National Literacy Secretariat - National Funding Stream 2002-2003

Ms. Lynda Fownes
BRITISH COLUMBIA CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SKILLS IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL, SKILLPLAN
405-3701 Hastings Street
Burnaby, BRITISH COLOMBIA
V5C2H6
Tel. (604) 436-1126

Science and Essential Skills in the Construction Industry

SkillPlan - the BC Construction Industry Skills Improvement Council - is a partnership between construction owners and construction unions to provide training for that industry. SkillPlan has identified that many apprentices lack the basic literacy and essential skills necessary to succeed at apprenticeship. One of the unique situations faced by apprentices is a lack of success with the science aspects of their training precisely because they lack the basic literacy skills. SkillPlan proposes to develop two publications. The first is a science manual with concepts and applications from within the construction industry which can be used by pre-apprentices, apprentices, trades trainers and adult educators. The second publication is a companion manual that will explain the model used to develop the first publication so that adult educators can see how the model and materials were developed. Both publications provide a demonstration of how instruction in essential skills can be integrated with instruction in content areas in construction and other workplace settings. The publications will be disseminated nationally.

Mr. Werner Knittel
CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS
1100 Melville Street Suite 1330
Vancouver, BRITISH COLOMBIA
V6E4A6
Tel. (604) 713-7780

Team Time - Training in Learn Manufacturing: From the Model to Momentum

The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) in partnership with Teleflex Canada in British Columbia will build from the work started by the development of the Team Time model of training for real participation through team processes in Lean or Continuous Improvement (CI) Manufacturing. This project will take Team Time "From Model to Momentum" by developing necessary supporting elements to make the integrated approach to workplace literacy learning sustainable in the pilot company and readily understandable to manufacturers. This project will also include a report that will provide the industry with a greater understanding of learning and the elements for a business analysis of the return on investment of training by BC manufacturing leaders through the CME. They will also work at integrating content and literacies in extended materials for transplanting Team Time by giving conference presentations and publishing communication pieces. A group of Senior Managers from CME BC Consortium for Manufacturing Excellence will be surveyed to evaluate the effectiveness of this initiative.

Ms. Linda Mitchell
LITERACY BRITISH COLUMBIA SOCIETY
510 West Hastings Street Suite 601
Vancouver, BRITISH COLOMBIA
V6B1L8
Tel. (604) 684-0624

Moving Literacy Forward in BC, An Agenda for Change

Literacy BC, the provincial literacy coalition that has been promoting and supporting literacy activities in British Columbia since 1990, will facilitate and support local and regional literacy events; assist media and government agencies in promoting literacy; plan and implement three major public events such as Word on the Street, Canada Post Literacy Awards and the Co-operators Learner Acievement Award; support and coordinate the activities of Literacy BC's Learners' Committee; and publish one issue of the newsletter "Imprints". In addition, Literacy BC will focus provincial attention to the federal government's Agenda on Skills and Learning; create a long-term strategic plan based on a recently completed review and province-wide consultation; distribute fact sheets to all stakeholders; provide current and relevant literacy information on the Literacy BC website; and work on the development of an improved public awarenesss campaign for literacy in BC. All project activities will be monitored by the Board of Directors, and evaluative documentation will be provided through reports and questionnaires.

Ms. Lynda Fownes
TOWES JOINT VENTURE
3701 Hasting Street Suite 405
Burnaby, BRITISH COLOMBIA
V5C2H6
Tel. (604) 436-1126

Feasibility Study for French Language TOWES (Test of Workplace Essential Skills)

The TOWES Joint Venture is a collaboration between Bow Valley College and SkillPlan (BC Construction Industry Skills Improvement Council) which has developed TOWES - the Test of Workplace Essential Skills. TOWES addresses the needs of workplaces for an assessment tool based on real-life situations and related to the International Adult Literacy (IALS) literacy levels. TOWES is a direct result of HRDC's work in the area of Essential Skills Profiles. This project will meet a need that has been recognized from the beginning of TOWES' development, that is, the capacity to use TOWES in French. Now that the assessment tool has been validated and accepted across the country and internationally, the opportunity to introduce a French version is now. The TOWES Joint Venture will work with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges to access community colleges in Quebec as well as with the NB Community College and Ontario's Collège Boréal to study the feasibility of a French TOWES. The Joint Venture will investigate the feasibility, develop a cadre of bilingual test item writers and psychometric advisors, to translate/adapt a limited number of test items and field test them, and prepare cost projects and timelines for a fully French TOWES.

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Manitoba Mr D'Arcy Phillips
MANITOBA AEROSPACE HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATING COMMITTEE INC.
1425 Whyte Avenue
Winnipeg, MANITOBA
R3E1V7
Tel. (204) 772-0003

Adapt Workplace Navigation Curriculum for Deaf Employees

The Manitoba Aerospace Human Resources Coordinating Committee (MAHRCC) is comprised of 25 companies working wholly or in part in the aerospace and aviation maintenance sectors, works to meet the training needs of its member companies. MAHRCC recognizes that literacy skills are the skills upon which all learning relies and are the bedrock for continuous learning. This project will take the highly success curriculum in how to navigate workplace literacy documents and adapt it for deaf employees using Boeing Canada Technology as the pilot site since it is the largest private sector employer of the deaf in Winnipeg. Boeing has made a commitment to its 1,300 employees to ensure that each one has the opportunity to undertake essential skills upgrading. A unique component of aerospace industry is the Deaf employee population. Boeing has developed materials for the Deaf and has received the Conference Board of Canada's award for workplace literacy and the Canada Post award for literacy. This project will be a collaboration between MAHRCC, Boeing, Canadian Auto Worker Union, Local 2169, an advisory committee of Deaf employees and the Deaf community in Winnipeg, MB Industry Training Partnerships, and Workplace Education Manitoba Steering. The project will produce an instructional video tape series based on the existing Navigating Workplace Documents Curriculum that accommodates the learning needs of Deaf employees in the aerospace industry and to pilot that video series with Deaf employees at Boeing Canada Technology, create an instructional model unique to Deaf employees, to engage all stakeholders, and to promote continuous learning among employees in the aerospace industry. The video and materials will be distributed among aerospace industries and the Deaf community.

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Mr. Rob Despins
WORKPLACE EDUCATION MANITOBA STEERING COMMITTEE
30 Laurel Leaf Lane
Winnipeg, MANITOBA
R2V4K2
Tel. (204) 945-1682

Increasing Essential Skills in the Health Care Sector

Workplace Education Manitoba Steering Committee (WEMSC) was created to assist, guide and make recommendations with regards to developing appropriate workplace literacy projects for the province of Manitoba. This project will target the Health Care Sector as suggested by labour members during an annual planning session. The Health Care Sector has been identified as one of the largest labour membership groups where literacy has become an issue. WEMSC will begin by conducting a literacy needs assessment that will provide the necessary information for the development of sector-specific curriculum. A steering committee will be established with a number of different stakeholders who will ensure the success of this project. This curriculum will be developed according to identified Health Care Sector standards and will be positioned within the province's training strategy. They will then pilot the curriculum to ensure the appropriateness of the materials and the scope of content. WEMSC will develop a marketing strategy that will include a communication and distribution plan. The effectiveness of this project will be evaluated by the number of focused classes delivered, number of learners within five years and numbers of marketing products distributed etc. A written final report including all the materials developed will be submitted to the NLS.

