National Adult Literacy Database

The award recognizes outstanding achievement in developing and implementing a technology initiative that contributes to the advancement of adult literacy and essential skills. Specifically, the product, project or service should promote, support and/or facilitate knowledge exchange within the adult literacy community.

This literacy and essential skills training project will place Frontier College's labourer-teachers in businesses across Canada, focusing on high-needs sectors, with particular attention to Aboriginal and new immigrant workers. The labourer-teachers will provide one-to-one tutoring, mentoring and other educational support in the workplace.

“We cannot hope to have a skilled workforce and a strong economy when 43 per cent of the population does not have basic literacy and essential skills,” said Lindsay Kennedy, president and CEO of CLLN. “Skills development is a vital part of Canada’s economic strength and a national literacy and essential skills strategy must be the foundation for a productive workforce.”

For the 10th anniversary of International Adult Learners' Week in Canada (IALW) 2012, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO would like to stress the urgent need to reach a broader public. Better synergy among stakeholders facilitates the sharing of lessons learned, as well as its giving greater visibility to learners across the country, the organization says.

Lindsay Kennedy, president and CEO of CLLN, says, “We would like to ask you to join Canadian Literacy and Learning Network in celebrating adult learners during the week of March 24 to April 1, seek out and listen to adult learners across the country, and be part of the force of change that life-long learning can bring to Canada.”

Spring is all about new beginnings and there is no better time of year to refresh your skills and focus on lifelong learning.

March 24 to April 1, 2012, is International Adult Learners' Week. Members of Canada's literacy and essential skills community want to know how YOU continue to learn throughout the years.

The national chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students says: "Instead of cutting important programs such as the Service Canada Centre for Youth, the federal government should be increasing funding to help youth and students get a head start in life." For post-secondary education, students are recommending four concrete budget steps to ensure students and their families are not being left out.

ABC Life Literacy Canada is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2012 Peter Gzowski Life Literacy Fellowship are now being accepted online. The fellowship is open to accredited media and freelance journalists working and residing in Canada, along with current journalism students attending an accredited post-secondary institution in Canada.

The Big Rothesay Read in New Brunswick is about to embark on its fourth year of involving the entire student body of Rothesay High School and increasing numbers of teachers, parents and citizens in a community-wide reading initiative.

The Northwest Territories Literacy Council has several resources on its website to help you observe Aboriginal Languages Month. Included are the announcement, a languages map, a quiz, ideas for adult education programs and tips for families.

The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES) has launched a Call for Concepts 2012 with a goal of addressing critical research gaps in adult literacy and essential skills. The closing date is April 5, 2012.

Communities in Canada’s North often lag behind the South in terms of educational outcomes, but they are leaders in developing innovative ways to improve educational programming and delivery, according to a new report from The Conference Board of Canada’s Centre for the North.

A group dedicated to promoting literacy in Newfoundland and Labrador is asking the provincial government why it has not released its plan for advancing adult literacy.

Not all francophone minority communities carry the same weight or have the same institutional support. “On the Acadian peninsula of New Brunswick and in certain regions of Ontario, people can easily obtain services in French. They have institutional support whereas in British Columbia it takes people a long time to obtain services in French. It is important to make that distinction,” says Yvon Laberge, a member of the NALD Board of Directors.