Models for Integrated Family Programming
Sue McCormack, of the Peel Halton Dufferin Adult Learning Network and the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs, and Jean Rasmussen, of Family Literacy Development, Literacy B.C., presented this workshop on the philosophy and practice of family support programs and family literacy programs. A key understanding that resulted was the need for collaboration among educational programs and support services for families, in order to maximize funding, resources and expertise while enhancing opportunities for women and their families.

The family support model, or family resource model, and the family literacy model support learning skills for both parent and child. Considerable research indicates a powerful link between the education level of parents, particularly mothers, and the learning success of their children. It is also important to recognize the cyclical nature of social problems such as poverty, low educational levels and poor health, and how providing support to families can help to break the cycle. Successful family services do not target or label participants or identify their priorities; programs are open to all and participants identify their own needs and issues. Literacy B.C. is currently engaged in producing a Framework for Best Practices in Family Literacy which should be available after April, 2000.

The need for stable, secure funding is critical. The term "drive-by funding" was used to describe how programs may be in a funder's sights for a short period, then left to survive on their own. A successful program that has overcome this predicament and become self-sustaining is Families in Motion, Chilliwack, British Columbia.

The Peel-Halton-Dufferin Adult Learning Network can be found at: www.phdaln.on.ca.
Literacy B.C. can be found at: www.nald.ca/lbc.htm.
Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs can be found at: www.frp.ca.

Impact on Women Learners of Employment Insurance and Related Changes
The changes to Unemployment Insurance that took effect in 1996 have had a significant impact on women and have seriously affected women's access to training and upgrading. Ursule Chritoph, who is the National Training Coordinator, Workplace Training Strategy, of the Canadian Labour Congress, presented this workshop on how women learners have been affected by these and related changes in labour market programming.

Ursule reminded participants of the growing global trend in polarization between rich and poor. Within this trend is the development of a larger and larger class of low skilled, low paid people whose job is to work for the small percentage of those who are higher paid. More and more human aspects of society are being disengaged to technology. Politically, these trends can be viewed as an anti-democratic thrust against humans in favor of corporations as the basic and defining component of society.

Despite various in-roads in recent decades, the picture of women's employment is still gloomy:

• women still earn on average only 52% of what men earn
• their work tends to be non-standard and lower paid
• the number of women who hold multiple jobs continues to increase
• more women lose work time due to family responsibilities
• etc.

Though there is still much lip service devoted to gender equity, Ursule reported that most of the 300 recommendations in the federal government's plan for Gender Equality do not contain much substance.

Changes to E.I. have meant that fewer women are eligible. There has been a 20% drop in the number of women whose E.I. claims are successful; consequently fewer women can access training that is E.I. sponsored. In addition to which, all other entry points to government programs have been removed. Less access to E.I. and to E.I. sponsored training result in pressure for women to take low paying jobs. The bias in the new labour agreements between the federal government and the provinces is towards those who are most employable and against those who face many or multiple barriers to employment.

Ursule Critoph can be contacted at: ucritoph@istar.ca.