Weaving Literacy into the Fabric of Life Project

Did you know that approximately 60% of New Brunswickers between the ages 16-54 years function in the two lowest literacy levels? This means that roughly 350,000 people in the province might have difficulty with:

• filling out a government form or job application
• understanding directions for a medical prescription comprehending information about handling dangerous equipment at home, on the farm or in the workplace
• helping their children with schoolwork
• obtaining a decent job
• reading a lease
• grasping billing information
• navigating the justice system
• assimilating information for healthy lifestyle choices
• assessing material to make informed decisions in the democratic process

While these figures and statements themselves are alarming, more disturbing is the fact that less than 1% of these adults attend literacy programs.

Literacy means reading, writing, listening, speaking and using numbers - effectively. Literacy cannot be divorced from its social context. Literacy is embedded in every aspect of life - health, employment, housing, justice, citizenship. If one cannot properly make sense of the written and spoken word, one becomes trapped in a place with few choices. This marginalization is especially prevalent among: seniors, adults with disabilities, adults without grade twelve, aboriginal and First Nations peoples, immigrants, and those in conflict with the law or who are incarcerated.