Forum participants were asked to identify challenges to and solutions for achieving each of the outcomes at a local or provincial level. There was significant consistency with five themes identified as important additions to the vision, values and outcomes being stressed again when participants identified challenges and solutions. These themes were:
We want literacy to be a mainstream buzzword, commitment and PRIORITY.
The need to increase awareness of the importance of literacy was suggested as a missing outcome. As well, a key challenge and solution was the need to spread the word on the value and understanding of life long learning. Raising awareness of the current levels of literacy in Canada was also seen as helping potential learners to self-identify the need to pursue learning.
The early years are crucial and parents and families need to be encouraged as each child's first teacher. One table of participants suggested that the importance of early childhood development should be incorporated into high school education curricula citing the earlier success in reaching students with the message about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Another group suggested new parents should be provided with information on the importance of early literacy activities.
We need to develop a culture of life long learning.
Groups noted that increased awareness provides an incentive for a learning society to strive for higher levels of literacy/education and creates communities that value life skills, staying current, and always growing to be responsive to societal, economic and political trends. Long-term maintenance of skills is important since skills are lost when not used – awareness of this may help motivate learners to keep pursuing literacy opportunities over their lifetime.