Materials Promotion
A clear message from the conference and pre-conference discussions was that many women are unaware of available information. Rather than a research/development role, CCLOW could take on a clearing house role and improve the distribution of and access to existing information. By moving beyond promotion of materials in the literacy field into promotion of materials in the health and social services sectors, an increased number of women would receive valuable information, funding options for this work would increase, and CCLOW would gain increased recognition of their work.

Partners
Mary J. Breen has done extensive work (research and writing) in literacy and health. Recently she worked with Lindsay Hall on a project for Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre on women's health in mid-life. This book was written for working women with some level of literacy skills, but needing a reliable source of information on health issues. The work covered menopause, depression and relationships. Mary would be interested in further work, though is busy at the moment. She recommended CCLOW contact Lindsay Hall, who is ending a current contract at Lawrence Heights.

Pat Armstrong is currently working in this area though she is unable to take on new project work at this time. However, she may be able to suggest contacts and connections. Ms. Armstrong offered to review any proposals that CCLOW drafts for work in this area. She recommended her recent paper, available through the Centre of Excellence for Women's Health, as preliminary reading on the subject.

The Centre for Literacy in Montreal is currently doing work in this area and Linda Shohet has expressed a great deal of interest in pursuing this topic further.

Potential Funders
Possible funding sources for this work include pharmaceutical companies, national health foundations and associations, and provincial and federal health funders as well as community and municipal funders. The broader the target constituency, the more likely private sector firms would be to fund the work, or to provide matching dollars. Some firms may be interested in reaching this "market" of literacy learners, and so could assist in the literacy materials development aspect of this work as well.

Recommendations

1. Develop health literacy materials
   Substantial funding in this area could allow CCLOW to undertake important and long term work needed by women, support core operations and administrative work, and promote itself and its other projects through broad distribution of the results of the health literacy work.
   
   
2. Develop literacy materials for women with low literacy skills.
   
   
3. Develop a curriculum for use in various learning environments.
   
   
4. Promote new and existing materials created for women with low literacy skills.
   
   Funding through government agencies such as the National Literacy Secretariat should be available to CCLOW for additional literacy and health projects. This work can build on current work, and promotion of new and existing materials could be part of this project. This work would be of great value to women with low levels of literacy.

Conclusion
This is an area that can provide information to the public as well as to women in learning environments. There appears to be both a range of topic options to pursue as well as numerous funding opportunities.

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