Feature Article September 12, 2001
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Successful North Frontenac Literacy Program to be expanded
Larry McCormick, MP for Hastings- Frontenac-Lennox & Addington, on behalf of the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, today announced funding of $75,000 to the North Frontenac Literacy Program (NFLP) in Sharbot Lake. The funds come from the National Literacy Secretariat, for a project entitled "Trails to Literacy Around the Province.
McCormick couldnt be at the North Frontenac Literacy Program centre on September 7 because he had to be a pallbearer, but his assistant, Kathyrn MacDonald, brought greetings and presented a $75,000 cheque to Joyce Bigelow, Executive Director of NFLP.
Trails to Literacy is a successful project that developed practical literacy activities linked to the skills needed to obtain employment, and the NFLP will expand on the program by promoting it to other literacy agencies across the province. They will provide six workshops across Ontario, act as mentors for six organizations to assist them in implementing the program, seek province-wide sponsorships and partners and establish a provincial steering group and network of interested parties.
"Literacy is a broad-based issue that touches almost every aspect of people's lives and is key to personal development and economic opportunity. It is a major factor in Canadians' ability to participate as full and active citizens in all areas of society," says Larry McCormick. "The Government of Canada is proud to help community organizations that work hard to promote this necessary skill."
"Over the past year Trails to Literacy' has proven to be a positive aspect of adult education in our community." stated Joyce Bigelow, Executive Director of the program. "It has increased public awareness of literacy and improved partnerships with referral agencies. It has provided upgrades to the Trans Canada Trail in signs, benches, shelters, and interpretive work. However we feel the most significant benefit has been for the participants.
Our ultimate goal in literacy training is to prepare the learners with knowledge they can transfer to their everyday lives for use in various activities. Learners need to not only gain the knowledge, but also the learning skills. Providing learning in context, as 'Trails to Literacy' does, learners apply academic knowledge to real world situations. They have a need to learn in order to complete the activity. The project gave ownership of the learning to the participants. It allowed them to explore how to learn, how to get more knowledge on a subject, how to sift the information, and how to rearrange it for presentation. It also gave them confidence in their own ability to discuss, plan, monitor, problem-solve, evaluate, judge, decide, and revise. These skills, in addition to the interpersonal skills acquired, are the pieces which must go hand in hand with academic upgrading to enable people to move successfully into the workforce.
The success of the original project has encouraged us to move out into other areas of the province. We will also be seeking corporate sponsorship to allow this drive to continue helping the communities and the learners jointly, while promoting life-long learning," concluded Ms. Bigelow.
Central Frontenac Mayor Bill MacDonald said, I have seen the results of the program directly. One of the participants has worked for me in my logging business. His decision-making skills have definitely improved. Now if there is a problem he figures it out and talks to me about it. He also has more confidence. The participants are more employable than they were before. The Trails to Literacy program has made a definite contribution to the community.
Barb Muir, a participant in the program, told how she had acquired math skills when she had to use ratios to condense a document she had composed so that it could fit on a sign. Barb is now employed but, like several other former participants, plans to stay associated with the project as a volunteer.
Bill Bowick, Executive Director of the Ontario Trails Council (which is now located in Sharbot Lake) was also present. The Trails Council has already assisted by publicizing the project and will be active partners in getting new sites for Trails to Literacy programs.