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Mr. Charles Ramsey
NATIONAL ADULT LITERACY DATABASE INC. / BASE DE DONNÉES EN ALPHABÉTISATION DES ADULTES INC.
Scovil House 703 Brunswick Street
Fredericton, NEW BRUNSWICK
E3B1H8
Tel. (506) 457-6900

Re-Structuring Hardware, Software and Content Architecture for Web Services Delivery

The National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) has been in existence since 1989 and has existed in the current model, as a World Wide Web-based information and resource and distribution since 1995. A national evaluation of NALD's services has recently been completed which a final report with specific recommendations will be submitted to NALD. NALD will use the data to build a three-year plan to be submitted to the NLS by end of March 2003. For the next six months NALD will work at restructuring the NALD Smartsite to provide for a more efficient and secure hardware and software configuration while making the resource collection larger and easier to use. This will meet the growing volume-of-usage demands on the NALD servers. This project will also add new digitized collections of literacy resources and make it available wherever anyone has access to the Internet which makes it available to a broader range of people across the country. NALD will test the feasibility of re-designing the NALD web site collection from a "flat-file" set of web pages to a "database-driven" system, thereby enabling effective decision-making in relation to information management. They will work with the literacy community in Canada to add twenty new resources to the NALD Literacy Collection. NALD will submit a written final report including a three-year strategic plan to the NLS.

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Mr. Tim Turner
BROTHER T.I. MURPHY LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE INC.
95 Water Street
St. John's, NEWFOUNDLAND
A1C1A5
Tel. (709) 579-6606

Institute on Research in Practice for Canadian Adult Literacy Workers

Brother T.I. Murphy Learning Resource Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland, is a non-profit charitable organization that has been providing alternative educational and learning opportunities to youth and adults since 1986. In partnership with the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Community Based Literacy Network, and the Alberta-based Research-in-Practice in Adult Literacy (RipAL) Network, Brother T.I. Murphy Learning Resource Centre will host a four-day Research-in-Practice Institute for approximately 60 participants in 2003. The goal of the Institute will be to build and strengthen research capacity among literacy practitioners in Canada. Four concurrent courses on qualitative research topics will be offered including: getting started in literacy research-in-practice; participatory action research; approaches to research-in-practice; and the expansion of research skills. The project will support travel bursaries for approximately 38 researchers and literacy practitioners who do not have access to travel funds. A conference report will be printed and distributed as a follow-up to the event. The project will be evaluated on an ongoing basis through questionnaires with feedback from participants and other stakeholders.

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Ms. Sandy Kusugak
NUNAVUT LITERACY COUNCIL
1 Kamotik Road Box 1049
Cambridge Bay, NUNAVUT
X0B0C0
Tel. (867) 983-2678

Coalition Development & Literacy Promotion 2002-2003

The Nunavut Literacy Council will undertake a project to support and promote literacy in Nunavut through activities around four goals. The four goals are literacy promotion, community support, resource development, and research. The main objectives of the project are; 1) to increase recognition of literacy as a significant economic and social issue in Nunavut, 2) to provide communities with culturally relevant training resources 3) to coordinate the Nunavut International Adult Literacy Survey and, 4) to research the connections between Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and community-based literacy. The Council will publish and distribute a quarterly newsletter to all members and stakeholders, publish and distribute promotional materials on special events such as International Literacy Day and Family Literacy Day, initiate a campaign to advocate increased community access and support. It will also train and mentor a Literacy Development Coordinator, develop and present workshops to literacy programs and adult educators. The Council will begin discussions with Inuit Organizations and the Government of Nunavut to identify funding and support for the development of Inuktitut IALSS and will research connections between Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and community-based literacy. The project will be evaluated by monitoring requests for training, support and resources, and by evaluating the outcomes of the research and number of new partnerships.

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Mr. Bob Haywood
NORTHERN TERRITORIES FEDERATION OF LABOUR
P.O. Box 2787
Yellowknife, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
X1A2R1
Tel. (867) 873-3695

Leadership and Literacy

The Northern Territories Federation of Labour represents the unionized workforce of 6,500 in the North West Territories and Nunavut. The NTFL has been active in the area of literacy working with individual affiliates, with the Workers Compensation Board on plain language issues, the GNWT and with the NWT Literacy Council. With the GNWT and the NU governments both addressing the literacy needs of northern workers, the NTFL proposes to create a promotional and awareness campaign focusing on the importance and benefits of workplace literacy to union leaders, members and remote communities through band councils. The NTFL will also identify and support union activists that can work in their own communities. The project will begin with a labour forum to be held in Yellowknife. Following that, workshops will be held in 10 communities across the north adapting material developed by the Canadian Labour Congress' Workplace Literacy Project. While in the communities, outreach to other key stakeholders will be done. The result of the project will be a greater awareness and engagement of labour members in the literacy issue across the north.

Ms. Cate Sills
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES LITERACY COUNCIL
5122-48th Street Box 761
Yellowknife, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
X1A2N6
Tel. (867) 873-9262

Moving Literacy Forward in the NWT

Recognizing growing interest and demand for literacy services in the NWT, the NWT Literacy Council (NWTLC) will move literacy forward and better respond to the multi-dimensional nature of literacy in the NWT. They will do this by concentrating on activities in five areas: 1) creating a new strategic plan for the NWT Literacy Council, 2) increasing public awareness and support for literacy, 3) developing a framework for best practices for community-based literacy programs, 4) making the case for literacy in the NWT by participating in government-sponsored reviews of the NWT literacy strategy, and 5) promoting Adult Learners Week and NWT Literacy week and developing promotional materials. They will establish a working committee to develop a framework for best practices that will include statements of best practice, a self assessment tool, case studies of existing best practices and a resource manual of practical ideas. In addition, the NWTLC will provide coordination, communication and support for the literacy community. They will write, edit and publish a quarterly newsletter distributed territorially and nationally. The project evaluation will include quantitative information, anecdotal feedback from evaluation forms and will be monitored and evaluated by the NWT Literacy Council Board of Directors.

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Ms. Christine Featherstone
ABC CANADA
1450 Don Mills Road
Toronto, ONTARIO
M3B2X7
Tel. (416) 442-2998

Share the Learnings Conference - 2003

ABC Canada Literacy Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to promoting literacy to the general public and to the private sector. ABC Canada will host a conference for up to 50 LEARN partners from across Canada. LEARN Partners, who form the network of telephone referral services will come together to share best practices, be trained in effective techniques for telephone customer service and learn the results and implications for the literacy field of ABC Canada's national study of who does not participate in literacy programs. To do this, ABC Canada will hire a conference co-ordinator assisting the President in organizing the conference. The conference will be held on a weekend before the end of March 2003. There will be a steering committee established whose responsibility will be to set the agenda and determine the appropriate attendees. A post-conference evaluation will be distributed at the event and a written final report will be completed and distributed to all participants and submitted to the National Literacy Secretariat.

Marketing and Communications Plan

ABC Canada Literacy Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to promoting literacy to the general public and to the private sector. Since its creation in 1990, ABC Canada has focused on national, large-scale public awareness advertising campaigns and programs. ABC Canada Literacy Foundation with their many partners such as advertising agencies, media outlets and publishers have provided media space and productions services on a pro bono basis for the issue of literacy in Canada. Last year, these partnerships resulted in over five million dollars worth of donated services that provided both direct and indirect benefits to learners and the literacy movement in Canada. For year 2002-03 ABC Canada will build from the existing connections with corporate Canada where fundraising initiatives and new programs on family literacy and numeracy will be developed. Some of these fundraising initiatives will be with Coca Cola Canada, Gutenberg Media Grab and Chicks with Sticks and the enRoute Magazine. This year will also see the development of additional projects, like the Greeting Card Project and the Book of 1-2-3's, that will provide additional corporate funding opportunities. Other marketing activities will include additional public/media relations activities, exploring opportunities for corporate partnerships in the area of consumer marketing research, the development of ABC Canada's Media Room, and the maintenance of the Literacy at Work newsletter. These initiatives will reinforce its position as a leader in the literacy movement in Canada. ABC Canada will track and analyze various elements of this project to measure the quantitative and qualitative impact of this Marketing and Communications Plan. A written final report will be submitted to the NLS.

