A quality adult literacy and basic education program works collaboratively with other organizations and agencies to support the program, the learners and the program staff.
Staff at the Fort Resolution Community Literacy Program believe that both formal and informal partnerships are necessary to deliver successful literacy programs in northern communities.
The program has formal contribution agreements with its numerous funders that clearly describe the services it will deliver. Its regular reports show if it has fulfilled the agreement. However, even within these formal partnerships, it has informal relationships and shares information and ideas with them.
One of the program’s strongest partnerships is with the NWT Literacy Council. This connection enabled staff to access Literacy Council training on Family Literacy, Proposal Writing, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder, Screening for Success, Aboriginal Literacy, Photo-based Literacy and Assistive Technology for Learners with Disabilities. The program also accesses funding for community family literacy projects that is available through the Literacy Council and participates in jointly-sponsored events, such as NWT Literacy Week.
Staff have also formed a strong partnership with the community school. A year after the Fort Resolution Community Literacy Program began, the school formed its own literacy committee. The Adult Educator meets with that committee to share ideas and resources and to work jointly on projects, such as community writing contests and a Reading Circle. Literacy program staff also read to children in the school and share resources with school staff. The relationship is one of helping and sharing, with suggestions from teachers incorporated into the program.