Adult Literacy

Welcome to the adult literacy website, linking you to information about adult literacy programs and resources in British Columbia.

What is literacy?

Literacy is the ability to understand and use printed information in daily activities at home, at work and in the community – to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential. (International Adult Literacy Survey, 1995).

Community Adult Literacy Program of B.C.

This year’s call for proposals under the community adult literacy program is now open. Deadline for applications is 4 p.m. Friday, May 23, 2008.

The community adult literacy program:

  • Enhances adult literacy activities in British Columbia.
  • Encourages and improves partnerships between community groups, school districts and public post-secondary institutions.
  • Encourages active involvement of all sectors of society – governments, voluntary groups, educational institutions, business and labour – in improving adult literacy education in British Columbia.

For 2007-08, the Province is providing $2.4 million for 62 projects.

English as a Second Language Settlement Assistance Program

The 2008-09 call for proposals under the ESL settlement assistance program is now open. Download this year’s application form and appendix .

Deadline for applications is Friday, May 23, 2008. Questions? Please contact Martin Breuhan in the Learning Programs Branch at 250 356-9733.

Through this program, community groups and their post-secondary partners provide tutoring for immigrants and refugees settling in small and remote B.C. communities to help them improve their English while learning about the Canadian way of life.

Tutoring through this program is offered in communities with too few newcomers for ESL to be taught in classroom settings. Introduced in 2007, it is part of the community adult literacy program and is funded by the federal government through the B.C. Ministry of Attorney General.

Students say they:

  • Feel more like they belong.
  • Are more confident they can reach their goals.
  • Participate more fully in community life.

Tutors and program staff say they:

  • Have a new appreciation of how difficult it can be to learn a new language and build a new social network
  • Find it rewarding to make a difference in the life of a newcomer to their community.

Funding for the first 23 programs was announced Oct. 25, 2007; another seven programs were announced on March 3, 2008.

Regional Literacy Co-ordinators

On Feb. 14, 2008, the Province announced it would provide more than $1.6 million to fund regional literacy co-ordinators at 16 public post-secondary institutions to enhance co-ordination and delivery of adult literacy programs. For more information, please refer to our news release: "Province Funds Regional Literacy Co-ordinators."

The regional literacy co-ordinator positions will be based at the following institutions that deliver fundamental adult basic education programs:

1. Camosun College
2. Capilano College
3. College of New Caledonia
4. College of the Rockies
5. Douglas College
6. Kwantlen University College
7. Malaspina University-College
8. Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
9. North Island College
10. Northern Lights College
11. Northwest Community College
12. Okanagan College
13. Selkirk College
14. Thompson Rivers University
15. University College of the Fraser Valley
16. Vancouver Community College

Adult Opportunities Action Plan

The Adult Opportunities Action Plan is an adult literacy strategy to enable British Columbia's adults to attain and maintain the literacy skills necessary to participate fully in the modern society and global economy. Read More >>

A message from the Premier

Premier Gordon Campbell overviews the importance of adult literacy in British Columbia. 

[ Watch the video ]

 

Council of the Federation Literacy Award

The fourth annual call for nominations for the Council of the Federation Literacy Award is now open. The award recognizes outstanding achievement, innovative practice and excellence in literacy.

Nominations are welcome from all areas of literacy including:

  1. Early childhood
  2. Family
  3. Aboriginal
  4. Health
  5. Workplace
  6. Community

You’ll find more information, along with this year's nomination form, at http://www.readnowbc.ca/council_fed_literacy_award.html. Deadline for nominations is May 16, 2008.

Last year, Joan Acosta, creator of the Westcoast Reader, was awarded the third annual Council of the Federation Literacy Award. Read More >>

Reports and Publications

Building Our Competencies: British Columbia Results of the International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey - 2003

This report presents the results of the 2003 International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey, designed to measure how well adults used printed information to function in society. 

The report:

People from 16 to 65 were surveyed in seven countries:

  • Bermuda
  • Canada
  • Italy
  • Norway
  • Mexico (the state of Nuevo Leon)
  • Switzerland
  • United States

The two reports and their findings are used by governments, literacy and skills development professionals, researchers and the public. The data are used to inform policy decisions and respond to adult education needs.


Contacts for further information:

Literacy BC, the provincial literacy coalition, acts as a lending resource for a variety of literacy materials including cost-shared products. For catalogued literacy resources from the cost-shared projects, contact Literacy BC.

The Learning Programs Branch, Students & Learning Division of the Ministry of Advanced Education can be reached at:

PO Box 9882 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria B.C. V8W 9T6
Phone: 250 356-9733
Fax: 250 387-0878
E-mail: AVED.LearningPrograms@gov.bc.ca