From Vancouver Island to Haida Gwaii, adult learners throughout the province will get help to improve their literacy and numeracy skills, thanks to projects funded through the Community Adult Literacy Program.

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.

Since 2001, government has invested $18.3 million in CALP, helping more than 70,000 adults learn how to read or improve their reading, writing and numeracy skills. This program supports the BC Jobs Plan commitment to enhancing access to advanced education, skills and apprenticeship training throughout the province.

The program helps people like Mervin Monks, who has worked in construction for many years and wants to get a trade certificate in carpentry. A community literacy program delivered by the Campbell River Literacy Association gave Monks the help he needed in math to be able to successfully pass the math assessment test required to enter the carpentry foundation program at North Island College in Port Alberni.

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.

Quotes:

Margaret Sutherland, regional program manager, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy -

"The Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy is very grateful for CALP funding. It allows us to support literacy and lifelong learning for adults and families in 16 communities and surrounding areas in the Columbia Basin."

"CALP funds are an essential building block in the development of our community programs, which include everything from upgrading for young parents with child care provided, to one-on-one tutoring and small group sessions for adults."

Quick Facts:

• Since 2001, the Province has invested about $1.4 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives for British Columbia. Funding for literacy in B.C. has included:
• $18.3 million for the Community Adult Literacy Program.
• $43 million for StrongStart BC programs.
• $24 million for Ready, Set Learn since 2004-05.
• $25 million for innovation grants to improve literacy for students who struggle with these skills.

Learn More:

http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/literacy/calp.htm

http://decoda.ca/adults/community-literacy-benchmarks/

http://decoda.ca/resources/rsc-community/rsc-community-litnow/rsc-community-litnow-assessment/monitoring-and-assessment-in-community-based-adult-literacy-programs-in-british-columbia-phase-ii/

For more information on the BC Jobs Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Marc Black
Communications Director
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6508

BACKGROUNDER

Community Adult Literacy Program grants

The community adult literacy funding supports programs all around the province delivered by community groups working with B.C.'s public post-secondary institutions. Projects for 2011-12 are in the following communities:

• 100 Mile House: Thompson Rivers University / Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Society

• Abbotsford: University of the Fraser Valley / Abbotsford Community Services (Adult Literacy and Family Literacy)

• Agassiz: University of the Fraser Valley / Agassiz-Harrison Community Services

• Agassiz: Nicola Valley Institute of Technology / Seabird Island Education

• Aldergrove-Langley: Kwantlen Polytechnic University / Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services Society

• Anacia / Bamfield: North Island College / Huu-ay-aht Community

• Atlin: Northern Lights College / Atlin Learning Centre

• Bella Coola: North Island College / Bella Coola Learning Society

• Burnaby: Douglas College/ South Burnaby Neighbourhood House

• Campbell River: North Island College / Campbell River Community Literacy Association

• Chilliwack: University of the Fraser Valley / Chilliwack Community Services

• Chilliwack: University of the Fraser Valley/ Chilliwack Learning Community Services

• Clearwater: Thompson Rivers University / Yellowhead Community Services Society

• Courtenay: North Island College / Community Adult Literacy and Learning Society

• Cowichan region: Vancouver Island University / Literacy Now Cowichan Society

• Dawson Creek: Northern Lights College / Dawson Creek Literacy Society

• East Kootenay (Golden, Windermere, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Creston, Elk Valley): College of the Rockies / Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (Adult Literacy and Family Literacy)

• Fort St. James: College of New Caledonia / CNC-Fort St. James Campus (Aboriginal Literacy, Adult Literacy and Family Literacy)

• Fort St. John: Northern Lights College / Fort St. John Literacy Society

• Hazelton: Northwest Community College / Storytellers' Foundation

• Hazelton communities: Northwest Community College / Learning Opportunity Group Society (LOGS)

• Hope and area: University of the Fraser Valley / The Fraser Cascade Literacy Task Initiative

• Houston: Northwest Community College / Houston Link to Learning (Aboriginal Literacy and Family Literacy)

• Kamloops: Thompson Rivers University / School District 73 (Twin Rivers Education Centre)

• Kitimat: Northwest Community College / Kitimat Community Services Society

• Lillooet: Thompson Rivers University / Lillooet Area Library Association

• McBride: College of New Caledonia / Robson Valley Home Literacy Society

• Mission: University of the Fraser Valley / Mission Literacy Association

• Mount Waddington: North Island College / Mt. Waddington Family Literacy Committee and School District 85

• Nanaimo: Vancouver Island University / Literacy Central Vancouver Island

• North Cariboo region, Quesnel: College of New Caledonia / North Cariboo Aboriginal Family Literacy Program Society

• North Vancouver: Capilano University / John Braithwaite Community Centre

• Parksville: Vancouver Island University / Central Vancouver Island Job Opportunities Building Society

• Port Alberni: North Island College / Literacy Alberni Society

• Port Alberni: North Island College / Port Alberni Friendship Centre

• Powell River: Vancouver Island University / Powell River Employment Program (PREP) Society

• Prince George: College of New Caledonia / Prince George Native Friendship Centre

• Prince Rupert: Northwest Community College / Prince Rupert Community Enrichment Society

• Queen Charlotte and area (Sandspit, Skidegate, Tlell, Port Clements, Massett, Old Massett): Northwest Community College / Literacy Haida Gwaii

• Revelstoke: Okanagan College / Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy

• Revelstoke: Okanagan College / Revelstoke Literacy Action Committee Community Group

• Salmon Arm: Okanagan College / Shuswap Children's Association

• Samahquam: Capilano University / Samahquam Band

• Sechelt: Capilano University / Sechelt Public Library

• Smithers / Moricetown: Northwest Community College / Kyah Wiget Education Society

• Smithers: Northwest Community College / Smithers Community Services Association

• South Cariboo Region: Thompson Rivers University / Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Society

• South Okanagan (Oliver, Osoyoos, Okanagan Falls, Penticton): Okanagan College / The Okanagan Similkameen Learning Centre

• Squamish: Capilano University / Communities That Care

• Squamish: Capilano University / Squamish Volunteer Centre

• Terrace: Northwest Community College / Kermode Friendship Society

• Terrace: Northwest Community College / The Terrace Volunteer Bureau

• Valemount: College of New Caledonia / Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy

• Valemount: College of New Caledonia / Valemount Learning Society

• Vancouver: Capilano University / Carnegie Community Centre

• Vancouver: Capilano University / Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of BC

• Vancouver: Capilano University / Strathcona Community Centre

• Vancouver: Capilano University / Templeton Hub/Hastings Community School

• Vancouver: Simon Fraser University / Native Education College

• Vancouver: Vancouver Community College / School District 39

• Vanderhoof: College of New Caledonia / CNC Vanderhoof Campus and Vanderhoof Public Library

• Victoria: Camosun College / Literacy Victoria (Aboriginal Literacy and Adult Literacy)

• West Kootenay (Castlegar, Grand Forks, Nakusp, Nelson, Salmo, Slocan, Trail): Selkirk College / Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (Adult Literacy and Family Literacy)

• Williams Lake and area: Thompson Rivers University / Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Society (Adult Literacy and Aboriginal Literacy)

Contact:

Marc Black
Communications Director
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6508