Phase II Moving Towards Action
Executive Summary

Dedicated to developing and supporting Native literacy services and resources which are culturally relevant to the current realities of Native peoples in Ontario, the Ontario Native Literacy Coalition through previous studies, projects and its Phase I and current Phase U Field Development undertakings, continues to strive towards the best practices in Native literacy.

Incorporated since 1988 and operating under the guidance of a volunteer Board of Directors, the Ontario Native Literacy Coalition (ONLC), one of four umbrella literacy groups funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) provides provincial networking and supports field development. The ONLC currently serves twenty-six (26) Native literacy programs throughout Ontario.

ONLC engaged in a survey process during the Field Development Phase I Project (2001 -2002). The objective was to find out from practitioners what could be done to support them in their jobs and then begin to address the issues in the field. In that survey, practitioners clearly identified the need for a Field Development Worker to assist them in meeting the increasing demands of their positions. Unfortunately, the scope of Field Development Phase I was too narrow in focus and a foundation for Phase II was not laid. Phase I didn’t offer sufficient data or a practical framework to allow the ONLC to move to the action planning stage as quickly and efficiently as hoped. At the weekend Strategic Planning meeting of May 2002, the ONLC and planning facilitator Jamie Hill assembled a working document to facilitate the Strategic Planning component with the field at the June 2002 AGM in Sudbury. It became abundantly clear at the AGM that to move the field along in its development, required an approach that the field had not filly appreciated. The field clearly stated the need for practical not philosophical strategies. Clearly, the ONLC had to change the priorities for Phase II. The question that needed to be answered became obvious to ONLC, Jamie Hill and the field: What is the capacity of the ONLC to serve this field? Three areas of work were identified as priorities for the ONLC: 1. Internal Governance 2. Language and Culture 3. Relationship with the MTCU. The field realized that the impetus to make changes had to come from them. (The ONLC has 2 full-time staff) Three subcommittees were formed and Alphacom discussion groups were set up to get the work started. The only active group is Internal Governance.