Hi Everyone,
The Ministry of Advanced Education has announced its Community Adult Literacy Program (CALP) funding for the year. If you are new to CALPs, I’ve included some background information below. If you are thinking that establishing a community-based adult literacy program might be the next step in supporting members of your community, or if you’d like to prepare for applying for a CALP in the coming years to support the work you’ve already begun, we’d love to know about it. We’re currently thinking about how we can support you in this task and we’d like to involve you in this process. Drop me a note at lwalker@decoda.ca .
Government is supporting 72 community adult literacy projects this year – eight more than last year. This year’s Community Adult Literacy Program (CALP) is expected to benefit close to 8,000 British Columbians. The projects are delivered through partnerships between community groups and B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions. In all, government is providing $2.4 million to the Community Adult Literacy Program for 2011-12.
Projects funded under CALP receive up to $40,000 each to provide instruction and support to adult learners in everything from basic literacy to high school completion. Most offer one-on-one tutoring by trained volunteers, small group classes and other types of learning tailored to adults, Aboriginal learners, young parents and others in the community in need of support.
CALP projects are offered in a variety of settings – schools, non-profit organizations, native friendship and community centres – and are supported by volunteers. Projects focus on the individual goals of learners – such as improving their literacy skills in order to enhance the quality of their lives, improving their employment opportunities, furthering their education and increasing their involvement in their families and communities.
Let us know if you would like more information on this. And have a wonderful week.
Lori lwalker@Decoda.ca
Adult Literacy Resources
Adult Literacy program growing- The Campbell River Literacy Association has received a boost in provincial funding this year for its Community Adult Literacy Program. “The government likes the direction we’re heading,” said Sheery Bujold, the CALP coordinator. “We’re growing. Our numbers are quite high, which is great for us, but it means there are a lot of people with literacy issues.”
Adult literacy programs receive a boost- Two Squamish-based adult literacy programs received a total of more than $60,000 in funding announced this week as part of the B.C. government’s Community Adult Literacy Program. Projects funded under CALP provide instruction and support to adult learners in everything from basic literacy to high school completion, officials said in a statement issued on Monday (Jan. 10).
Literacy group receives funding to aid adult learners - Literacy Central Vancouver Island will receive $40,000 from the Ministry of Advanced Education under the ministry’s community adult literacy program. The funding will be used to help the literacy organization provide one-on-one tutoring for adult aboriginal learners in the region. The funding for LCVI’s program is one of 72 community adult literacy projects across the province that the ministry is investing a total of $2.4 million in this year.
Adult literacy programs get cash infusion- Two Victoria literacy programs have been given funds from the B.C. government’s Community Adult Literacy Program. The $80,000 investment will help adults in Greater Victoria improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
Adult literacy funds flowing to North Island College in Courtenay and Campbell River- Adult learners in Courtenay and Campbell River will get help to improve their literacy and numeracy skills thanks to projects funded through the Community Adult Literacy Program (CALP). An investment of $69,972 will support two projects administered through North Island College, the B.C. government announced this week in a news release.
B.C. invests $1.5 million in essential skills training - Investment in 9 projects part of B.C. Jobs Plan – British Columbia is helping employees gain essential skills while increasing productivity for employers through a $1.5-million investment in essential skills training. As part of Canada Starts Here: The B.C. Jobs Plan, more than 450 British Columbians will benefit from essential skills training through nine SkillsPlus training projects throughout the province. Through partnerships between businesses, training institutions and service providers in each community, SkillsPlus brings training to the workplace, building them into everyday employee training and work practices. Essential skills are identified as reading text, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, continuous learning, thinking skills and computer use.
Digital Literacy and Essential Skills- Adult literacy and essential skills are about more than just reading and writing. They are about the full participation in the economy and society about being able to give your children the best start possible in life; about creating a workforce that allows Canada to take full advantage of its numerous strengths; about civic engagement. And in the 21st century, the digital component is more important than ever
Coordinating Literacy in Your Community
Literacy advocacy group gains non-profit status – New mandate allows organization to grow, inspiring lifelong learning in the Comox Valley- Comox Valley Literacy Now (CVLN) – the organization that has long spearheaded literacy initiatives throughout the region – recently earned non-profit status, moving forward under a new name with an expanded mandate to inspire, build, and support a collaborative learning community in the Comox Valley. The Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Association (CVLLA) will serve as a hub for literacy contacts, information and resources in the Comox Valley with Literacy Coordinator Danielle Hoogland at the helm.
Healthy Communities Forum kicks off Jan. 20 - Literacy has become a pressing issue in the Hope area. Statistically the community has one of the lowest literacy rates in the province, the highest number of vulnerable children entering kindergarten, and a large high school drop out rate in youth 18 and under. This connection will be explored in greater detail during the Hope Healthy Communities Forum at Hope Secondary School on Jan. 20. The event, sponsored by the Healthy Communities Committee, the Hope Early Year’s Committee and School District 78, will attempt to address many challenges in the area, including low literacy/numeracy, mental health issues, criminality and poverty.
Family Literacy
Parents don’t have time to help kids learn, poll finds - According to the results of a new survey released Tuesday, most parents across the country want to spend more time helping educate their children. Yet despite their best intentions, Canadian moms and dads are hard-pressed to work educational activities into their childrens’ day-to-day routines. The online survey of 1,000 respondents found most parents across the country want to spend more time helping educate their children. In fact, 70 per cent said they agree they are their children’s best teacher.
Literacy Week celebrations coming up- In partnership with the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy, families are invited to bring their children to the Williams Lake Library on Friday, Jan. 27 for a Robert Munsch puppet show starting at 3:30 p.m. Seating is limited so register early at the checkout desk. Celebrate Family Literacy Week Jan. 21-27 by reading a book and picking up a Literacy Passport at the Williams Lake Library
Hundreds celebrate Revelstoke’s success with children- Several hundred parents and children came out for the Celebration of Children at Revelstoke Secondary School on Jan. 12. The ceremony was held to mark the signing of the Revelstoke Children’s Charter. It also served as an opportunity to celebrate the community’s success with early childhood development over the past decade.