Other suggestions included:
- Increasing the understanding of the need for literacy because of its link to health, employment outcomes, safety and community participation may stimulate the engagement of those with limited literacy awareness.
- Employers need to be aware of the benefits of providing continuous learning to employees and recognize the importance of workplace literacy. Learners also need to know the benefits of improving their skills and the impact on their lives.
- Awareness of the full extent of learning opportunities and supports available and how to access these, both as a learner, and as a service provider, is crucial. This creates a learning pathway for learners, identifies gaps that may exist and creates a network of research, resources and support for service providers.
- Promotional and informational print and websites for literacy need to be written in plain language so that people who seek information and programming find it accessible.
Provide community exemplars – success stories of those who changed their life through literacy.
Many tables of participants listed media campaigns on TV and radio as a solution to bring increased awareness to the public perception of literacy and the benefits of life long learning. These campaigns would also reach those who may not have strong reading skills and could share stories of people who can affirm that life long learning is possible for all.
- Several tables of participants also suggested that at the local level, local information gathering and dissemination could occur through a single organization or committee that catalogues services and develops strategies to disseminate information to schools, municipal and county offices, businesses, clubs, community and radio/media outlets.
4.5.2 Resources
The proposed policy statements are good but need the funding to back them and make the programs and services come to fruition.
The lack of financial resources was consistently raised as a barrier and the need for more financial resources was consistently raised as a solution to achieving all of the outcomes. A widespread view was that education should be valued and given priority through the provision of adequate sustainable funding.
- A number of tables of participants wrote that they would like to see to see Community Adult Learning Council and volunteer tutor adult literacy service grant programs opened up for new applicants.
- Programs would like to increase their hours of availability and expand services and need the resources to do so.
- Non-profit groups are also struggling to offer competitive wages and benefits to qualified employees.