National Adult Literacy Database

Grade one students across Canada will receive a gift this month to help encourage and instill the joy of reading at a young age. TD Bank Group and the Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) are distributing more than 500,000 copies of I've Lost My Cat, written and illustrated by Philippe Béha, as part of the 13th annual TD Grade One Book Giveaway program.

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.

"Our national financial literacy push began in the aftermath of the financial crisis, which left everyone feeling a bit clueless on the subject of money. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced a national task force in the 2009 budget and, after extensive public consultations, a report with 30 recommendations was issued in early 2011." - Rob Carrick in The Globe and Mail

On the eve of Financial Literacy Month, a new opinion research survey found that only one-third of Canadian youth, ages 10 to 17-years, say that their parents regularly talk with them about money and finances.

Since 2007, Donna has worked for the Didsbury Municipal Library where she began to oversee the CNIB Library Partner Program - a service that offers public libraries access to the CNIB Library's entire collection for their patrons with print disabilities.

Young people across Nova Scotia are learning new ways to manage relationships and conflict by being encouraged to think about how they, and their actions, affect others.

Young readers recorded the highest total of books read since 1997 and the second-highest total in the history of the summer reading club run by the New Brunswick Public Library Service. In addition, the program enrolled the highest number of readers in eight years.

The Confederation Centre Public Library's new Teen Space is a promising new feature that should benefit PEI young people and promote an interest in reading.

The Activity Calendar for Canadian Families 2013 includes more than 30 learning activities for parents to do with children up to five years of age. The content supports early language development, early numeracy, pre-reading and pre-writing skills. Adult ESL and adult literacy learners would also be able to use the calendar to improve their language skills.

Despite evidence that learning can have a positive impact on everyone's lives, it is a concern to NIACE that many older people are missing out on the benefits of learning. The latest figures from NIACE's 2012 Adult Participation in Learning Survey show that only 16 per cent of those aged 65-74 and seven per cent of those aged 75+ regard themselves as learners.

The biggest hurdle to establishing a culture of reading in South Africa is neither access nor infrastructure. What seems to be the main challenge is disrupting the self-perpetuating culture of not reading by pressing for new habits, even before children get to school.

“The Good Reads project is helping to ensure that all adults, regardless of their literacy skills, have an opportunity to access literature by well-known Canadian authors,” said Dr. Pat Campbell, president of Good Reads publisher Grass Roots Press. “Good Reads books provide a bridge to other worlds and allow all adults to read for pleasure."

The Homelessness Partnering Secretariat and the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills have worked together to develop a guide which highlights easy-to-use literacy and essential skills tools available through HRSDC. Learn about the new guide during a teleforum on October 25 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.

B.C. Social Development Minister Moira Stilwell visited the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship recently to announce $20,000 for an innovative program that helps individuals with developmental disabilities - and their families - build a life plan and set the stage for a meaningful and inclusive adult life.

Just months away from the opening of its new South Campus, Bow Valley College celebrated another milestone by smashing its fall term enrolment record, welcoming over 5,633 new and returning learners, the largest fall term in the college’s history.