CALP Connections: February 2025
Call for Outstanding Contribution Award Nominations, Upcoming Professional Development Opportunitues, Symposium Update, and more...
A Message from Stephanie Brown, Director
What makes a positive and productive place of work for CALPs’? Having a team that benefits greatly from working well together is a commitment from all on the team.
One way to provide for a great workplace is to practice kindness and love. This can be done in ways that does not make people uncomfortable.
Having kindness in your workplace can lead to increased engagement of support, greater job satisfaction, increase in productivity, loyalty, and positivity in relationships.
Some ways to display kindness and love in your place of learning and work:
- Bring food and snacks
- Participate in active listening
- Smile
- Recognize strengths in others
- Say, “Thank You”
- Have meaningful conversations
- Mentor
- Recognize team members – nominate for awards
This is just a few examples in how we spread love and kindness in a CALP/CLN learning atmosphere.
I want to draw your attention to number eight, "Recognize team members – nominate for awards."
This month is a perfect time to nominate someone from the CALP system for an award. CLN is seeking nominations to recognize the exceptional contributions in the adult learning field of practice over the past year.
Do you know of an individual or an organization that has shown learnership in the adult learning field?
If you have someone in mind, please complete the simple process of nominating them.
- Complete the nomination form
- Attach a nominating letter, and
- Include 2 letters (minimum) of support from members of the community. (Someone who can give specific details highlight the nominee’s successes and accomplishments the last year.)
Once you have completed the nomination process, submit all documents to the CLN Board at board@calp.ca .
Call for Outstanding Contribution Award Nominations - Due Soon!
The CLN Board of Directors will be honouring the Outstanding Contribution to Adult Learning Award recipient at the Symposium on April 29, 2025. This change in timing means you will need to start thinking about who you want to nominate now, as the deadline to submit nominations is March 14, 2025. You will want to look at the achievements of an individual, or organization, over the past year between March 2024 – March 2025.
We recognize the timing is different than you have been used to for many years; however, the Board feels it is special to be honored amongst your peers when we can all celebrate together, and an event like the Symposium is the perfect opportunity.
The nomination package is available and can be accessed on the Portal.
The CLN Board of Directors is looking forward to seeing all the great work being done in CALPs around the province.
Please return completed form and accompanying documents board@calp.ca
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
New to CALP?
If you have recently started working in a CALP role, CLN invites you to come meet other new staff to learn what supports are available to help you be successful in your new role! Be sure to also register for required training.
Required Training
Want to find out more about how family literacy programs can be used to improve skills for adults? Or perhaps it's time for a refresh with the revised version of the training (now includes the A.L.L in Family Literacy Programs training content)? The next CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs training is coming up in February. Register now as the registration deadline is Monday, February 17th!
CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs (Required Training) ONLINE
Feb. 25 – Mar. 18 (1:00-2:30 pm)
Introduction to Adult Foundational Learning (Required Training) ONLINE
May 21 – Jun. 18 (9:30-10:45 am)
For Coordinators, Instructors and Tutors
Planning for Learning Series
This series explores the “art and science of helping adults learn,” based on Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy and his assumptions of adult learners. Discover how to apply make use of adult learning theory within the work you do everyday with adult learners. Register once to join one or all sessions in this monthly series. Register now!
1. Orientation to Learning with Corrie Rhyasen Erdman (Monday, Jan. 27 1-2:30 p.m.)
2. Motivation to Learn with Allison McKee (Thursday, Feb. 27 1-2:30 p.m.)
3. Self-Concept with Heidi Grogan (Monday, Mar. 31 1-2:30 p.m.)
What's New in Adult Literacy Series Explore what’s new and effective best practices based on more recent studies for working with adult literacy learners.
- Who is Paulo Freire and how is his pedagogy relevant today? – Feb. 18
- What is social justice? How does it connect to adult literacy learners? - Mar. 20
Trauma-Informed Practice in CALP (NEW!) Understanding trauma, trauma reactions and strategies to support learners can help you create a trauma-responsive learning environment in your CALP programs - March 13, 20, & April 3
Teaching Digital Skills Day - Save the Date! Be part of re-thinking and transforming how we teach digital skills. Join us on April 8, 2025 for a line up of sessions from experienced and innovative digital skills practitioners who specialize in adult foundational learning. Each session will showcase ways to teach digital skills that respond to learners’ immediate needs, can be transferred to other devices and situations, and builds resilience. You will learn about effective strategies and resources for teaching digital skills to adults in your CALP program.
