There is training available for practitioners. For example, The Centre for Family Literacy (based in Edmonton, Alberta) has developed a core curriculum, Footnote 3 for literacy practitioners and other service providers. This gives practitioners a set of foundational skills for working in the area of family literacy.
Across Canada, at the community or local level, many organizations can provide “family literacy” programming. This can include:
The activities taken on by local organizations are sometimes linked to work being done at a provincial-territorial and/or national level. For example, Success by 6™ is an initiative that was started in the United States by the United Way of America. Many United Ways in Canada support this initiative. Programming is often provided through school boards.
At the national and provincial/territorial level other organizations, which may not necessarily have adult literacy as their main focus, often take on family literacy activities.
Return to note 3 In 2001, the Centre for Family Literacy developed Foundational Training in Family Literacy, a one-week training program specifically targeting family literacy practitioners in Alberta. The training focuses on the whole family for developing literacy skills; both children and parents benefit with this approach. The training includes topics such as emergent literacy, working with families, best practices, administration and program evaluation. Training in specific program models such as Books for Babies and Rhymes That Bind may also be included. An online version of Foundational Training in Family Literacy is also available. (Information taken from www.famlit.ca/training/foundation.html