CALP Connections: February 2024

A Message from Stephanie Brown, Treasurer

During February, I hear people comment about how Valentine’s Day is so commercialized, and how it does not affect them because they are single. Here’s the thing, though - it does affect them. It affects how they view love with themselves, not just with those around them. 

One of the many ways to love is to cleanse oneself. Cleansing is for everyone, and wouldn’t you know... the word 'cleanse' is in the word, 'February!'

February comes from the Latin word 'februa,' “to cleanse.” In the Roman calendar, the month of Februarius was named 'Februalia,' a festival of purification and atonement during this period.(www.almanac.com)

Ways to include ‘februa; into your daily lives and classroom settings:

• Smudge your space – this is an ancient practice that is used to cleanse a space or person. You can use sage, cedar, sandalwood, mugwort, or other dried herbs that you may have on hand. Of course, not all spaces will allow for smudging due to allergies or policies not in place. We do it after hours when the space is not being used.
  
  
• Ringing of bells/windchimes/bowls – this has been constant in many of my learning spaces with CALP and CLN, and I do find them to be calming. Bringing them into literacy practice can also benefit the learner to become more present in their learning space. The bells help welcome a change in space and energy. The ring itself tells the learner that it’s time to shift into their learning space.
  
  
• Open a window – upon opening the window, set the intention for the air to cleanse your space. Visualize the negative and stagnant air leaving and being replaced with love and flow.

As CALP Practitioners, we must ensure we are cleansed and in the right mindset before any help can offered to an adult learner. This is your reminder!

Literacy and Learning Symposium 2024

Symposium 2024 Registration is now open!

Community Learning Network invites you to join us at Symposium 2024. It will be another year of extensive and relevant professional development opportunities along with connecting and networking time, as requested by you on your evaluations from our last Symposium.

Our theme for 2024 is:

The Power of Community

Here’s a quote that fits with our intent:

"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.”
- Margaret J. Wheatley

The dates are:
Tuesday, April 30th to Thursday, May 2nd – In-person at the DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton

CALP Community, are you ready to attend Symposium 2024? Here’s a glimpse of what to expect!

Registration

This year the registration fee is $175 per person and registration will be open until Friday, April 12th, 2024.

On the Agenda, to name only a few things, will be –

Opening & Closing Keynote Presenters

Todd Hirsch speaking on the topic, The Economics of Community
Dr. Karsten Mündel speaking on the topic, Generative Artificial Intelligence & Literacies: Intersections, Insights & Innovations

The return of the “Inspiration Playground”

Come discover the Inspiration Playground to be inspired – drop in and visit “Anywhere Anytown Alberta” for your coffee break and experience “the power of community”. Gather here for interactive moments, intriguing conversations, creative expression, resource showcases, self-care and some surprises. Come and go, explore, play, connect, have fun and release your imagination.

*NEW CALPx Talks

In the spirit of TED Talks, on our main stage we have curated our own independently organized event and we are calling it, “CALPx Talks”. This session will feature three, 15-minute speakers on thought-provoking topics including:

1. Brigid Hayes – Can Community-based Literacy Survive
2. Lisa Mort-Putland – Challenges and Opportunities Facing Volunteers and Volunteer-led organizations
3. Brad Kotowich – Leadership is an Attitude

And you can look forward to much, much more…

To find full details about the Symposium, just click on the "Symposium" tab from the CALP Portal's main navigation menu, or go to https://calp.ca/symposium/home/about-the-symposium.html 

And don’t forget to check out our Symposium Planning Tools and Hotel Booking information and more on the left sidebar.

Looking for an Adult Learner Speaker

The Symposium Planning Committee is currently taking recommendations for an Adult Learner Speaker at Symposium 2024. The presentation will be in-person at the Symposium Opening Ceremony on April 30th.

If you know an adult learner who would be interested in speaking about their learning journey within CALP, please CLICK HERE to find out how you can submit your recommendation.

The selected speaker will receive a $200 Honorarium, plus travel (if required)

Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 15th.

We hope you will plan to join us at Symposium 2024!

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities

Register now for these upcoming events!

Required Training

February 27 CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs - Online (3 weeks)

May 22 Introduction to Adult Foundational Learning - Online (5 weeks)

Additional Training

FEBRUARY:

February 20 Literacy Audits This is the fourth in the 4-session, Connecting to Community series which is an exploration of the voices, resources, perspectives, and strategies intended to strengthen your organization’s connections to community. It is through a well-connected network that learners can find their way to the services and supports they need, whether through direct programming at funded organizations or indirectly through coordinated knowledgeable referrals.

February 26 Creating Learning Partners (4 sessions) Learn to train your instructors, tutors, and/or volunteers to understand and work with adult literacy learners and support foundational learning. No facilitation experience required.

MARCH:

March 6 Never Fail Writing Method (3 weeks) Gain confidence in giving meaningful feedback to learners so they are inspired to keep writing. Put away the red pen and harness the bravery and enthusiasm in the room. Join Kate Nonesuch who will share a unique method for teaching writing that is based in positive feedback.

March 14-15 Psychological First Aid (Vulcan) IN-PERSON In this 2-day workshop, develop a personal understanding of the effects of stress, loss, trauma and grief on others, with emphasis on self-care and personal protection.

March 18 Skills for Learning Panel Listen in to our panel of CALP staff from across Alberta to hear about practical and learner-centred strategies and ideas for providing Skills for Learning instruction to foundational learners.  