CEO Casebook

ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation is a non-profit national organization committed to promoting literacy to the general public and to the private sector by developing partnerships with business, labour, educators and government. ABC CANADA will follow-up on the project "Regional Roadshows" by delivering a message about the importance of workplace literacy to Chief Executive Officers in Canada. ABC CANADA will hire a business magazine writer to interview five selected CEO's to present their views on why workplace literacy has been good for their companies. The CEO's will be selected from past recipients of the Conference Board of Canada's "Excellence in Workplace Literacy Award" winners, and other companies who have demonstrated excellence in this area. These interviews, along with photographs, will be published in a business magazine style format and targeted to senior leaders in business and labour. A cross sample of Human Resource professionals in the corporations who receive this publication will be asked to fill a questionnaire that will help evaluate the success of this initiative.

Serge Quinty
ALLIANCE DES RADIOS COMMUNAUTAIRES DU CANADA
325 Dalhousie Street 2nd Floor
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K1N 7G2
Tel. (613) 562-0000

Initiative de sensibilisation à l'alphabétisme et à l'apprentissage tout au long de la vie [Literacy and lifelong learning awareness initiative]

The Réseau francophone d'Amérique (RFA), a service of the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada, wants to produce and broadcast a series of radio messages to raise the awareness of the Francophone communities that it serves across Canada of the importance of literacy and continuous adult learning. This awareness campaign will be linked to three major events in order to increase its impact, namely National Learners' Week, Canadian Family Literacy Day, and La Journée internationale de la francophonie. As part of the campaign, the following 30 to 90 second messages will be produced and broadcast by the 18 member radio stations of the RFA: 15 testimonials by adult learners; vignette sketches highlighting adults taking literacy courses; promotional messages for "Printemps des lettres", an activity by the Fédération canadienne pour l'alphabétisation en français; narratives in which the author-composer-performer Daniel Lavoie reads extracts from letters sent to him by learners. The main indicators of the project's success will be the feedback from the audience through e-mails and telephone calls, the number and diversity of personal accounts provided by individual learners, and the degree of participation by member radio stations and communities.

Ms. Gwynneth Evans
CANADIAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
328 Frank Street
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K2P 0X8
Tel. (613) 232-9625

Read Up On It

The Read Up On It initiative has been a partnership between the National Library of Canada and the National Literacy Secretariat and other community supporters since 1988. This year, Read Up On It will be co-ordinated by the Canadian Library Association (CLA), and delivered in partnership with the National Library of Canada, ASTED, the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and l'Institut Nazareth et Louis Braille, YTV, TéléQuébec and Access TV. The 2002 theme is "The Magic of Books". Materials will be designed by library professionals in consultation with literacy experts and educators, and will be made available in print format as well as on the National Library's web service. The Read Up On It program provides educators, librarians, literacy trainers and parents with unique bilingual literacy materials that encourage the use of high quality Canadian books in the development and strengthening of reading skills for the family in Canada. The family literacy insert provides literacy organizations, educators and parents with a resource to build on the skills developed in the educational environment in the home setting, fostering a commitment to continuous learning. CLA, ASTED and the National Library will co-ordinate a survey of a sample of kit recipients to determine client use of and satisfaction with the Read Up On It and web site. A report will be submitted to the National Literacy Secretariat.

Mr. Gerald Dafoe
CANADIAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION
1565 Carling Avenue Suite 400
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K1Z8R1
Tel. (613) 725-3769

Literature Review and Discussion Paper on Literacy and Bullying

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is a national, independent, not-for-profit association representing public health in Canada. CPHA's mission is to constitute a special national resource in Canada that advocates the improvement of personal and community health. CPHA also recognizes the broader determinants of health and their effects on the whole person. CPHA in partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) will examine the nature of the relationship between literacy and bullying in the child and adolescent population by conducting a comprehensive literature review and developing a discussion paper on the subject. They will do this by identifying Canadian and international journals, books and articles on the relationship between bullying and literacy through university-based literature searches and conducting telephone interviews with leading experts in Canada and abroad in the literacy and crime prevention fields. CPHA will also establish a national advisory committee to guide the overall project. It will be comprised of individuals representing the following interests, fields and sectors: literacy, crime prevention, youth parenting guardianship, education, mental health, social and police services. At the end of the project CPHA will conduct a comprehensive evaluation using a participatory approach. Both the literature review and the discussion paper will be produced and distributed to the literacy community in Canada and submitted with a final report to the NLS.

Ms. Linda Gauthier
CANADIAN TRUCKING HUMAN RESOURCES COUNCIL
720 Belfast Road Suite 203
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K1G0Z5
Tel. (613) 244-4800

CTHRC National Essential Skills Strategy, Phase 1

The Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council (CTHRC) ensures that there are enough people with the right skills to meet the demands of the Canadian Trucking Industry. In May 2002 CTHRC completed an Essential Skills Needs Assessment of the Trucking Industry with financial assistance from the National Literacy Secretariat. This study prepared the foundation for a CTHRC National Essential Skills Strategy, (NESS) a multi-phase, multi-partner initiative that will take time to maximize its potential impact and influence. This phase will be to customize Bow Valley College's Building Workplace Essential Skills curriculum to integrate links to the CTHRC's Earning Your Wheels curriculum. They will do this by coordinating with industry stakeholders (carriers, driver training schools, provincial governments, trucking associations, safety organanizations) to develop project plans and secure signed partnership agreements that will include objectives, scope of work, time lines, budget, deliverables) for each of the pilot projects. They will also work at building an awareness of essential skills by creating opportunities among industry stakeholders and connecting them to Canadian workplace literacy research and practice. This initiative is in sync with the Government's Skills & Learning Agenda where CTHRC has identified national standards with key positions in the trucking industry and is now working for the development of the workforce. The number of signed partnership agreements secured, feedback on the implementation of the training plan and reports from trucking industry representatives will determine the effectiveness of this project. A final written report with all materials developed will be sumbmitted to the NLS.

Madame Suzanne Benoit
COALITION FRANCOPHONE POUR L'ALPHABÉTISATION ET LA FORMATION DE BASE EN ONTARIO
235, chemin Montréal Pièce 201
Vanier, ONTARIO
K1L6C7
Tel. (613) 842-5369

L'alphabétisation familiale, un investissement

La Coalition francophone pour l'alphabétisation et la formation de base en Ontario, en partenariat avec le Centre franco-ontarien de ressources en alphabétisation (FORA), veut rechercher les programmes d'alphabétisation familiale qui ont connu du succès et en répertorier trois à six au sein d'un document, afin qu'ils servent de modèles aux pourvoyeurs de services d'alphabétisation et formation de base (AFB) qui désirent mettre sur pied leur propre programme. Le document décrira notamment les aspects suivants de chaque modèle présenté : démographie et géographie de la région où il a été implanté; questions importantes à considérer lors de la planification et de l'implantation; partenariats et alliances utiles; éléments de base du modèle et outils utilisés; résultats obtenus; et solutions pour assurer la continuité du programme. La recherche sera effectuée par le biais d'entrevues auprès des pourvoyeurs de services d'AFB et d'une recherche documentaire. Le Centre FORA se chargera de l'édition et de l'impression du document, qui sera distribué aux organismes d'alphabétisation francophones de l'Ontario et du reste du Canada, ainsi qu'au Centre Alphaplus. L'évaluation de ce projet portera sur la pertinence du document, le nombre de programmes d'alphabétisation familiale créés et leur continuité.

