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CASP! Do You Really
Want One in Your Neighborhood?
by Dorothy MacKeracher
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The
Community
Academic
Services
Program is
very problematic. |
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The Community Academic Services
Program (CASP) is a new, community-based literacy program in New Brunswick.
There is a danger that the thinking which drives this program may be exported
to other provinces, because it can be mounted with few government resources and
appears to be very successful. Before you sign up for one in your community,
however, perhaps you should hear about our experiences (1).
Adult illiteracy in New Brunswick, at 25 percent, is the second
highest in Canada. The provincial government has declared that this situation
must be remedied by the year 2000 and has initiated a number of programs
designed to provide adults with opportunities to develop reading skills and
upgrade their academic levels. While the programs are innovative and appear to
be succeeding--well beyond the government's wildest expectations--each program
has its own problems. From a feminist perspective, the Community Academic
Services Program is very problematic.
CASP: A Partnership in Literacy Programming
In 1988,
the newly-elected provincial government decided to take a more active role in
literacy issues. A series of advisory committees at lower levels resulted in
the formation, in 1990, of the Premier's Advisory Council on Literacy and, in
1992, the establishment of a provincial literacy office under the direction of
the Minister of State for Literacy, who is also the Minister for Income
Assistance.
Since 1988, the provincial government has established new
literacy and basic education programs through creating networks within the
provincial government and promoting the development of partnerships with
private businesses and industries, federal and municipal agencies, and
community groups. The partnerships which resulted in the development of the
CASPs were first proposed in 1990. The partners include the provincial
departments for Advanced Education and Labor (DAEL) and Income Assistance
(DIA), the local Canada Employment Centers, the nine New Brunswick community
colleges, members of community groups, and Literacy New Brunswick Inc. Each
partner is responsible for a different aspect of the program.
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Programme communautaire de services
scolaires : une optique féministe
par Dorothy MacKeracher
Le Programme communautaire de services scolaires est une
initiative du gouvernement du Nouveau- Brunswick visant à
éliminer l'analphabétisme d'ici à l'an 2 000.
D'après le gouvernement, les programmes remportent plus de succès
qu'il ne l'espérait, mais d'après les femmes ces derniers
comportent de nombreux problèmes.
Les programmes ont des points forts: ils remettent en
contact des adultes sous-éduqués avec le système
d'éducation, ces derniers peuvent suivre des cours à
crédit pour obtenir un diplôme du cycle secondaire, le cadre
communautaire crée un milieu favorable à l'apprentissage.
Toutefois, le budget de la plupart des programmes est très limité
et à moins que ces derniers ne soient affiliés à des
organismes communautaires bien établis, ils ne disposent que de maigres
ressources. Les responsables des programmes (surtout des femmes) sont beaucoup
moins bien rémunérés que les éducateurs et
éducatrices des collèges communautaires, bien que leur travail
soit beaucoup plus exigeant. Il leur faut souvent mendier auprès
d'entreprises ou d'autres organismes le matériel nécessaire,
papier, crayons, livres, services de photocopie, etc. Une animatrice a
même payé de sa poche ce genre de fournitures. Les animatrices ne
sont pas soutenues et presque aucun cours de formation n'existe pour elles.
Leur taux de roulement est par conséquent très
élevé. Entre-temps, les responsables provinciaux prennent
à leur compte les succès remportés, au dépend de
travailleuses dévouées et d'élèves qui luttent.
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