Lead Department: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 1986
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: March 31, 2006
Total Federal Funding Allocation: Ongoing

Description

The National Literacy Secretariat (NLS or the Secretariat) serves as a focal point for sharing information and expertise on literacy issues and acts as a catalyst for literacy action, forging cooperative relationships with public and private sector partners, and encouraging them to invest in literacy. The key activities of the Secretariat include partnership development and liaison, project development and consultation, grants and contributions administration, promotion of literacy, support for research and holding symposia and consultative meetings. The Secretariat's partnerships in the non-governmental organization (NGO) community, business, labour and professional organizations have also helped to encourage support for literacy issues within many federal departments and agencies.

The National Literacy Program (NLP) supports work which develops adult learning materials, improves access to literacy programs, increases public awareness of the importance of literacy, supports research, improves coordination and information sharing among the many partners on literacy and advances literacy research.

The key objective of the NLP is¹ :

• With our partners, we support activities to improve literacy skills in Canada.

For more information on NLP please visit
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/nav/top_nav/program/nls.shtml

Shared Outcome(s)

The partnership model recognizes that program impacts are the product of events for which no single agency or group of agencies can claim full credit. Like many public sector organizations, the Secretariat has worked to identify those outcomes over which it exercises the greatest degree of control.

The NLP seeks the following immediate outcomes:

• Enhanced literacy research in identified priority areas;
• Improved dissemination and sharing of information among literacy stakeholders;
• Increased availability of adult literacy materials and tools by learners and practitioners;
• Greater awareness of literacy programs, services and issues among targeted sectors;
• Improved access to literacy skills by Canadians with low literacy skills; and
• Improved strategic partnerships on literacy issues.

Expected long-term outcome for the NLP is:

• Adult literacy programming which is more appropriate and relevant.

Governance Structures

The Secretariat follows a partnership model in order to pursue strategic relationships to fill identified gaps in a supported learning environment for all Canadians. Key partners are literacy organizations, provincial and territorial government agencies and coalitions, as well as, labour, business, and voluntary sector organizations which advocate social and economic opportunities for different elements of the population.

Provincial and territorial governments are key players in the decision making process, and participate in many of the funding decisions based on an informal arrangement with NLS. Provincial/territorial priorities are respected, while adhering to the terms and conditions of the NLP and ensuring national literacy interests. The dedicated NLS budget has supported the engagement of provinces and territories in collaborative discussions on literacy issues; and encouraged them to make their own commitments and substantial investments in literacy, as well as support national priorities including Aboriginal literacy initiatives.

To help promote literacy as a broad economic and social issue, the Secretariat endeavours to partner with as many non-literacy organizations as possible. In addition to calls for proposals, prospective partners are identified through competitive selection processes and as a result of the overall economic and social influence that they bring to bear on literacy.

Partners

• Federal department responsible
  • Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
  • NLS works in collaboration with other government departments such as Health Canada, Corrections Canada, Statistics Canada as well as many others
• Provincial and territorial governments
• Non-governmental organizations and organizations such as literacy and non-literacy groups, business and labour, national literacy organizations and provincial literacy coalitions and community colleges.

Contact

Donna Kirby
A/Director, National Literacy Secretariat
Learning and Literacy Directorate
(613) 957-9776
Email: donna.kirby@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

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Note:

¹ The objectives and shared outcomes of the NLP changed in 2004-2005. The ones shown above are the current versions. The 2004-2005 objective and shared outcomes were as follows:

• the 2004-2005 objectives of the NLP were to increase literacy opportunities and take-up so people can improve their literacy skills; and
• to work toward making Canada's social, economic and political life more accessible to people with weak literacy skills.

The 2004-2005 shared immediate and long-term outcomes were: 

• immediate outcomes were increased public awareness;
• improved information sharing and coordination;
• increased evidence base and gap identification; and
• enhanced capacity of program partners to address literacy issues.

Expected long-term outcomes were more literacy opportunities for all Canadians and removal of barriers to take-up; and a more inclusive society which integrates literacy issues and supports training through the development of literacy policies within organizations and workplaces.