Mr. John Daniel O'Leary
FRONTIER COLLEGE
35 Jackes Avenue
Toronto, ONTARIO
M4T 1E2
Tel. (416) 923-3591

Communications, Publications and Fundraising

Frontier College will undertake various activities, in the categories of communication, publication and fundraising, to present information and to support program development regarding literacy at Frontier College and in general. The project will focus on three themes; 1) Sharing Our Knowledge with the Francophone Community, 2) Celebrating Our Learners and Volunteers and, 3) Fundraising- A local perspective. Frontier College will renew and redevelop their promotional materials in English and French, publish a booklet recognizing Frontier College volunteers and publish and promote books of learner writings. They will increase the capacity of their intranet to allow for more interactive and effective communication across the country by training all Regional Coordinators to use common technology and providing discussion forums related to materials and best practices in English and French. Interactive components and training materials will be added to the Frontier College web site. A celebration of learning will be held in Toronto, with a focus on learners and their accomplishments. Frontier College will hire a Director of Development to work with staff outside of Toronto and prospect for new financial support. They will fundraise to individuals and corporations through direct mail, events, and corporate sponsorship acquisitions. A comprehensive fundraising strategy will be developed that includes a new annual fundraising event and new ways for donors to give. In order to evaluate this project, Frontier College will survey community partners and volunteers and conduct interviews with francophone staff and volunteers to determine the effect of the project on the communities in which they work. The distribution of their literacy training materials will be monitored so that Frontier College can be confident that their materials are reaching more and more adult learners across Canada. Further success will be evaluated by the ability to raise sufficient funds to carry out literacy program commitments and the impact of hiring a fundraiser by looking at the additional monies raised. This project will result in a greater awareness of literacy issues and the ways in which the community can take action in support of literacy and learning.

Community Literacy Awareness

Frontier College will recruit and train twenty-three Literacy Ambassadors across the country to raise awareness of literacy, primarily through public speaking. Frontier College Regional Coordinators will mentor and support the Ambassadors in their work. A training package will be developed that will include local and national information on literacy, advocacy, social justice and public speaking. Ambassadors will receive a customized initial training in their community. The Literacy Ambassadors will engage in awareness raising activities in their communities, speak to a variety of service groups and community leaders on the topic of literacy, promote action in support of literacy and produce a final report on their experiences. This project will train young people to be proficient and knowledgeable advocates on behalf of literacy in Canada and by reaching out to service clubs will take literacy to a new audience across Canada. The project will be evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively and a final report will be submitted to the NLS.

Family Literacy Workshops and Resource Development

Frontier College is one of the key national literacy organizations in Canada. In this project, Frontier College will provide a forum for francophone and Anglophone family literacy practitioners and community workers to discuss new resources, introduce parents to family literacy activities and adapt and translate existing resources into French. Through a series of national workshops in French and English literacy practitioners and community workers will be trained on how to use the Reading Circle video and handbook to encourage parents to start reading circles in their communities. Frontier College will target twenty Anglophone and four Francophone communities. Workshops will also be held for parents to promote the importance of early literacy practices and parental involvement. The Frontier College Family Literacy Coordinator will also give twenty workshops in low-income/high-needs communities throughout Southern Ontario to community partners and parents groups. In addition, the Reading Circle video and handbook will be adapted and translated into French. The project will be evaluated through feedback from workshop participants and tracking requests for information and a final report will be submitted to the NLS.

Madame Luce Lapierre
FÉDÉRATION CANADIENNE POUR L'ALPHABÉTISATION EN FRANÇAIS INC.
235, chemin Montréal Pièce 205
Vanier, ONTARIO
K1L 6C7
Tel. (613) 749-5333

Le réseau francophone d'alphabétisation

Via le projet Le réseau francophone d'alphabétisation, La Fédération canadienne pour l'alphabétisation en français (FCAF) propose d'élaborer trois secteurs d'interventions afin de donner une voix pancanadienne à l'alphabétisation en français au Canada. Les trois objectifs généraux sont: 1) favoriser la concertation et la liaison entre les organismes provinciaux et territoriaux en alphabétisation francophone; 2) poursuivre la promotion de l'alphabétisme des francophones auprès de la population et auprès des décideurs publics et privés; et 3) former les intervenants du réseau d'alphabétisation. À la fin du projet, la FCAF aura produit: un document de consultation sur la Stratégie d'innovation du Canada, un programme d'éveil à la culture de l'écrit, un plan de formation pour les formatrices en alphabétisation familiale, un guide de recrutement des apprenants, et la production de plusieurs outils de promotion, tel que: bulletins des apprenants, trois bulletins de A à Z, La revue À Lire, ainsi que 14 bulletins La FCAF vous rejoint. La FCAF élaborera les conditions pour mettre sur pied des initiatives en alphabétisation dans le territoire du Nunavut avec l'association qui représente les francophones. La FCAF a établi des outils d'évaluation de l'atteinte des objectifs à chaque étape des activités.

Mr. Don Lounds
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS
1450 Meyerside Drive Suite 300
Mississauga, ONTARIO
L5T 2N5
Tel. (905) 564-5441

IBEW Essential Skills Needs Assessment

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers serve the interests of approximately 55,000 members in Canada working in the following sectors: construction, utilities, telecommunications, government, mining, paper mills manufacturing and railroads. In June 2001 the IBEW unveiled Vision of Excellence 2001: Action Plan for Strengthening the IBEW in Canada. This report included a Lifelong Learning Agenda which identified four learning targets and associated activities: Skills Training, Labour Education, Organizing and Essential Skills. This proposal builds from IBEW's public commitment to conduct an Essential Skills Needs Assessment. This initiative will idenfy a national, multi-sector research plan that will assist the IBEW in identifying essential skills learning needs among its current workforce and how they may be best addressed. The research will also be conducted in the construction and utility sectors which is 70% of the IBEW membership and is currently dealing with a variety of human resource challenges. The organization will establish an Essential Skills Steering Committee with a representative from the various stakeholders in each sector to ensure the effectiveness of the project. This project will help the IBEW Canadian Office and its Local Unions support the efforts in developing essential skills products, tools and services. To evaluate the success of this project a feedback form will accompany the report on the IBEW's Web site and users will be invited to voice their comments. A written final report with a copy of the needs assessment will be submitted to the NLS.

Ms. Wendy DesBrisay
MOVEMENT FOR CANADIAN LITERACY
180 Metcalfe Street Suite 300
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K2P 1P5
Tel. (613) 563-2464

Literacy Journal Start-up Project

The Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) is a national non-profit organization representing literacy coalitions, organizations, and individuals from all provinces and territories. It provides a voice for literacy in many ways including research, networking, learner development and literacy education. In order to address a long-standing need for a national forum to promote discussion and debate on literacy practice in Canada, MCL, in partnership with a national Steering Committee, will publish "literacy rap", a bi-annual English language journal that will aim to bridge the gap between academic research and the practice of literacy. The journal is in response to feedback obtained from intensive consultations with literacy researchers and practitioners through focus groups and a national website. The goal of the journal is to publish clearly written articles on adult literacy that stimulate critical thinking and reflection. A variety of research methods will be explored including traditional and non-traditional methodologies such as narrative and action research, and research as it relates to practice. In addition, MCL will develop and maintain a website that will include selected articles from each issue, chat rooms for discussions, and archival information from back issues. Writers and researchers will be supported through writing workshops at provincial and national conferences, mentoring groups, and moderated and facilitated electronic forums. The journal will be evaluated by the level of support it receives in its first year through submissions and subscriptions, and by reports from all stakeholders including national and international readers, peer reviewers, and members of editorial committees.

