On any given day in the many CALP organizations across the province, there are extraordinary and outstanding stories of learning unfolding. Some stories are short while other stories are a work in progress. One thing is for sure, we all have a story to tell, and by telling our stories we learn, connect and contribute to each other.

Part of the CLN’s commitment to community-based adult learning and literacy in Alberta involves the recognition of exceptional individuals and/or organizations who have made an outstanding contribution to our field. The Outstanding Contribution to Community Adult Learning Award is presented to those individuals and/or organizations who have met the following criteria:

• Shown leadership in the adult learning field
• Inspired their CALP or community to advance lifelong learning
• Increased capacity in their organization and/or community to better meet the foundational learning needs of adult Albertans

If you know of someone in a CALP-funded organization, or a CALP-funded organization that meets this criteria, and you want us all to hear their story, the CLN Board of Directors would love for you to nominate them for this award. Just fill out and submit the nomination form, with letters of support, that you can find on the CALP Portal at https://calp.ca/forum/?discussion=5948&group=1 (member login required).

The CLN Board of Directors is also repeating our call for nominees to join the Board. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain valuable experience, meet new people, and have a role guiding and supporting the direction of the Community Learning Network. You can download a Board Member Position Description and an Application form for the CLN Board at https://calp.ca/forum/?collection=105 (CALP Portal login required). If you have questions or require more information, please contact Doray Veno, Chairperson, at doray.veno@hannalearning.com. Completed nomination forms can be submitted to board@calp.ca.

Colleen Thiessen
Executive Director, Wetaskiwin Community Learning Program
Director, Community Learning Network

2019 Spring Regional Meetings

Just a reminder to register soon for your Regional Meeting.  

Registration for Regional Meetings is posted on the CALP Portal "Trainings and Events" calendar. You can also click on the links below to go directly to the registration page for your meeting.

Regional meetings are an excellent way to network with others in your region, learn more about PD and training available in your region and provincially, and to hear the latest news from CLN.

East-Central: April 4, St. Paul. Registration is now closed, but if you missed the deadline, please contact Val Rathjen at east@calp.ca as soon as possible.

South: April 9, Lethbridge. Register here. Deadline to RSVP is today! (April 2). 

West-Central (Yellowhead Region): April 16, Edson. Register here. Deadline to RSVP is today! (April 2).

North: April 25, Grande Prairie. Register here. Deadline to RSVP is April 16.

Central: April 30, Big Valley. Register here.  Deadline to RSVP is April 17.

Regional Support Staff will send out more detailed information for the meetings to all registered attendees.

CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs - Registration for Pilots Now Open!

We are very excited to announce that registration is now open for the pilots of the new "CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs" training for CALP-funded family literacy practitioners.

Are you a new family literacy practitioner in a CALP-funded program? Or are you a trained family literacy practitioner who is curious about how family literacy programming can reach adult foundational learners while supporting learning for the whole family? In this participatory training, CALP-funded staff will learn what family literacy programming is, why it is well suited to the needs of adult foundational learners and their families, and which practices support effective CALP-funded family literacy programs. To support your program in aligning to the CALP Guidelines, you will also gain an understanding of the programming requirements for family literacy programs as outlined in the CALP Guidelines.

May 2 – Calgary. Register here. Deadline to register is April 18.

May 9 – Grande Prairie. Register here. Deadline to register is April 26.

May 16 – Medicine Hat. Register here. Deadline to register is May 2.

May 23 - Stettler. Register here. Deadline to register is May 10.

May 28 – Edmonton. Register here. Deadline to register is May 14.

These training events are part of the development and piloting process for this new curriculum.

When you register as a participant in one of the pilots, there is:

• no registration cost to you to attend this training
• some pre-training reading
• an expectation that you will take 30 minutes to share your feedback on what was useful and what needs to be improved in the training

Please note that, due to high interest and demand for this training, there will be a limit of 2 participants from any single CALP-funded organization for the piloting of the new curriculum.

If you have any questions please contact Corrie Rhyasen Erdman, CLN Training Manager at training@calp.ca or 780-968-2868.

