National Adult Literacy Database

"ADHD is a complex neurobiological disorder that remains highly misunderstood," said Heidi Bernhardt, national director of CADDAC. "By sharing up-to-date medical information and real-life stories, CADDAC and its partners are sending a unified message to help educate and better understand ADHD and what it is like to live with the disorder."

Employment increased for the second consecutive month in September, up 52,000, mainly in full-time work. There was more employment in a number of industries, including retail and wholesale trade; construction; information, culture and recreation as well as agriculture. Employment rose in Ontario and Manitoba and fell in Saskatchewan with little change shown in the other provinces.

ABC Life Literacy Canada has announced the 2012 Life Literacy Award winners in recognition of outstanding achievement in adult literacy and essential skills. Awards were presented in the categories of community literacy, workplace education, journalism and corporate excellence.

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.

"Literacy, if we need to be reminded, is the great enabler that allows individuals to unlock their potential. It’s the basic skill set on which most other capabilities are built. As we celebrate International Literacy Day (proclaimed by UNESCO in 1965) this Saturday, we should also remember that literacy is a fundamental human right."

A new publication in the NALD Library could serve as a wakeup call for Canadians interested in or concerned about the future of the workforce. A follow-up to People without Jobs, Jobs without People (2010), Dr. Rick Miner’s latest work is entitled Jobs of the Future: Options and Opportunities (2012).

“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