National Adult Literacy Database

Continuous learning has a ripple effect, not only for learners but for teachers and the communities in which they reside. Each year at this time, the National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) joins literacy and essential skills organizations from across Canada to celebrate Adult Learners’ Week.

The survey provides LES workers with a unique opportunity to speak about their own experience and reality as a member of that workforce. It is part of a larger study that will allow CLLN to provide a picture of the demographics of Literacy and Essential Skills practitioners as well as what kinds of work they do, where they do it and how they do it.

The new Ontario government has created a new Northern cabinet committee that will address the complex needs of Northern Ontario, including job creation, revitalizing transportation infrastructure and improving vital access to the Ring of Fire. Premier Wynne and her team are also looking at ways to improve access to health care and education in the region.

Pat Salt, a learning support strategist based in Calgary, has a new approach to learning that constitutes a major shift in thinking when it comes to essential skills. She presented her views at Made in the North, a unique pan-territorial forum for exploring effective approaches to adult literacy and skills development.

As part of its ongoing skills initiative, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has unveiled the findings of its Symposium on Skills and Small Business held in November. From the outset of the project, it has been clear Canada must upgrade the skills of its domestic workforce, including the essential skills that are critical for improved training outcomes and productivity growth.

The National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) takes this opportunity to extend its congratulations and best wishes to individuals in the field of literacy and essential skills who were recently chosen to receive Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

The Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards were created for two main reasons: to recognize exceptional contributions that individual volunteers, not-for-profit organizations and local businesses make to improve the well-being of families and their communities; and to highlight the best practices in community leadership that these outstanding volunteers have developed.

Insights is an electronic newsletter that highlights important LES research findings for Canada. This issue focuses on employer supports and strategies for workplace LES training. It also includes information about the PIAAC survey for which data will be available in 2013.

Ontario is investing in training and development projects that will support jobs and improve the quality of life for First Nations communities in the Ring of Fire. New projects will focus on providing social, community and economic development supports to First Nations to help them participate in potential Ring of Fire developments.

The National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) is beginning a new year with an updated Vision, Mission and Values/Guiding Principles. NALD staff, under the direction of CEO Bill Stirling, started the renewal process with the NALD Board of Directors, including the CEO, adding the finishing touches and formalizing the new guidelines and the NALD Value Proposition at a recent board meeting.

The purpose of the State of the Literacy and Essential Skills Field report is to provide an overview of Literacy and Essential Skills across Canada from the unique perspective of CLLN and its national network partners, the provincial and territorial literacy coalitions. This is the first national environmental scan to be conducted by CLLN and as such it will inform the direction of future scans and will be the basis of further work to show how the Literacy and Essential Skills field is responding to trends.

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.

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.

"When Essential Skills Ontario (the Ontario Literacy Coalition [OLC] at the time) began in 1987, the skills needs of adults were much different than they are today. Since then, much has changed: our lives, communities and workplaces have become more technologically centric and we have shifted towards a knowledge economy." -- Essential Skills Ontario's Board of Directors and Staff

To mark the beginning of Financial Literacy Month, CCFL has launched the Financial Literacy Evaluation Resource Kit, a complete set of tools to enable community organizations to measure, report on, and enhance the impact of their financial literacy education activities. This initiative was funded by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.