Ms. Wendy DesBrisay
MOVEMENT FOR CANADIAN LITERACY
180 Metcalfe Street Suite 300
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K2P 1P5
Tel. (613) 563-2464

International Adult Literacy Skills Survey: Pilot Survey Report

The Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) is a national, non-profit organization representing literacy coalitions, organizations, and individuals from all provinces and territories. It provides a voice for literacy in many ways including research, networking, learner development and literacy education. MCL, in partnership with Statistics Canada, will help complete the Pilot Survey Report for the International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS), a new study to assess adult skills within the United States, Canada, and participating countries from the Organization for Economic and Community Development (OECD). The IALSS Pilot Survey Report, an integral part of the overall IALSS project, will test all field procedures, collection instruments, and tasks. In addition, the Pilot will provide information to create item parameters to allow surveyors to select only those items that perform equally well in all participating countries. Each item will be individually assessed as to its suitability for inclusion into the main survey. Item discrimination and cross-cultural suitability will be among the deciding criteria. Ongoing analysis of the procedures used in the Pilot will point the way to improvements in the manner that the survey is conducted. Results from the report will be combined with those of other participating countries to produce a final pool of psychometric items to be used for the Main Survey collection.

Dr. D'Arcy Martin
ONTARIO INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES IN EDUCATION
University of Toronto 252 Bloor Street West 12-256
Toronto, ONTARIO
M5S 1V6
Tel. (416) 923-6641

Overcoming Race and Gender Barriers to Workplace Literacy

The Centre for the Study of Education and Work (CSEW) is a joint initiative of University of Toronto's Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education and the Department of Adult Education, and is housed under the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. As a follow-up to a literature review and an annotated bibliography, the Centre, in partnership with Home Workers Association of UNITE (Union of Needletrade, Industrial and Textile Workers) will conduct participatory action research on literacy skills in workplace settings. Statistical data suggest that there has been a dramatic growth in contingent or part-time and casual work. The project will explore learning barriers that workers face in the context of the peripheral positions they occupy in this knowledge-based economy. In addition, the study will survey literacy skills training at two sites over eleven months to assess tools and practices currently aimed at overcoming race and gender barriers in formal and informal learning. The project will build on meetings with one group of contingent workers -garment sewers- and compare their experience with a second group from another workplace environment. The project will result in a list of strategies that will allow those offering online education to acquire better understanding of barriers to learning among contingent workers, and will produce a case study of foundation skills programs among two groups of workers. The project will be evaluated through increased involvement of participants, the increase in capacity to meet specific learning needs of participants, and the number and scope of published excerpts of the work in newsletters, listserves and websites.

Ms. Sue Folinsbee
ONTARIO LITERACY COALITION
365 Bloor Street East Suite 1003
Toronto, ONTARIO
M4W 3L4
Tel. (416) 963-5787

A Year of Implementation

The Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC) will undertake a project to implement changes to its structure, role and membership, in order to increase its efficiency and provide the literacy community with better quality service. The changes to be implemented, which are based on needs identified over the past three years, will include: 1) refining OLC's literacy learners network, which will involve modifying the member selection process, implementing a mentoring system and fine-tuning the role of the network; 2) providing ways to increase the involvement of literacy learners within OLC, by implementing their clear language policy and making it easier for learners to participate in OLC committees; 3) further developing or adapting OLC's internal policies and procedures to better align their operations with their strategy; 4) expanding their consultation mechanisms by piloting community outreach meetings in at least three regions; and 5) developing and implementing a communications strategy that will allow OLC to better communicate with literacy stakeholder groups and provide these groups with up to date information on OLC's activities. The communications strategy will also involve updating OLC's website and other outreach materials, such as vision and mission statements, fact sheets and a brochure. In order to determine the project's effectiveness, the project staff will determine specific success indicators for each objective and evaluate the extent to which they are achieved.

Dr. Maurice Taylor
PARTNERSHIPS IN LEARNING
16 Mutchmor Road Suite 100
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K1S 1L7
Tel. (613) 562-5800

Literacy Practices and Media Perceptions of Adults with Low Literacy Skills

Partnerships in Learning, under guidance from an Advisory Committee, will build on existing research findings, and use ethnographic* methodology to document informal learning activities and the impact of reading and writing practices of literacy learners within the context of their homes, their work, and their communities. Five researchers from across Canada will receive training and collect data over a two-month period at 5 sites across Canada. These documented literacy practices will then be compared with media stereotypes found in the contextual stories of Canadian newspapers and magazines following an online media survey undertaken for a prescribed period of time. In addition, a field researcher will participate in a week-long intensive training on the final stages of data analysis. The project will result in the production of a curriculum guide for an ethnographic and situated learning approach to literacy; a case study report with profiles of 10 literacy learners; and a literacy symposium paper designed for a growing group of practitioner researchers across Canada. The paper will be presented at the 2004 Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE) conference scheduled to be held at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The project will provide benchmarks in documenting the kind of learning that takes place without the assistance of an educator. Results and outcomes will be evaluated by Advisory Committee members through formative and summative evaluation forms, and through interim activity reports. An inventory will be developed to enable field researchers to assess project goals and provide feedback. The information will be collected and submitted in the form of a final report. *Ethnography is a qualitative approach that identifies understandings of participants' lives from their own perspectives.

Ms. Paula Agulnik
REACH - LITERACY AND DISABILITY
810-151 Slater Street
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K1P 5H3
Tel. (613) 236-6636

Building the Constituency: The Literacy - Disability Link

Reach is a self-sustaining, non-profit charitable organization originally created to provide access to justice for people with different disabilities through the provision of legal services by lawyers acting in a voluntary capacity. It also builds partnerships between the legal community and other elements of the private sector to mobilize community giving through promotion and awareness activities. The organization has identified literacy skills as a major indicator of economic and social participation for people with disabilities. The objectives of this project are 1) to foster a better understanding of literacy and disability issues among community advocates through public awareness initiatives, 2) sensitize the general public to the unique concerns of Canadians with disabilities and low literacy skills 3) and, promote the "Reach model of development" and enlist support for literacy and disability issues from all sectors of society. Under the advice of a community-based advisory committee that includes literacy practitioners and Canadians with disabilities, Reach will develop, market and distribute various products and information to leaders in the voluntary, private and public sectors. This will involve public presentations, conference participation and exhibitions across the country. The products will include a PowerPoint training tool targeted to literacy practitioners and disability leaders, a custom-designed portable exhibit and accompanying handouts, an on-line presentation on the literacy-disability link and an Internet guide to literacy and disability for the general public. All aspects of the project will be evaluated based on the objectives and a final report will be submitted to the NLS.

