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Literacy encourages individual empowerment and
communities.
Why Literacy?
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communities.
Developing literacy skills enables us to function well in society, achieve our goals, and develop our abilities. It has been shown that adult literacy levels benefit not only individuals but also society in general.
Literacy levels and income are strongly correlated. People with lower literacy skills are more likely to be unemployed than those with higher literacy skills. In addition to reducing employment and promotion opportunities, low literacy skills can also present a health and safety risk at work.
Implementation
The Regional Literacy Plan (RLP) aims to provide programming and support through workshops, innovative events, one-to-one tutoring for children and adults, and digital literacy tutoring. Development of the RLP began in September 2023.
Implementing this plan involves partnerships with community services and organizations, financial support for program delivery, venues and locations and staff support.
Community Connections
Regional Literacy Committee
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Learning the unique literacy challenges and needs of each community.
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Meeting with community organizations to understand the literacy resources available and what literacy programs need to be supported or added.
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Determine the best way to introduce new literacy support programs or initiatives.
Implementation
Stages
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Create a Regional Litearacy Committee (RLC) which is made up of organizations from each community in the Central Okanagan. The RLC will support the development of a Regional Literacy Plan (RLP)
Regional Literacy Plan
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Develop a Regional Literacy Plan which supports the literacy needs of each community.
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Determine resources needed to support the plan.
Review & Evaluate
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Review success of program delivery, or new literacy initiatives
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Feedback provided to the Regional Literacy Committee.
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The Regional Literacy Committee continues to monitor and advise on literacy needs from the Central Okanagan communities.
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Implementation of Program or Initiative
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Begin increasing Literacy Support in each community
Current Themes & Findings
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Word of Mouth
Many organizations identified that both 65+ individuals and newcomers rely on word of mouth to find, participate and develop trust with organizations.
Illiterate Individuals
Organizations, particularly those that service families, have identified that there are many newcomers who are not literate in their own language, creating additional barriers to accessing services.
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Cultural Literacy
Developing training and an understanding of cultural literacy among both clients and service providers.
Expanding Digital Literacy
Organizations working with newcomers have suggested that challenges with digital literacy has become a societal barrier for this population.
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Literacy Engagement
Many meetings have uncovered a challenge in providing literacy (digital, family and community) support to individuals who are unwilling/unable to engage. Many of these individuals are described as being the most vulnerable and/or at-risk in part due to challenges with literacy.
Creating Equal Access
Currently, several services cannot provide equal/equitable access to individuals. This includes individuals with disabilities, no access to transportation or childcare, financial barriers, and older adults.
