Random North Development Association and their Literacy Research Worker, Michelle Brown, completed Phase Two of their project "Linking Adults with Low Literacy Skills to Skills Training and Employment Opportunities" in September 1998. The Literacy Research Document and Model were completed in April of this year and now the goal is to test pilot the research in Economic Zone 15. If successful, this literacy model can then be used in all areas of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Phase Two of the project was funded through the Economic Renewal Agreement. This agreement is jointly managed by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Fund, Department of Industry, Trade and Technology, and the Department of Development and Rural Renewal. Phase Two of the project involved meeting with different government departments and funding agencies. Michelle also met with identified companies and businesses in Zone 15 (Chapel Arm to Bonavista) to determine potential partners to assist with Phase Three of the project (the pilot testing of the research model). The partners anticipate Phase Three will begin mid October 1998.

The keys to the model's success are partnerships and working with different services, groups and agencies in the province. Random North Development Association is very committed to this project and would like to thank the many partners who have been involved to date. They include: Adult Learners in Zone 15; Discovery Centres for Adult Education in Zone 15; Literacy Development Council of Newfoundland and Labrador; Literacy Secretariat; Department of Development and Rural Renewal (provincial and local); Discovery Regional Development Board, Zone 15; Clarenville Area Literacy Focus Group; Bonavista Area Literacy Focus Group; Human Resources Client Centre, Clarenville/Representatives from the Labour Market Development Agreement; College of the North Atlantic, Zone 15; Keyin College, Zone 15; Department of Education; Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Federation of Co-operatives for Newfoundland and Labrador; Human Resources and Employment (Provincial and Local); Bonavista Peninsula and Surrounding Area Business Development; and, The Honourable Fred Mifflin, Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Trinity-Conception, and Staff.

If you would like to know more about this literacy project
please contact Michelle at (709) 466-1725
or by e-mail at literacy@thezone.net

PRINTS is a family/early literacy program directed at parents of pre-school children. It is comprehensive in nature and focuses on five contexts in which literacy develops, and five roles that parents, caregivers, and others can take in promoting literacy development. A handbook, Growing into Literacy, has been written for facilitators.

Last year, volunteer Dr. William T. Fagan trained 13 facilitators in the St. John's area who, concurrently with the training, set up five family/early literacy program sites. These were: MacMorran Community Centre, Rabbittown Community Centre, Buckmaster's Circle, Holy Cross School and Daybreak Centre. Overall, there were 31 parents and 60 children involved. All programs reported extremely positive results. In addition to the parents learning various techniques and activities for engaging their preschool children, there were a number of spin-off benefits. For example, the kindergarten teachers at the Holy Cross School were happy to share any pertinent materials with the grade one teachers who expressed interest. The children in one community brought to kindergarten activities which their parents had made, which prompted the kindergarten teacher in that school to phone the parents praising the quality of the activities and wishing more information. In another case, a parent used the ideas with an older primary grade child who was having trouble with reading. The parent was happy to know that the child will not need to be placed in a remedial reading program in the fall.