Mr. Lawrence McBrearty
UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA
234 Eglinton Avenue East Suite 800
Toronto, ONTARIO
M4P 1K7
Tel. (416) 487-1571

Integrating Literacy and Union Education

The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) represents members from every sector of the economy in Canada, factories, offices, hospitals, university campuses, hotels, warehouses, bakeries etc. USWA is a leader in developing and delivering union education to its members. This project will develop, pilot and evaluate a process for integrating literacy and clear language into union courses. USWA will work at building in an understanding of literacy issues and the integration of skills development in the areas of writing, reading and math. It is proposed that sixteen union educators will be selected taking into consideration: areas of expertise and experience as instructor to participate in the revision of four union courses. This initiative will provide Union educators with the tools and the time to adapt the courses taking into consideration literacy and numeracy issues. A project team will be established including internal and external professionals and in addition the coordinator of the Canadian Labour Congress Literacy project will take an active part in the implementation of this initiative. To evaluate the effectiveness of this project a questionnaire will be developed and distributed to all participants. A written final report with a copy of the revised materials will be submitted to the NLS.

Ms. Mamta Mishra
WORLD LITERACY OF CANADA
401 Richmond Street West Studio 236
Toronto, ONTARIO
M5V 3A8
Tel. (416) 977-0008

Community Reading Festivals: Phase 2

World Literacy of Canada (WLC) is a non-profit organization which supports community-based programs that emphasize adult literacy and non-formal education for both children and adults in Canada and overseas. The goal of this two-year project is to build on the groundwork laid in the first phase of the Community Reading Festivals implemented in 2001-02. In Phase II, WLC will continue building links and long-term relationships with Canadian literacy organizations from coast to coast in order to create a sustainable independent reading festival program across the country. WLC will partner with eight new literacy groups in eight different communities. WLC will target four smaller under-served communities in the Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut. These groups will work together to plan their reading events thereby strengthening their efforts and minimizing costs related to author travel. WLC will also partner with two new literacy groups in Ontario, one in Quebec and another in British Columbia. In order to help existing partners to become fully self-sufficient and sustainable, WLC will also facilitate and organize four regional meetings where these groups would discuss lessons learned from their first year, as well as ideas for future years. WLC will conduct a final evaluation of the project through interviews with the literacy partners in each community, with WLC staff and volunteers, Canadian authors, corporate sponsors and supporters, and with community members who have participated in the program. WLC will also facilitate an event where John Ralston Saul, philosopher and writer will engage an audience to look at literacy as more than the mechanics of reading and writing. He will explore what literacy means to the individual and how it is linked to empowerment. The event will be recorded and published in World Literacy of Canada's national newsletter.

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Ms. Mary Burke
P.E.I. LITERACY ALLIANCE INC.
11 Queen Street 1st Floor
P.O. Box 400
Charlottetown, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
C1A 7K7
Tel. (902) 368-3620

Fostering and Supporting Initiatives in the Literacy Community

The PEI Literacy Alliance will undertake various activities focussing on family literacy and public awareness, including workshops, public events, and resource production. The Alliance will deliver several proposal writing, plain language and literacy information workshops to member organizations and co-sponsor a Learners Conference with Laubach Literacy of Canada - PEI. The Alliance will launch a new adult scholarship program honouring literacy leaders who have supported the annual Peter Gzowski Invitational (PGI), as well as taking over management of the Reading Line, a toll-free literacy information line that provides a valuable resource for literacy learners and tutors. The Alliance will introduce a new learning disabilities screening tool for adults, as well as assist in the improvement of referral and services for ex-offenders in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Institute for Adult and Community Education. Family literacy activities will include workshop presentations, development and distribution of 300 family literacy kits, and the presentation of a Family Literacy Carousel in celebration of Family Literacy Day 2003. In addition, Word Monster, a popular mascot and ambassador for family literacy in the province, will embark on a PEI library tour to promote family literacy as well as a new comic of Word Monster adventures that will be produced and distributed as a result of the project. Evaluation of this project will consist of several surveys, formal and informal feedback at events, and the documentation of workshop registration, information requests and borrowing of items. This project will raise public awareness of literacy issues and increase interest in and knowledge of family literacy, helping to advance literacy for the people of Prince Edward Island.

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Monsieur Gilbert Ladéroute
SOCIÉTÉ ÉDUCATIVE DE L'ÎLE-DU-PRINCE-ÉDOUARD INC.
48, chemin Mill Case Postale 159
Wellington, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
C0B 2E0
Tel. (902) 854-7275

Soutien éducatif aux familles (Supplément)

La Société Éducative de L'île-du-Prince-Édouard, in partnership with CAP enfants (Coalition action pour enfants) and La Voix acadienne, will undertake various literacy activities to increase and improve the services available to the Acadian and Francophone community on Prince Edward Island. Activities will include researching literacy centres and existing materials across Canada, particularly in Ontario and Québec, in order to develop literacy starter kits and thirty small booklets for parents to use with their children. In addition, a six-part parental literacy column will be published in La Voix acadienne, and tutors will be recruited and trained to support literacy initiatives from a French Canadian perspective, also utilising the kits developed in this project. A support system will be established in all Acadian and Francophone regions on the Island for adults with low literacy skills. Evaluation will consist of questionnaires, observation notes, open discussions, and meetings following each activity and upon completion of the project. This project will increase parental awareness of the importance of family literacy, and will provide participants with learning opportunities and on-going support in the area of family literacy.
SUPPLEMENT: As part of their initiative to improve the literacy services available to the Acadian and Francophone community, La Société Éducative de L'île-du-Prince-Édouard will hold consultations with other Atlantic provinces aimed at strengthening partnerships among them, clarifying inter-provincial objectives, and formulating an action plan for addressing the literacy needs of minority language communities in the Atlantic region.

Mrs. Barbara Macnutt
WORKPLACE EDUCATION PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
16 Fitzroy Street P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown,PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
C1A7N8
Tel. (902) 368-6286

Workplace Education P.E.I. 2002-2003

Workplace Education PEI (WEDPEI) is the primary workplace education organization for workplace literacy/numeracy whose main goal is to promote and develop workplace education programs in an organized effort to strengthen the essential skills of workers in PEI. WEDPEI plans to develop and implement various projects under this initiative. They will further develop the WEDPEI Workplace Literacy Marketing Strategy by engaging the business, industry and labour sector to initiate and develop workplace literacy projects and to commit to the philosophy of literacy/basic education in the workplace. Through this initiative WEDPEI will undertake a significant role in Prior Learning Assessment Recognition by developing, educating, and recognition opportunities for the workplace/workforce. They will also implement recommendations from the Review of Workplace Education PEI (2000) such as the development of a Long Term Instructor/Practitioner Training Strategy which will include a series of Brown Bag Lunches where instructors can come together to share workplace education experiences. This project will also result in the review of the curricula developed to date and the publication of the materials deemed appropriate for a variety of settings such as a website or other which would be useful to all practitioners.

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Valerie Bertin
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE OF MONTREAL
445 Jean-Talon West Suite 411
Montréal, Quebec
H3N 1R1
Tel. (514) 277-4290

ASLM Literacy Program for Deaf-Anglo in Montreal - Phase II

American Sign Language of Montreal wants to expand and complete a visual dictionary of some 500 pages linking images, signs and words. This unique and unprecedented project was begun in Phase I, which enabled the group to determine the scope of the task and the need to acquire the services of the qualified individuals to carry it out. The project requires two qualified, paid individuals, as well as the volunteer contribution of seven illustrators to draw the selected images and three other volunteers assigned to research said images. An advisory committee consisting of learners, expert trainers and university instructors will be in place throughout the project and will be responsible for verifying the product, which is eagerly anticipated by community of deaf Anglophones.

