National Adult Literacy Database

Organizations that focus on developing healthy workplaces enjoy tangible benefits. These take the form of increased productivity, higher staff engagement, lower absenteeism, lower benefits claims costs, lower turnover, and greater resilience. Returns on healthy workplace investments reported by large private-sector organizations can range from $1.81 to $6.15 for every $1 invested.

Over the past 18 months, the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN) has been engaged in a series of research projects exploring the links between literacy and earnings, resulting in the complex Literacy and Earnings Project.

Some of the fastest growing jobs in the coming decade have yet to be identified. In fact, the term “new job” itself is changing. It can refer to a job that did not previously exist, or a job that carries the same name but requires such different skills as to render it changed. In either case, the need for skilled employees to fill these positions is increasing.

“Ministers of education are pleased to add their voice to the global call for greater literacy for all peoples,” said Ramona Jennex, Chair of CMEC and Minister of Education for Nova Scotia. “We recognize that literacy is one of the pillars of an open and democratic, economically strong, and socially inclusive society.”

Every year, 250,000 Grade 9 students across the country participate in The Learning Partnership's Take Our Kids to Work™ day. This nation-wide event provides students with the opportunity to spend the day at the workplace of a parent, relative or family friend, learning basic business and life skills. More than 75,000 employers participate annually.

The tireless work of Senator Joyce Fairbairn "changed the perception of the importance of literacy as a federal issue, bringing new resources and new status as a national concern. It’s hard to remember that at that time it was a novel idea that the federal government might have a larger role to play in supporting Canadians to meet their literacy skills needs." -- Margaret Eaton, President of ABC Life Literacy Canada

“The new Sectoral Initiatives Program will gather critical labour market information and make it available through the Working in Canada online portal, helping to ensure Canadians are more aware of the skills that are needed for the jobs that are in demand.” – Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Grass Roots Press has an international reputation for publishing high-quality resources for adult basic education and English as a Second Language communities. The company carries over 500 books, DVDs, and software packages and it publishes assessment tools, workbooks, photo stories, biographies, and literature -- publications that enhance adults' literacy skills.

The theme of International Literacy Day 2012 is Literacy and Peace. This theme was adopted by the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) to demonstrate the multiple uses and value that literacy brings to people.

In the survey, nearly four out of 10 (39 per cent) workers interviewed said knowing their career path is very important to their overall job satisfaction. Nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents feel this feedback is at least somewhat important.

Social finance is an approach to investment or managing money that aims to deliver social and/or environmental benefits. Social finance models are being widely explored as potential new sources of funding to address social/environmental issues. Since these investments must produce both a social and a financial return, proponents assume that social finance approaches are more likely to generate innovative practices and better performance by funding recipients.

One organization that has been promoting literacy and learning among its members, for over a decade, is the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). CUPE released a new video earlier this year titled ‘Why is CUPE involved with literacy work?’

"I have no trouble remembering my first class with Frontier College: in an old railway box car, with five or six tired, but expectant faces looking up at a green, cloth “blackboard” tacked to the wall, where some English idioms and their Portuguese equivalents were chalked up in columns. My education began that evening. It’s still going on. Thank you, Frontier College. You gave me my teaching life." -- Colin Brzezicki

"On behalf of all premiers, I congratulate the 2012 recipients of the Council of the Federation Literacy Award," said Darrell Dexter, Premier of Nova Scotia and Chair of the Council of the Federation. "The determination of literacy learners and the devotion of literacy advocates are an inspiration to all Canadians. The recipients of this award are all truly deserving of this recognition."

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada has awarded $199,721 to support a partnership project that targets university students at risk for academic difficulties because of a history of unidentified reading difficulties. NALD is part of the project’s knowledge dissemination team.