For Everyone
Indigenous Pathways to Learning and Healing - A Truth and Reconciliation Series: Faye Beauchamp, CLN and Lucille Provost, Pincher Creek Community Adult Learning Council Society, will host a 4-part series of dialogues on Truth and Reconciliation for CALP staff, boards, and volunteers
- Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5 & 12
Psychological First Aid (Stettler)
This in-person Red Cross certificate course will support CALP-funded staff, volunteers and board members to develop a personal understanding of the effects of stress, loss, trauma and grief on others, with emphasis on self-care and personal protection - May 15-16
Communities of Practice
Join your peers for informal discussions and connections facilitated by CLN Staff. Grab a coffee, bring a question, share a success or challenge, and settle in for five minutes or all sixty.
- Wellness Lunch & Learn Series: Stress and Resilience – Feb. 11
- Central Connections Café - Feb. 11, 2025, Apr. 16
- South Connections Café - Feb. 12, 2025, Apr. 3
- West Connections Café – Feb. 19
- East Connections Café - Feb. 19
- North Connections Café – Feb. 26
- Provincial Connections Café – Join CLN's RSS team to share, connect and network with CALP staff from across the province – Mar. 19, 2025, May 20
Personalized Coaching
Would you like guidance in a particular area of your work? Don’t know who to ask? Book a coaching session with CLN staff in any of these areas:
- Literacy Programming and Instruction with Rebecca Still
- CALP Database with Cheryl Lovstrom
- Goal Setting with Learners with Cheryl Lovstrom
- Communications Skills in small talk, 'big talk' (presentations) and group talk (facilitation) with Tanis Harms
The training calendar is being updated regularly so check the Training & Events calendar on the CALP Portal often.
Literacy & Learning Symposium 2025 Update
Mark Your Calendars
Dates: Tuesday, April 29 to Thursday, May 1
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton in Edmonton
REGISTRATION OPENS NEXT WEDNESDAY!
Literacy and Learning Symposium 2025 launches February 12 @ 12:00 noon!
Join us in Edmonton for an exciting 3-day event, where Community Adult Learning Program (CALP) staff, volunteers, and stakeholders from across Alberta and beyond will come together for professional development, networking, and to connect with thought leaders and valuable resources in our field.
See how we’re bringing the Community Adult Learning Program’s system together to dive deep into new ideas and gain new skills to strengthen the programs that change adult Albertan’s lives every day.
Excited to learn more? Mark your calendars and make sure to register next week. We’re expecting up to 300 attendees. See you there!
Questions?
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Pat Halewich, Symposium Lead at pdevents@calp.ca
Searching for Featured Adult Learners
Excited by this year’s Symposium theme of ‘Making Waves’, CLN is inviting adult Albertans to share their learning experience at Community Adult Learning Programs. Help us to feature many learners from across the province and ‘flood’ Symposium with learner voices.
Do you know an adult Albertan* who:
- has learned foundational skills (literacy, numeracy, skills for learning, basic digital skills, English language learning)
- attended any foundational learning opportunity (tutoring, family literacy programs, learning activities or courses)
- is a past or present CALP participant
*Submissions are open to individuals or groups of learners
We encourage participants to submit in a way that feels most comfortable to them. Different ways to participate include:
- Video
- Audio
- Story
- Poem
- Art
- Song
- Photo essay
- Graphic story
- And more (we are open to suggestions!)
If you have interested learners or want to learn more, please complete the form. We can guide you through the process!
Literacy in Action
A new research project will be looking at literacy and discrimination.
The project brings together a research team from the University of Hamburg’s Research Centre on Literacy in Diversity Settings and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. They will explore how literacy– often linked to multilingualism, limited formal education, advanced age, social class or disabilities – continues to impact adults’ ability to participation in education, employment and society.
Future research will look at ways to overcome literacy discrimination.
This Month's Spotlight
On February 20, the world comes together to celebrate Social Justice Day, an opportunity to reflect on the importance of fairness, equality, and respect for all. Social justice means creating a society where everyone has access to the same opportunities, resources, and rights—regardless of their background or circumstances.
This year's theme highlights the growing momentum to make social justice a central goal in national and international policies. Advocates are calling for changes that ensure decent work, fair wages, lifelong learning, and stronger social protections for all. These efforts aim to reduce inequality and build stronger, more inclusive communities.
The Global Coalition for Social Justice, launched in 2023 by the International Labour Organization, is working to bring together governments, employers, workers, and organizations from around the world. Their goal is simple yet powerful: to close the gaps in social justice and create a fairer, more sustainable future for everyone.
Quote of the Day
The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.
- Maya Angelou