Gérald Boudreau
ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D'ÉDUCATION DE LANGUE FRANÇAISE
268 Marie-de-l'Incarnation Street
Québec, Quebec
G1N 3G4
Tel. (418) 681-4661

Semaine nationale de la francophonie 2003

The Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française (ACELF) will be organizing the 2003 version of Semaine nationale de la francophonie. One of the central activities of Semaine nationale de la francophonie is the presentation of the Prix de la francophonie, including "Prix national de la francophonie en alphabétisation" [national French literacy award] in collaboration with the Fédération canadienne pour l'alphabétisation en français (FCAF). This award recognizes and rewards a learner for his or her efforts, achievements, courage and tenacity in connection with a literacy undertaking. The award also acknowledges the educators who helped this individual and rewards the learner, who has faced many challenges. A national committee of learners, established by the FCAF, will promote the competition before, during and after the event. This will make it possible to raise the public's awareness of the importance of education and literacy in French and will encourage people already registered in workshops to continue their efforts. In addition, the organization will be promoting the Prix national de la francophonie en alphabétisation by distributing 2,000 copies of a special leaflet and by advertising the award on various Internet sites. The project in its entirety and its related activities will be evaluated by means of an evaluation form mailed to participants and available on the ACELF's web site. An exhaustive report will be submitted to the Secrétariat national à l'alphabétisation.

Dr. David Dillon
CENTRE FOR LITERACY
3040 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal,Quebec
H3Z1A4
Tel. (514) 931-8731

Projects for 2002-2003

The Centre for Literacy of Quebec (CLQ) is an organization dedicated to linking, training, and informing literacy practitioners in the schools, community and workplace. They will carry out five projects that will contribute to the successful achievement of their organizational objectives. Firstly, through their Publications Project, CLQ will interpret and disseminate research on literacy in usable formats, including print and web materials, for practitioners and policy-makers. They will also reassess the design of their website and investigate ways of making it more accessible. In addition, they will carry out a Resource Project, through which they will provide literacy resources to local users in the education and community-based sectors of Quebec and Canada. Through a project entitled Professional Development Project, CLQ will offer high quality professional development for literacy practitioners and policy research via customized institutes created in partnership with local and national organizations. They will also support local community-based efforts and partnerships in literacy activities through a Community Outreach Project. Finally, CLQ will conduct strategic planning to continue the five-year process begun in 2001-2002. Several evaluation processes will be used throughout these projects to ensure that the activities are on track, to make adjustments when necessary and to determine the success of the various initiatives.

Gisèle Beaulieu
COLLECTIF DE RECHERCHE PÉDAGOGIQUE INC.
Maison de la francophonie 39 Dalhousie Street
Québec, Quebec
G1K 8R8
Tel. (418) 528-8795

Autrement dit magazine

The Collectif de recherche pédagogique, with the support of financial partners including the Quebec departments of Education and Culture plans to continue producing the quarterly magazine, Autrement dit, which, through its writings and content, makes reading accessible to weak readers. Through this project, the Collectif plans to maintain free distribution of the magazine in 2002-2003 in poorer neighbourhoods of Quebec's main cities. It also plans to increase awareness of the magazine by maintaining its preferential pricing for literacy centres and groups, and by continuing its collaboration on distribution with public libraries and local community service centres and by expanding to include detention centres and hospitals. Through an educational advisor or research group from the Université de Laval, the Collectif is planning to increase its expertise on writing in plain language in order to ensure that it maintains the quality and accessibility of the magazine's content. In response to requests from a majority of trainers, the Collectif is also looking to produce and disseminate a complementary teaching tool with each of the magazine's issues. On the financial side, the Collectif plans to increase its advertising sales, subscriptions and sponsorships and the level of government assistance, although there is no guarantee where the funds will come from. Lastly, an advisory committee and university experts in writing will guide the magazine's production.

Claire Lebel
ENTRAIDE PONT-VIAU, LAVAL-DES-RAPIDES INC.
1275 Bousquet Street Apt. 1
Laval, Quebec
H7N 5A8
Tel. (450) 663-8039

Parents partenaires dans la prévention de l'analphabétisme (Phase 2) [Parents as partners in preventing illiteracy (Phase 2)]

Entraide Pont-Viau, Laval family centre, in partnership with the local literacy group and the area's elementary school, plans to complete the pilot project of the prevention program to support some 200 parents with low education of young children in their role as educators within the interactive framework of "school family community". This project follows on action research that looked at the values and expectations of these parents toward school and the factors for success in their participation in their children's schooling. To complete this pilot project, Entraide Pont Viau will develop a system of means of communication with school personnel, will develop a structure for the participation of the parents involved or those who wish to be involved in their children's schooling, and will finalize the intervention framework of the project's three central activities, namely, the homework workshop, individual support for these parents and facilitation of a support group for these parents. This intervention framework should standardize the approach and foster integration of new participants in the project. Entraide Pont Viau and its partners will also continue to raise the awareness of the various players in the community in order to ensure stable funding, necessary for continuity and integration of prevention activities. Lastly, the partners committee will be responsible for overseeing the project and will evaluate it based on the guiding principles and previously established indicators of success.

Patrick Vanasse
OPTION CONSOMMATEURS
2120 Sherbrooke Street East Bureau 604
Montréal, Quebec
H2K 1C3
Tel. (514) 598-7288

La participation des entreprises de services d'utilité publique à l'alphabétisation, troisième volet [Participation of public utilities in literacy, Phase Three]

After conducting a literature search and a field survey on the expectations of consumers with low literacy and how public utilities can respond to these expectations, Option Consommateurs, the Quebec consumers' association, then raised the awareness of these utilities (3) to the needs of this clientele so that their communications and billing took these needs into account. Having done this, Option Consommateurs now wants to develop training materials for organizations that provide literacy services. These materials will include a consumers guide simply explaining the external services of each business and their written communications. The document will be divided into three sections - service to the client, collections unit and technical service - will be written in plain language and will include practical exercises. This project is supported by the three targeted utilities companies and will be developed in close collaboration with some 20 literacy instructors who will help define and clarify the content and form of this educational guide that will ultimately be incorporated in their training. The guide will be evaluated on an ongoing basis by the organization and representatives of the utilities and literacy groups involved, and will be disseminated initially to groups in Montréal and ultimately to all groups in Quebec.

Solange Tougas
PARENT D'ABORD
350 Frontenac Street PO Box 377
Berthierville, Quebec
J0K 1A0
Tel. (450) 836-1079

Opération prévention 2002-2003 [Operation prevention 2002-2003]

Parent d'abord of Berthierville, in association with the representatives of two elementary schools and school councils, the local social services centre and family centre wants to continue its prevention activities with adult illiterate parents in the region so that they have the means to fulfil their role and feel competent during their young children's school career. To this end, the organization will give priority to the following activities: evaluate the project "Les petits succès", based on support for parents and primary aged children experiencing school difficulties; foster parental involvement among the most economically and socially disadvantaged families; enhance collaboration with the schools by strengthening the "Porte ouverte" project aimed at providing and sharing information on parent and school situations with the perspective that parents are agents of change and not simply users of services; and lastly, diversify the financial resources to ensure the project's continuation and its integration in the community. The expertise developed to date could be exported throughout the region and elsewhere, and to this end, the organization plans to complete a document summarizing the approach used. Parent d'abord, in collaboration with its partners, is actively seeking funding and has or will be filing applications for financial assistance with various provincial and regional funding agencies. Ongoing evaluation of the project involves all partners, including the parents. The quality of parental involvement is an indicator of Parent d'abord's achievement.

