The need to create literacy friendly environments was a key focus of the Widening Access for Adult Literacies project, carried out in Edmonton, Alberta, from 2006 to 2009.
The Widening Access for Adult Literacies project began in northeast Edmonton, Alberta, in 2005. In this report, the author evaluates the impact of the project both on individuals with literacy challenges and on community organizations.
Based in northeast Edmonton, Alberta, the Widening Access for Adult Literacies project involved a variety of approaches to achieving its goal, including working with community agencies to create literacy friendly environments; integrating support for literacies development into existing community programs and services; and offering adult literacy groups and tutoring in inviting, accessible locations.
The goal of the Widening Access for Adult Literacies project, which ran in Edmonton, Alberta, from 2006 to 2009, was to find ways to make it easier for adults with literacy challenges to access programs and other community resources.
The Community-Based Literacy (CBL) in NE Edmonton project was initiated in September 2006 to address needs for adult literacy programming that had been identified through the Widening Access for Adult Literacies project.
The project’s goal was to work with agencies to offer literacy courses in the short term, and to support community agencies applying for regular course funding to offer courses on a longer-term basis.
This document grew out of an initiative of the Widening Access for Adult Literacies project carried out in NE Edmonton between 2006 and 2008. The initiative involved offering literacy classes in partnership with community-based agencies.
Adults participating in community programs may have problems with the literacy requirements of their courses. “Integrating literacies” means addressing those problems and finding ways for participants to use and practise literacy skills while also learning the program content.
