Gathering Voices:
Building an Alliance for Family Literacy

By: Angela Drake

Over 195 people attended the "Gathering Voices: Building an Alliance for Family Literacy" Conference at the Battery Hotel in St. John's on October 26-28, 2000.

The three-day conference included a pre-conference workshop, two keynote addresses and 12 workshops examining Family Literacy policies/research, and a review of provincial Family Literacy initiatives and practices.

The first keynote speaker, Mary Gordon, has been developing school-based Family Literacy and parenting programs since the early 1980s, and currently administers Parenting and Family Literacy Programs with the Toronto District School Board. She designed a program called Roots of Empathy which is based on the philosophy that when children have empathy they are better able to develop as complete human beings. This highly successful program is now used in three provinces and Mary has invitations to Japan, Australia, South Africa, and England.

The second keynote speaker, Elizabeth Hansen is Assistant Director at the Basic Skills Agency, the national development agency for literacy and numeracy in England and Wales. The agency defines basic skills as the ability to read, write and speak in English, and use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.

Ms. Hanson described the Agency's approach to family literacy programs as having three aims: to improve the literacy of parents, to improve parents' ability to help their children, and to improve children's acquisition of reading and writing skills. The emphasis is on developing literacy, and parenting is supported as a context for this learning.

At the final plenary session of the Conference participants discussed how to further the development of family literacy provincially. Topics included the need for more government and private sector funding, and the need for improved access to information. Approaches to these goals included a provincial website, a directory of literacy programs and an annual gathering to facilitate networking and information sharing.

In addition, a new steering committee was established to create a three-year plan for a Family Learning Alliance.

Individuals interested in serving on this committee, or in recommending someone as a committee member are asked to contact the Literacy Development Council office. Copies of the conference report will be sent to all the conference participants and additional copies can be requested from the Literacy Development Council.

Prior to the conference a booklet titled "Little Steps: Pathways to Life Long Learning" and a brochure on Family Literacy Programs in Newfoundland and Labrador were produced. The two publications were launched at the conference and distributed to family literacy organizations across the province. Contact your local literacy organization or the Literacy Development Council for copies.

The Gathering Voices Conference was funded by the National Literacy Secretariat (HRDC) with support from the Literacy Development Council and the Department of Education.