Given the pivotal role of women program workers in the project, we identified some concerns around their participation. Was it realistic to assume that they would be given release time to do this work? How could we be sure they were not taking on the project as an extra load? How could we be aware of possible consequences for women staff in terms of their job security? How could we develop clear, straightforward contracts with the programs?

Some of the women who produced the tape for the outreach kit met for dinner in Duncan, BC. From the left: Doris Dick, Yuen Jang, Battell, Kate Nonesuch, Sharon Tillie, Betty-Ann Lloyd. Raja Rashead took the photograph.

Again, as it happened, each program and set of contact women managed their time and relationship with their program differently. Reflecting the nature of adult literacy programming in Canada, many women's paid work was part-time. They used the research time as extra income. For a few women, the research activity - including reflection and writing - became part of their job in the program. A significant number of women had to find time during evenings, weekends, and holidays to document their work.

After this meeting, two advisory committee members, Evelyn Battell and Jenny Horsman, worked with me to develop materials that could be used by programs interested in the research. A student and two staff members from one of the programs that participated in the exploratory phase had expressed concern that Discovering the strength of our voices was written in a way that excluded most students from reading it. We wanted to ensure that our outreach materials were more accessible. We began with a press release for students working at a basic or intermediate level. We then wrote an account of the research that could be recorded on tape. Evelyn took this transcript back to Duncan where students and staff at Malaspina College produced the tape.

The four programs that participated in phase one received the kit containing the tape, transcript, phase one report, and press releases. We also sent this kit to all the programs that expressed interest in phase two, as well as to a few libraries, resource centres, and programs that requested the complete package.

After the February meeting in Toronto, we waited for word on the project funding. Kate Nonesuch had joined the advisory committee after agreeing to facilitate the first national workshop with Jenny Horsman. In June, the three of us met with Evelyn Battell in Salt Spring Island to plan our next steps. After exploring several alternatives and talking with CCLOW staff and other advisory committee members, we decided to continue almost as if the project had full funding. We would cut back on the amount of outreach and negotiation with programs prior to the first national workshop and we would limit the number of women attending the first national workshop.