CALP Connections: March 2026
Literacy & Learning Symposium 2026, Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities, Call for CLN Board Applications, Call for Outstanding Contribution Award nominations, and more...
A Message from Krista Anderson,
CLN Board Director
CLN Board Director
As winter stretches on and I start wishing for spring, I find myself looking forward to this year’s CALP Symposium. It’s the one time each year when CALP providers across Alberta can gather in the same place. CALP providers work hard, often with small teams and busy schedules, and having dedicated time to connect, share ideas, and learn from one another is incredibly valuable. The conversations and the sense of community that come from being together in person are things I look forward to every year.
Since joining the CLN Board of Directors in September, I’ve been reflecting on the role of boards and committees in my own work. In Red Deer, I sit on several committees and boards, and each one helps me understand the bigger picture of our community—revealing trends, gaps, and opportunities I might not see otherwise. I often think of it as a continuous needs assessment. Being part of the CLN Board has expanded that view even further, offering a provincial perspective I’m grateful for.
As Symposium approaches, I’m looking forward to gathering, talking, and learning together. I also encourage everyone to think about the value of serving on boards and committees—both locally and, when the time feels right, with CLN. These roles deepen our understanding of the work we do and the communities we serve.
I’m excited to connect with you all at Symposium and continue learning alongside this incredible network.
Literacy & Learning Symposium 2026 Update
Dates: Wednesday, April 29 to Thursday, April 30
Location: Wyndham Edmonton Hotel and Conference Centre in Edmonton, AB
Registration Fee: $150
Our Symposium 2025 Theme is: “Illuminate”
This year, we're all about making learning and learners visible in Community Adult Learning Programs by illuminating new ideas, making new information visible, shining a beam on connecting with others and leaving with bright hope for the future of adult learning. It’s time to illuminate adult learning!
LEARNERS’ VOICES
Help us light up Symposium 2026 with Learners’ Voices - submit your entry now!
CALPx TALKS PRESENTS
About the Session:
In the spirit of TED Talks, on our main stage, we have curated our own independently organized event called “CALPx Talks”. This session will feature two 20-minute speakers on thought-provoking topics as follows:
Kimberly Lyall
Session Topic: Your Radiant EDGE: The Mindset Tool for Lighting Up Leadership
Ralf St. Clair
Session Topic: Keeping Literacy in the Light
“Literacy education is the foundation of democracy and seems so especially important at the current time.
Ibram X. Kendi says in How to raise an anti-racist: “Literacy is not an end. Literacy should be taught as a means to critical thinking. Knowledge isn't an end. Knowledge is a means to critical thinking. The smartest student is not the student who is the most literate, or who knows the most. The smartest student has the greatest desire to know—to know all the facts and perspectives of human life and of the world.”
I’m looking forward to meeting the dedicated folks working in this field in Alberta and hearing about how you are keeping the flame of that desire burning.”
REGISTER NOW!
Registration is in full swing! Join us in Edmonton for an exciting event, where Community Adult Learning Program (CALP) staff, volunteers, and stakeholders from across Alberta and beyond will come together for professional development, networking, sharing valuable resources in our field, and to connect with thought leaders.
See how we’re bringing the Community Adult Learning Program’s system together to illuminate new ideas and gain new skills to strengthen the programs that change adult Albertans' lives every day.
Attending Symposium 2026 provides you opportunities to learn, connect, and contribute in a vibrant community committed to “illuminating” the world of adult literacy and foundational learning.
Symposium Questions?
Please contact Tanis Harms, Symposium Lead, at pdevents@calp.ca
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Training for Instruction
Bitesize Learning:
Trauma-Informed Practice in CALP (Mar 11, 18, 25)
Two-Way Door: A Blended Approach to Online and In-Person Learning (Mar 30) New!
Re-Storying Literacy with Dr. Trudy Cardinal (Mar 31, Apr 7) New!
