Information Technology –

  • Develop a Skilled, Competitive Workforce
  • Ensure Effective Access to Existing Public IT Infrastructure and Labour Market Information for All Participants
  • Develop Innovative Ways to Introduce and/or Adapt Technology in Local Economic and Social Sectors
  • Conduct Research to Support Achieving Strategic Directions 1–3

Fourteen literacy–related projects received funding out of a total of 57 projects in HRM. Literacy projects received 25% of the total allocated funding, a proportionately appropriate amount. Total amounts allocated to literacy projects were $1,694,942 versus other projects which received $5,726,234.

Literacy Nova Scotia notes in its Election 2003 Toolkit, that increasingly, the not–for–profit community–based organizations have come to rely on LMDA funding to support non–teaching activities and projects. However, as shown in the table below, only 25% of the LMDA funded projects were literacy related.

Table 10 – LMDA Funding Allocation
  2001 – 200221 2002 – 300322
# Total Projects 57 59
# Literacy Projects 14 15
Literacy % of Total 25% 25%
Total Investment $5,726,000 $3,736,000
Literacy Investment $1,695,000 $894,000
Literacy % of Total 30% 24%

7.2. Student Funding

There is little funding available for adult students with disabilities participating in literacy programs. The research has identified only two sources, one specific to persons with disabilities pursuing an employment path and the other available to any adult student who does not have a grade 12 diploma.

7.2.1 Opportunity Fund

The Opportunity Fund for Persons with Disabilities provides financial assistance to unemployed persons with disabilities to help them prepare for, obtain and sustain employment or self–employment. The Opportunity Fund is able to support all disability groups with four major interventions:

21 Data based on aggregate of individual LMDA project approvals
22 http://www.hrdis.ca/lmda/