funding news
And there is this news about funding from our federal government - "$372,000 in funding for two literacy projects that will help approximately 250 adult learners improve their literacy skills and prepare them for employment... As part of two projects entitled Profil des forces et faiblesses en lecture des adultes en formation and Ressources pour les personnes immigrantes en formation, the Coalition francophone pour l'alphabetisation et la formation de base en Ontario will assess learners' reading skills to better understand their strengths and weaknesses, and will improve training for practitioners so they can build on their teaching competencies. Under the second project, the sponsor will develop learning materials that will guide immigrant learners in their training projects by collaborating with other literacy organizations, such as the Centre Moi j'apprends (Ottawa), Alpha-Toronto, ABC Communautaire (Welland), the Centre Alpha Mot de Passe (Windsor) and the FORA Centre."
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3 comments:
The funding looks great (yes, a drop in the bucket, but still good news).
But... I'd urge you to b a little cautious about claims like "250 learners improve their literacy skills". If the $$ is going into learner assessment and staff training, and not directly into delivery, then the help learners receive will be indirect at best. Research, assessment, facilitator training and promotion are great - but they're not to be confused with providing concrete delivery to learners. It's the delivery $$ we mis most.
Thanks for your comment Wendell.
Yes ... the claim comes from the "Canada's New Government" press release. My understanding is that the feds are bound by jurisdictional regulations that prevent them from funding direct teaching of learners.
I posted this because I thought it might be encouraging to see that some $$ were flowing again.
And I agree ... it is a drop in the bucket and we need to keep pressing for equal funding for research/professional development and for concrete delivery to learners.
Good point re: federal (constitutional) restrictions. And, yes, some good news is better than none!
I guess the question to be asked is about the provinces stepping up to their own responsibilities. I read somewhere (here? NALD?) about an Alberta lit. org. breathing a sigh of relief because fed. funding came through. I thought, wow, if a rich province like Alberta depends on Ottawa to fund literacy (a.k.a. basic adult education, a provincial responsibility), then what hope for the smaller provinces.
Thks again for highlighting what good news there is. :)
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