CAEC Outcomes Unbound: Moving from Curriculum to Transformation (Apr 1, 15)
Alberta Reading Benchmarks (May 26)
Training for New CALP Staff
Introduction to Adult Foundational Learning
- May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 11 (morning)
Training for CALP Management
Volunteer Tutor Masterclass (Mar 12, 19, 26)
CALP Database Learning Lab (May 12) (May 27) (June 17)
Take Time for Your Wellness
Wellness Lunch & Learn Series:
Join in the Conversations
CALP Community Talks About…AI (Mar 24)
What’s New in Adult Literacy: Sounds, symbols and reading (Mar 16)
Strategic Conversations Series:
- Our relationships with ourselves and others (Mar 23)
- Challenging systems and a desire for change (Apr 14)
- Celebrating success and bringing hope (May 13)
Professional Communities
North and West Connections Café (Apr 8) (June 9) New!
East Connections Café (Mar 17)
Central Connections Café (Apr 16) (June 9)
South Connections Café (Mar 31)
Calgary Learns Lunch’n Learns with Terri Peters
"Forms are the access to services and therefore, forms are the first barrier leading to poverty." Barry Knight Rethinking Poverty
CALP PD Success Pathways
Discover your own learning pathway. CLN has created a new set of PD planning tools designed to make your learning easier, smarter, and more personalized than ever. Assess your skills to access PD suggestions that are tailored to your skills and your CALP role.
Learn More
Looking for in‑person training on effective reading and writing instruction?
This spring, you can bring customized literacy training directly to your community. Gather a group of volunteers and staff from your organization—and invite nearby CALPs to join—to host an engaging, hands‑on learning experience tailored to your group. Contact Rebecca Still at literacy@calp.ca
CLN Board of Directors:
Call for Applications
Call for Applications
The CLN Board is currently recruiting Community Adult Learning Program Staff and/or CALP Board Members to join our team! Submissions are due by June 30th.
We’re looking for individuals who will bring their passion and their skills to the CLN Board.
If you are interested in learning more, please see the CLN Board Member Position Description or email board@calp.ca
(Note: A Portal sign-in is required to view the CLN Board Member Position Description)
Blog Backtrack:
Missed a post? We've got your back.
Missed a post? We've got your back.
Many Ask: What's the Difference Between First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples?
https://calp.ca/blog/many-ask-whats-the-difference-between-first-nations-metis-and-inuit-2026-02-20
Making CALP PD Work for You
https://calp.ca/blog/making-calp-pd-work-for-you-2026-02-23
The Power of Learners’ Voices
https://calp.ca/blog/the-power-of-learners-voices-2026-02-10
Strategic Conversations: Let’s Talk
https://calp.ca/blog/strategic-conversations-lets-talk-2025-11-07
Outstanding Contribution to Adult Learning Timeline
The CLN Board of Directors is pleased to announce we will be honouring the Outstanding Contribution to Adult Learning Award recipient at the Symposium on April 30, 2026. Begin thinking about who you want to nominate, as the deadline to submit nominations is March 20, 2026. You will want to look at the achievements of an individual or organization over the past year, between March 2025 – March 2026.
The nomination package is available now and can be accessed on the Portal. We will remind you over the coming months to submit your nomination prior to the March 20, 2026 deadline.
The CLN Board of Directors is looking forward to seeing all the great work being done in CALPs around the province.
Literacy in Action
On February 20th, 2026, we learned about the National Literacy Strategy, a coordinated plan to strengthen literacy in Canada. This will ensure that literacy is included in economic and social equity discussions. The strategy covers early childhood to seniors under five key pillars.
Expect to hear more throughout the year about this national movement.
This Month's Spotlight
Learners' Voices: Hear Their Stories
Adult learners are at the heart of every CALP. When we work with learners, we stay connected to our communities — we learn from them just as much as they learn from us. These connections make our organizations and communities stronger. CALP wouldn't exist without them.
At the 2025 Literacy & Learning Symposium, adult learners from across Alberta shared their stories — through videos, audio recordings, and written submissions — and the response was overwhelming. Now, a sampling of those voices is available for you to experience beyond Symposium.
We asked learners to share what learning at a CALP has meant to them.
Check out their responses here: https://calp.ca/about-us.html
Quote of the Day
Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.
- Walt Whitman