Lucie St-Germain
REGROUPEMENT DES GROUPES POPULAIRES EN ALPHABÉTISATION DU QUÉBEC
2120 Sherbrooke Street East Office 320
Montréal, Quebec
H2K 1C3
Tel. (514) 523-7762

Se reconnaître et se faire reconnaître [Knowing yourself and making yourself known]

Representing some 80 local groups, the Regroupement des groupes populaires en alphabétisation du Québec (RGPAQ) wants to finalize its work to develop literacy practices, to identify a common vision of what literacy is in a context of globalization, to continue to implement the training program for trainers and to develop future joint demands in the context of new Quebec government policies on community action and continuing education. To this end, the RGPAQ will update the results of its field research of participants in the education process, develop training content, organize brainstorming and training sessions, followed by provincial training on socio political analysis of the movement and its democratic life, hold training sessions on various themes, such as integrated language and participatory evaluation, giving priority to remote regions, prepare the 15th edition of Le Monde Alphabétique focusing on new practices and demands, and lastly, produce five issues of the internal newsletter, Le Scoop. All of these activities are coordinated and evaluated by the board of directors with the assistance of four standing committees, including the participants' committee, and each training activity is evaluated using appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools.

Claudette Demers Godley
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
1355 René-Lévesque West
Montréal, Quebec
H3G 1T3
Tel. (514) 866-9941

Joindre l'Est à l'Ouest (Phase 3) [Joining East and West (Phase 3)]

The Montréal YWCA, in collaboration with a family literacy group and social and school organizations in four disadvantaged areas of Montréal, plans to complete a family literacy pilot project aimed at some 200 parents of pre-school and primary aged children. To this end, the YWCA will recruit 29 new families for regular and support visits, continue facilitation work focusing on development of parenting skills with parents living in low income housing, consolidate the partnership with local community service centres in the targeted communities with respect to referrals and facilitation, and negotiate a partnership agreement with the Commission scolaire de l'île de Montréal with the goal of expanding this program to several schools within its jurisdiction. Given the one time funding from the Department, which will only decrease, and in a spirit of continuity, the YWCA has developed a funding strategy and will submit applications for financial assistance to private and government organizations interest in school family community projects. Lastly, using existing evaluation tools that involve all partners, the YWCA will prepare a summary document of the experience.

Lise St-Germain
ÉCONOMIE COMMUNAUTAIRE DE FRANCHEVILLE
763 St-Maurice Street
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
G9A 3P5
Tel. (819) 373-1473

Innovation en recrutement [Innovation in recruiting]

Économie communautaire de Francheville (ECOF), in collaboration with the community literacy group COMSEP, wants to mobilize and recruit 60 low income families with persons with low literacy and use their interest in information and communication technologies to work with them on a project aimed at integrating them into social networks, including functional literacy. To this end, ECOF will recruit four trainers from the education, psychology or social work fields and provide them with training on the literacy issue and methods of using the Internet as an awareness and referral tool. Once trained, these individuals will work with the identified individuals and families in four communities to introduce them to the Internet, familiarize them with the resources and the site of the assistance, training and literacy group in the community, and will support them during their eventual intervention with this organization. The project will be guided by an advisory committee, which will also evaluate its form and content. If the formative evaluation proposed is positive, this original recruitment model could be run a second year.

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Mrs. Avonda Mckay
PINE GROVE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE
P.O. Box 3003
Prince Albert, SASKATCHEWAN
S6V 6G1
Tel. (306) 953-3100

Keeping the "Keys to Family Literacy" on the Justice Agenda

The Pine Grove Correctional Centre has developed the "Keys to Family Literacy" manual, distributed it across the country and trained practitioners in penal facilities and community based-programs. Building on this success they will undertake a project with the goals of developing a Justice Literacy Strategy involving a provincial and national perspective and building a strong commitment to family literacy in the justice system where programs are offered to individuals in conflict with the law. Pine Grove Correctional Centre will establish a sub-committee of representatives from various sectors of the justice field who will provide advice, expertise and make recommendations in implementing a Justice Literacy Strategy. The development of the strategy will include researching justice literacy strategies in other jurisdictions, interviewing personnel from existing justice literacy programs and holding focus groups/community consultations for input. Pine Grove will further revise the "Keys to Family Literacy" manual and program to better meet the needs of male offenders, develop a "train the trainer" manual and training and provide further training across Canada and at pilot sites within Provincial and Federal men's centres. The project will be evaluated by the project Coordinator and the project steering committee and will include questionnaires and evaluations. A summary package of the Strategy will be shared with stakeholders in the literacy justice communities and will be submitted with a final report to the NLS.

Ms. Janis Stone
SASKATCHEWAN LABOUR FORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
202-2222
13th Avenue
Regina, SASKATCHEWAN
S4P 3M7
Tel. (306) 352-5999

Facilitating Community Readiness for Local Delivery of Workplace Literacy and Skill Development

The Saskatchewan Labour Force Development Board (SLFDB) is a non-profit, independent organization made up of representatives from business, labour, education, community groups and government whose mission is to foster, promote, and coordinate through partnership and equity, the effective development of the Saskatchewan labour force. Saskatchewan faces huge transitional issues in the labour market because of an aging workforce, youth out-migration, increased numbers of Aboriginal labour market entrants with low education levels, skill shortages in rural and northern areas and few training opportunities outside of urban centres etc. To address these issues the SLFDB will continue to promote and co-ordinate the community partnership projects and encourage partnerships through community college and employment counseling personnel. They will create public and policy awareness of the need to address essential workplace literacy skills by: articulating the cost-benefit analysis and effects on productivity, recruitment and retention of employees; supporting Saskatchewan industry and workplace literacy representative to participate in the National HRDC Consultation on Workplace Literacy and PLAR; engaging industry and essential workplace skill development into the regional planning processes through the CanSask Service Centres in Saskatchewan and promoting training incentives for employers and individuals through consultation between industry sector representatives and government. They will also continue to support the professional development of practitioners by developing a website that will include best practice models and resources.

Ms. Debbie Purton
SASKATCHEWAN LITERACY NETWORK INC.
220-3rd Avenue South Suite 206
Saskatoon, SASKATCHEWAN
S7K 1M1
Tel. (306) 653-7368

Building Awareness and Support for Literacy

The Saskatchewan Literacy Network (SLN) will engage in a variety of promotional efforts that will serve to heighten awareness of the unique benefits of adult and family literacy. The objectives of the project are: 1) to increase public awareness of adult and family literacy through the implementation and promotion of a 1-800 information line; 2) to consult with adult learners, literacy programs and other affiliated groups about the Provincial Literacy Strategy and the National Skills and Learning Agenda; 3) to strengthen existing partnerships and/or establish new partnerships to enhance awareness of and opportunities for adult and family literacy programming; 4) to increase awareness of levels of First Nations and Metis leadership - at both the provincial and community levels - of Aboriginal literacy needs, issues and opportunities; 5) to develop and implement an accountability framework; 6) and, to increase networking and professional development opportunities for adult literacy and adult education practitioners. The activities include the set-up and launch of a 1-800 information line, providing regular updates on the Provincial Literacy Strategy and National Skills and Learning Agenda through newsletter articles and presentations, initiate links with key Metis and First Nationals governments and communities and disseminate information on the IALSS to interested parties and develop and accountability framework for the SLN. The evaluation will include both quantitative and qualitative information, including tracking media coverage, the number of calls to the information line and feedback from presentations

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