CLN Board of Directors: Call for Applications

The CLN Board is currently recruiting Community Adult Learning Program Staff and/or Board Members to join our team.

We’re looking for individuals who will bring their passion and their skills to the CLN Board, and help advance our vision, where,

“Community Adult Learning Programs are the hub for adult learning in every community.”

If you are interested in learning more, please see the CLN Board Recruitment package on the CALP Portal (member login required) or email board@calp.ca.

The CLN Membership will elect our Board for 2019-20 at our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, September 24th, 2019, at the Literacy and Learning Symposium in Edmonton.

Call for Nominations: 2019 Alberta Literacy and Learning Awards

Outstanding Contribution to Community Adult Learning Award

Each year, the CLN Board of Directors recognizes the achievements and dedication to community-based adult learning by presenting the Outstanding Contribution to Community Adult Learning Award at the Literacy and Learning Symposium.

The award is open to CALP-funded organizations, employees and board members. If you know of a CALP who has been exceptional throughout the 2018-19 year, please submit a nomination.

You can find the Award guidelines and the nomination package by clicking here.

You can send your nomination to board@calp.ca.

The deadline to submit a nomination package is June 30, 2019.

2018 Winners of The Outstanding Contribution to Community Adult Learning Award:

Left to right: Monica Sczyrba-Davis, Lucille Provost and Annie Steward from Pincher Creek Community Adult Learning Program.

Left to right: Kelsey Lievers, A.B.L.E. Medicine Hat presents the award to Sharon Mickey of LEARN Medicine Hat.

Ruth Hayden Family Literacy Practitioner Award

The Centre for Family Literacy established the Ruth Hayden Family Literacy Practitioner Award to recognize accomplished individual practitioners and the family literacy field as a whole. This award is presented annually to an individual who has excelled in the field of family literacy, maintained a high quality of service to participants and the community, and shown a commitment to their own learning.

You can download the information package and nomination criteria here.

To submit a nomination, email: info@famlit.ca with the subject line “Attention Ruth Hayden Award Committee”
or mail to: Centre for Family Literacy, 11642 142 Street, Edmonton AB T5M 1V4

Please submit nominations by 4:30 on September 6, 2019.

2018 Winner of the Ruth Hayden Family Literacy Practitioner Award

Left to right: Kim Chung from the Centre for Family Literacy with award winner Monique Sedlar, Rocky Community Learning Centre.

Council of the Federation Literacy Award

The Council of the Federation Literacy Award was established by Canada's Premiers in 2004, to recognize outstanding achievement, innovative practice and excellence in literacy. The awards are presented annually, in each province and territory, to celebrate the excellence of educators, volunteers, learners, community organizations and businesses in many areas, including family, Aboriginal, health, workplace and community literacy.

Nominations for the Council of the Federation Literacy Award in Alberta will be open soon. Watch the CALP Portal for the information and nomination package in the coming weeks!

Bursary available for CALP-funded Board Members for Literacy and Learning Symposium 2019

New this year! CLN is pleased to offer a limited number of bursaries for Board Members of CALP-funded programs or organizations to attend the Literacy & Learning Symposium 2019. The Board Bursary includes:

• Full Symposium Registration Fee (Value: $175.00) Registration includes one ticket to attend the Literacy & Learning Symposium Awards Banquet on Thursday evening
  Note: The bursary does not include travel and/or accommodation expenses.

For more information on how to apply, please click here. 

The 2019 Literacy and Learning Symposium is Tuesday, September 24th to Friday, September 27th at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel West Edmonton. It will be another year of extensive and stimulating PD and training, with a lot of much needed networking time, as requested by you on your evaluations from last year's Symposium. For more information please click here. 

National Volunteer Week 2019

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is a great time to recognize and show appreciation to the amazing volunteers in your community. 

This year NVW 2019 will be taking place April 7-13, 2019. This year’s theme is ‘The Volunteer Factor – Lifting Communities’. 

Every April, Volunteer Canada leads in celebrating NVW. Volunteer Canada shares incredible tools and resources and a campaign kit each year that you can use to celebrate. You might also be interested in the 2013 Volunteer Recognition Study; find out more about how to recognize volunteers in the best way possible.