘equally accessible’ to people who didn’t go into further education or higher education at 16 or 18 and the recommendation that ministers restore funding for FE access courses for students over the age of 24. NIACE also supports the development of a national program of access and foundation courses.

“In Manitoba, our experience is increasingly about the non-technical skills – oral communication, working with others and thinking. These in turn are the foundation for the leadership, communication and team dynamics competencies that position workforces to meet the increasing demands of the global economy.”

The bursaries are for adults who did not finish Grade 12 in the public school system and who are currently enrolled in, or planning to attend, an adult upgrading program. The scholarships are for adults who have completed their Grade 12 through an adult learning program, and are going on to, or continuing in college, university, or a trades and technology program.

This individual will work with the Calgary-based team to develop, market and deliver workshops on topics such as literacy awareness, plain language communications, and essential skills for living, learning and working in a variety of settings across the province.

Darin King, N.L. minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, has released a report titled Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Outlook 2020 which provides a forecast of the province’s labour market demands for the next decade and outlines the opportunities that will exist in numerous sectors.

Premier Christy Clark has announced that Dee McRae of Houston, B.C., is the recipient of the 2011 Council of the Federation Literacy Award, recognizing her significant contribution to improving adult literacy in the province.

UNB in Fredericton has conducted research into financial camps for young people, including a program developed by Merrill Lynch and Sesame Street. The university has designed 15 modules to start them early on the road to financial success.

As if shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for post-secondary schooling isn’t enough, an unpaid internship has become a rite of passage for many students.