National Adult Literacy Database

In his new free workshop for 2013, Tom Sticht reviews extensive data on intergenerational inequalities in education and economics. He also presents data from many studies to suggest that greater investments in the education of undereducated youth and adults, many of whom are parents or will become parents, can help break the multiple life cycles of inequalities in education and economic achievement.

Skills/Compétences Canada, a national not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades, has announced that Lowe's will be renewing its Toolbox for Education Grant Program for 2013. This will be the third year that Lowe's, in partnership with Skills/Compétences Canada, offers the program benefiting students and educators in Ontario and Alberta.

CSTD programming focuses primarily on those areas that are specific to training and development. While general management and leadership topics are always included in their programs, priority is given to the five core competency areas for the profession.

The Centre for Excellence in Foundational Learning at Bow Valley College is looking for experienced adult education practitioners to serve on an advisory committee for an innovative adult writing assessment project titled Write Forward. Members will assist in reviews of project design and development through all stages, and assist with networking and promotion of the project across Canada.

Over 100 eminent academics have signed a letter to Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister John Duncan demanding that core funding for Aboriginal organizations be restored to protect vital research projects underway. The signatories highlight that researchers partner with tribal councils, the National Aboriginal Health Organization, and other Aboriginal representative organizations to address "health, education and infrastructure issues that are preventing Canadian First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities from reaching their full potential."

ABC Life Literacy Canada would like to help employers build a better skilled, more resilient and effective workforce. If you are the company owner, general manager or HR manager, the organization would appreciate your completing this survey.

The National Call for Concepts for Social Finance invites organizations and individuals from across the country to submit ideas on how to improve social and economic outcomes for Canadians. Social finance is an exciting new way to encourage social innovation by creating new opportunities for investors and community organizations to partner on innovative projects and take their great ideas to a new level.

Literacy Alberta is gearing up for its next Casino which has been set for January 3 and 4, 2013. Money raised through this event supports its Helpline and its work in the community. They are in need of Literacy Alberta members and volunteers to fill various positions including general manager, alternate general manager, banker, cashier, chip runner and count room staff.

Raising the Roof has released the first report to explore the issue of unemployment among homeless youth in Canada. The report focuses on understanding how to motivate and support Canadian business to provide employment and skills training opportunities to disadvantaged youth or, essentially, to "take a chance" on these young people.

The ESL Literacy Network is an innovative website that responds to the needs of learners with Interrupted Formal Education (LIFE) and addresses the professional development needs of ESL literacy practitioners in Alberta. The Financial ESL Literacy Toolbox is available from the network, which is based at Bow Valley College, to help learners build their financial literacy skills.

More than 250,000 Grade 9 students from Newfoundland to Nunavut are participating in The Learning Partnership's Take Our Kids to Work™ day. Hosted by a parent, relative or family friend, these young people are spending the day in the workplace getting an inside look at the world of work and exploring future career options.

The Financial Literacy Month Video Contest is challenging you to create an original and inspiring video that shows and explains how you are saving for or managing your money to achieve a financial goal. Videos of all eligible participants will be evaluated for creativity, production quality and messaging by a panel of three judges selected by FCAC. The deadline for submissions is November 30.

Calgary author Will Ferguson has won the Scotiabank Giller Prize for his globe-trotting thriller novel entitled 419. While 419 will probably be viewed as Ferguson’s arrival as a “literary fiction” author, he says he doesn’t plan to alter his modus operandi as a writer. His next offering will be a travel book about Rwanda.

Visa is launching the game in support of Canada's Financial Literacy Month which takes place in November each year. As part of the celebration, Visa is extending its sponsorship of Credit Education Week Canada (CEWC) for a sixth consecutive year, which again includes support for a student essay writing contest.

As part of the 14th edition of The Gift of Reading, the Literacy Foundation and program spokesperson, actress Marie Turgeon, invite you to buy a brand new book for a poor child in your region. Through this simple act, you contribute to preventing the reading and writing difficulties that can lead to young people dropping out of school.