Whatever Literacy Is – It is Apparent, Relevant, and Compelling

“One in four of our clients have low literacy and for long term clients, low literacy is probably an issue 50% of the time.” – Government Representative during Consultation

“There is a need for learning and upgrading in order to function well at work, at home and in our communities. Reasons for wanting education upgrading can be very different. Some workers find themselves less able to cope due to workplace restructuring; others who have been away from school for several years lack confidence, believing that the skills that once served them well are now outdated. Learning goals include high school completion, math, communication skills development, computer familiarization or reading and writing skills enhancement.” – Participant in the Workforce Literacy Practitioner Survey

The Big Picture

• The majority of people view literacy to be relevant to their lives in some way – and see it as serious relative to other social issues.

• Literacy is bundled up with numerous other issues: isolation; family crises; substance abuse; income assistance and financial constraints; anger management; poor lifeskills; poor communication skills; inappropriate social behavior; learning disabilities; fetal alcohol syndrome, etc. The origins of any cause-and-effect patterns, if there are any, are not clear.

• Various government agencies – income assistance, family services, employment placement, social services, corrections, mental health – encounter people with low levels of literacy and describe them as having “fallen through the cracks of society”.

• In many communities, the need for literacy programming is greater than the interventions that are available.

• Literacy in the family is critically important. However, “at risk” families, while relatively easy to identify, have been difficult to engage in the learning process using current strategies.

• Literacy in the school system is seen to be a significant challenge – with figures of 20-30% below grade level skills frequently reported and drop out rates as high as 45%. Literacy issues with teenagers are well-hidden and undetected.

• Literacy is a significant issue among First Nations peoples. A number of factors compromise the relevance of traditional paths to literacy and learning among native peoples.

• Literacy is also a significant issue for new Canadians whose first language is not English – and who may not be literate in their first language – but, again, drawing these people into upgrading programs has been difficult.

• Literacy is closely related to one’s ability to find and keep employment. Many existing and displaced workers do not have access to the basic skills upgrading they need – with significant socio-economic consequences.

• While many people recognize the pivotal importance of literacy in our society, its significance is often seen as a “gave at the office” philanthropic issue rather than as a more “bottom line” socio-economic issue.