Strategic Partnerships for Action: Workforce / Workplace Literacy in Ontario

Building on two recent OLC projects, Building Support and Developing Partnerships for Workplace Literacy in Ontario (2004) and Workforce Literacy Symposium: Building Linkages for Action Among Workforce Stakeholders (2005), In these past two projects, the OLC brought together the major stakeholders in workplace and workforce literacy to explore whether it was the time and place to put workplace literacy back on the agenda. Based on the responses of major business organizations, labour groups, literacy agencies and others, the need for renewed action has become clear.

To that end, the OLC, in conjunction with key partners from business organizations, labour groups, literacy agencies, government and other stakeholders embarked on a two-year initiative entitled Strategic Partnerships for Action: Workforce / Workplace Literacy in Ontario to continue to build support for workplace and workforce literacy in Ontario. The goal of this initiative was to determine how to best meet the needs of Ontario’s incumbent and future workers who have literacy challenges, by offering concrete options for the future of workplace and workforce literacy in Ontario.

The project achieved three main objectives:

1. Creating a community of practice for workplace and workforce literacy:
   1. by fostering provincial partnerships and linkages through the provincial advisory committee;
   2. by developing regional linkages among business, labour, and the literacy community through five regional one-day forums for 30-40 participants from multiple stakeholder groups and with provincial and federal government representation;
   3. by creating regional advisory committees to guide the development of the forums and a joint host planning committee to ensure cohesion and consistency with the provincial work.
2. Adding to the body of knowledge around workplace and workforce literacy by:
   1. doing research on the types of models of workplace and workforce literacy enacted in other jurisdictions and in the past in Ontario;
   2. creating a discussion paper outlining options for Ontario, for use at the forum to stimulate thinking and develop awareness on important issues, priorities and practices with respect to workforce and workplace literacy.
3. Developing coordinated provincial action:
   1. on the basis of findings from the regional forums, by preparing a report with recommendations for an integrated provincial delivery framework for workplace and workforce literacy;
   2. by creating an action plan.

2004-2005 Workforce Literacy Symposium: Building Linkages for Action Among Workforce Stakeholders

The OLC organized a one-day workforce literacy symposium in May 2005 in Toronto. The purpose of the event was to bring together the various stakeholder groups — business, labour, the literacy community, education and government — to discuss the state of workplace and workforce literacy in Ontario and to develop a plan for future action.

• View the Symposium Report here

2003-2004 Building Support and Developing Partnerships for Workplace Literacy in Ontario

The OLC will undertake a consultation with labour, management, sector councils, the literacy field and government in workplace literacy to determine how these stakeholders might work together. The consultation will focus on the literacy needs and priorities of these groups and what mechanisms they would like to see for sharing information on workplace issues, needs and innovative approaches and practices in the future.

2002-2003 Workplace Literacy Bulletin: National and International Perspectives on Research and Practice

This OLC bulletin features twenty-three articles on workplace literacy from across Canada, the United Stated, the United Kingdom and Australia. The bulletin provides a good overview of a sampling of work that has taken place in both research and practice in recent years. The bulletin will be available on-line and in hard copy by the end of August 2003.

2002-2003 Stay Tuned In: Developing a Practitioner Network for Workplace Literacy

This OLC project provided further support for the five first site regional networks involved in workplace literacy after the initial training. The OLC conducted a needs assessment with the first sites and then developed a work plan to reflect the support needed. This support included regional projects, a face-to-face meeting, and the development of a collaborative report on the experiences of the first sites in workplace literacy. The OLC also conducted a consultation on workforce and workplace literacy with the Literacy and Basic Skills field.

2002-2003 Workplace Literacy Training

This project provided training to five first regional network sites and their delivery agencies on the major aspects of delivering workplace literacy. Additional training for first site executive directors and workplace coordinators focused on coordinating and marketing workplace literacy training.

2002-2003 Raising the Profile of Workplace Literacy

In conjunction with five first site regional networks, the OLC developed a marketing package for workplace literacy. This included the development of a logo, common look, FAQ sheets, PowerPoint presentation, brochure, and other products.

Publications:

• Belfiore, Mary Ellen. Good Practice in Use. Toronto: Ontario Literacy Coalition, 2002.
  This report provides an overview of the literature on good practice in workplace education to date. It also examines some of the dilemmas an educator is faced with when working with principles of good practice on the ground. A section on how to develop your own good practice guidelines is included. This is available in PDF (219k) and from the OLC.
• Geraci, Karen. Workplace Educator Professional Development. Toronto: Ontario Literacy Coalition, 2002.
  This report provides an overview of different models of practitioner development for workplace education that might be considered in Ontario. It focuses on priority content areas, delivery models, and issues of accreditation/certification. This is available in PDF (225k) and from the OLC.

2001-2002 Building Momentum and Finding Champions for Workplace Literacy

This research was aimed at determining human resource professionals' awareness of and attitude toward workplace literacy training.

Publications:

• Bond, Judith. Building Momentum and Finding Champions for Workplace Literacy in Ontario. Toronto: Ontario Literacy Coalition, 2002.
  This bulletin is a summary of literature review and research on employer commitment to, and awareness of, workplace literacy in three sectors in Ontario.