“Funding is a central issue. Ongoing and expanded government support is essential; as is support from individuals, service clubs, corporations, and foundations. However, the latter cannot be a replacement for adequate government support.” – Report on Literacy Practitioners Visioning Conference

“Expectations need to be expanded all around: learners of teachers and institutions; teachers of learners; parents of children; children and parents of school systems; literacy organizations of government; employees of workplaces…” – Report on Literacy Practitioner and Learner Visioning Conference

“Building stronger support for literacy programs will only happen by paying attention to both broad goals (eg. reaching the potential of all citizens for lifelong learning) and to the specific interests of the parties (eg. business, colleges, government, and practitioners) whose increased support and commitment is needed.” – Report on Literacy Practitioner and Learner Visioning Conference

The Big Picture

• As an issue, literacy is significantly under-resourced. While numerous programs and strategies to foster literacy and learning are in place throughout the province, they are far out-stripped by need.

• Given the interrelationship between literacy and other social and economic issues – including health, corrections, income assistance, welfare, First Nations, children and families, etc. – responsibility for funding is unclear. There is a greater need for strategic, inter-agency collaboration among government departments.

• Adjustments to funding priorities and eligibility criteria are time-consuming and administratively burdensome on service providers. So also is the inconsistency with which criteria may be interpreted at different regional government offices.

• Tuition freezes, FTE limits, and other forms of cutbacks in both the former Ministries of Education and of Advanced Education, Training and Technology (now the Ministry of Advanced Education) have placed an undue burden on the traditional educational institutional providers of literacy services. Moreover, age- and grade-level distinctions in the funding of these two Ministries make a “cradle to grave” approach to literacy and lifelong learning challenging.

• Limited, short-term, and project-based funding is a challenge for many service providers. Sustainable, long-term funding for actual delivery is what is needed.

• We need to explore the issues of accountability and outcomes – on the sides of both the funder and the provider – so as to make them rigorous, flexible, and meaningful.