2. Introduction
2.1. Project Background
The relationship between literacy and employment is well understood – the
higher one's level of literacy, the greater the likelihood that stable employment is
attainable. Only forty–five percent (45%) of working age adults who functioned
at the lowest literacy level were employed in Canada according to a study conducted in
1994 (Shalla and Schellenberg, 1998). The study also showed that seventy
five (75%) of working age adults functioning at the highest literacy levels were employed
in the same period.3
There is a reasonable body of knowledge which suggests that a higher percentage
of persons with disabilities function at the lowest literacy levels than
the population at large. We also know that a lower percentage of persons
with disabilities is employed than the population at large. It is therefore, not surprising
that TEAM Work Cooperative (TWC) and a number of its shareholders and other
stakeholders have been concerned with literacy and its relationship with employment
and employability for their client group for some time. TWC, a collaborative organization of twenty–nine
(29) shareholder organizations is focused specifically on employment for persons with disabilities.
Recognizing that literacy not only prevents people from being involved
in employability programs but more importantly, hinders their individual
growth and learning potential, the Literacy for Persons with Disabilities Committee was
struck to develop the concept and proposal for funding for this study.
Organizations involved in the Committee were the following:
- Affirmative Industry Association of Nova Scotia;
- Dartmouth Work Activity Society;
- Department of Community Services;
- Department of Education;
- Halifax Regional CAP Association;
- Halifax Regional School Board;
- Human Resources Development Canada;
- Independent Living Resource Centre; Nova Scotia Community College;
- Rehabilitation Centre of the Capital District Health Authority; and
- Teamwork Cooperative Limited.
3 Joel Macht, Literacy and Disability, page 9
|