Literacy Program Management

Organizers of the Spotlight on Learning conference worked hard to ensure the almost 300 event participants with wide-ranging interests could choose from an array of workshops relevant to their professional development needs. Here, you will find information from some of the workshops in the “Applied Learning” track of the conference that may have particular appeal to literacy program managers and administrators – those who typically have responsibility for marketing programs, networking, developing communication materials and strategies, meeting accountability standards, and program planning and evaluation.

Marketing and Networking

Everyone agrees that getting the word out about the important contributions agencies and organizations in the literacy field make is critical to their ongoing sustainability. Literacy agencies. . .

Developing Communication Materials and Strategies

Many literacy program managers spend much of their time writing about their literacy programs and services in their efforts to engage adult literacy learners, community members and government. Leah Morris reminded conference participants of the importance of “Clear Writing” in her workshop Writing to Your Reader. Morris also encouraged participants to think about readers’ needs and to write to their audience in ways that ensure understanding.

Meeting Accountability Standards

One of the best ways to promote and market your literacy agency and services is to show the world, and particularly funders, that you run an accountable and relevant organization. . .

Program Planning and Evaluation

Part of a literacy program manager’s job description is to plan and evaluate their literacy programming. While there are traditional program planning and evaluation tools, two case studies that were presented at Spotlight on Learning showed how research can be used to address program challenges and to find solutions. Two presenters from Literacy Nova Scotia, Ann Marie Downie and Jayne Hunter, in the workshop Research in Practice: What Works and What Doesn’t – Experiences in Nova Scotia, described that province’s experience with the research in practice model. Sheryl Harrow and Mavis McPhee told how READ Saskatoon used research to examine why there had been a marked decrease in that organization’s capacity to recruit and retain volunteer tutors, and why it had not been successful in recruiting and retaining Aboriginal volunteers. For more information on how READ Saskatoon staff used research in practice, view the pdf. file entitled Building Communities of Best Practice as Best Practice.

Have Your Say. . .

Literacy program managers and administrators are being asked to develop and apply higher levels of skills to their work, particularly in the areas of marketing, generating revenue, documenting, evaluating, managing finances and implementing policies and procedures, in addition to being content experts in a constantly evolving field. How do you keep up with new information and expectations? Share your thoughts with your colleagues here so that you can all benefit from each other’s experiences.

Post on our blog!