March 19 Adult Literacy & Learning (A.L.L) in Family Literacy Programs (2 weeks) This training builds on the themes from CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs. It focuses on how to deliver fun and engaging family literacy programs that emphasize adult foundational learning as part of an intergenerational approach to learning.  

March 21 The Best of Both Worlds: Virtual and hybrid programming that feels like in-person Bring the best of in-person learning together with online learning and create engaging, relevant and accessible learning environments for adult foundational learners.

March 21 Inside Out: A curious conversation about trauma-informed approaches from the inside out (2 weeks) Unlock the mysteries of the mind and uncover the transformative power of trauma-informed approaches for shaping safe and supportive learning environments.

March 25-26 Psychological First Aid (Edmonton) IN-PERSON In this 2-day workshop, develop a personal understanding of the effects of stress, loss, trauma and grief on others, with emphasis on self-care and personal protection.

APRIL:

April 2 Assessing Reading using Readforward (3 weeks) Explore why, when and how to assess reading skills with hands-on opportunities to use the Readforward assessment tool. 

April 3 Writing Out Loud (2 weeks) Discover this literacy development approach that is based in supportive personal story-telling through writing.

April 4 Volunteer Tutor Masterclass (3 weeks) Whether you are just starting out or have a robust volunteer tutor program, this Masterclass will explore the value of volunteers, recruiting, engaging, and retaining them, innovative practices, possibility thinking and so much more. 

MAY:

May 15-16 Psychological First Aid (Consort) IN-PERSON In this 2-day workshop, develop a personal understanding of the effects of stress, loss, trauma and grief on others, with emphasis on self-care and personal protection.

Communities of Practice

Join your peers in informal online discussions facilitated by CLN staff. Grab a coffee, bring a question, share a success or challenge, and settle in for five minutes or all sixty.

February 13 Holding Safer Spaces Open Circle with Heather Plett – Vulnerability and Courage Come hear Heather’s latest reflections from her new book “Where Tenderness Lives”

February 16, April 4 Ask Us Anything About Metis & Indigenous Worldview

February 20, April 10 Literacy Practitioners Share, Learn, Grow

Feb 29 - CALP Community Talks About...Talking to your MLA SAVE THE DATE!

April 9 Holding Safer Spaces Open Circle - Anatomy of Trust

Regional Connections Cafes

North Region - Feb 28, Mar 18

East Region - Feb 21

West Region - Feb 21, Mar 18

Central Region - Feb 13

South Region - Feb 21

Don't miss out!

Events are periodically added to the CALP Portal Training & Events calendar. Be sure to check the calendar regularly to see what is coming up!

Never Fail Writing Method Pilot - Expression of Interest

In our November newsletter, we let you know about a new Never Fail Writing Method e-learning project. This collaboration with Kate Nonesuch will make Kate’s unique approach to teaching writing accessible to literacy tutors and instructors anytime, on-demand through the CALP Portal!   

We are looking for volunteers to test the e-learning and give us feedback before we officially launch it in June 2024.  

Pilot participants will work through the e-learning at their own pace from March 26 - April 9, 2024 and provide specific feedback on their experience with us. If you volunteer for the pilot you will: 

• Have access to the Never Fail Writing Method instructional e-learning before it is made public  
• Contribute to expanding the professional development materials for adult literacy staff, instructors and volunteers 
• Get to meet Kate Nonesuch in an online Q&A session following the pilot to hear more and ask your own questions about what you learned from the e-learning.  

If you are interested in participating in this pilot and would like more information, submit your expression of interest before March 5, 2024.

Questions can be directed to Corrie Rhyasen Erdman training@calp.ca.   

Literacy in Action

In last month's Literacy in Action, I shared information about literacy in British Columbia. This month we’ll travel across the country to Ontario!

If you were to move to Ontario and wanted to connect with a literacy program, it would most likely be a Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) program that helps adults with literacy, numeracy and digital skills. The LBS program, which has been around since 1997, could be connected to a community-based organization, a school board or a college that provides services for assessment, learner plan development, training (for the learner) and follow-up.

You would serve adults who are 18+ and whose literacy skills are below Level 3 on the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework competencies in the following areas:

• finding and using information
• communicating ideas and information
• understanding and using numbers

You would use the above framework to clearly define the learner’s goals and a plan to achieve those goals.

You would also follow the guidelines on program delivery, administration, and performance management as outlined by your funder, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to provide quality services. If you were a community-based organization, you would receive training, resource development and support from Community Literacy of Ontario.

But, most of all, you would find great people to work with and develop wonderful relationships with those you serve just as you do here in Alberta.

Learn all about Literacy and Basics Skills (LBS) here.

You can find more information about Community Literacy of Ontario and the community agencies they support here.

Free Skills Evaluation Opportunity: BVC Skills for Success

The following message is posted on behalf of Bow Valley College.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity! The Skills for Success project is focusing on Evaluation – Validation delivery at this stage of the project’s piloting phase. If you are interested in offering the free skills evaluation that measures reading, writing, numeracy and digital skills to your employees, learners, or clients, contact sfs@bowvalleycollege.ca to learn more. Your organization and your participants will receive funding as a thank you for your time and contributions to the project.

By participating, your participants will learn about their Skills for Success strengths and areas of improvement. Strong foundational skills have a significant impact on workplace performance and success. The project is piloting the skills evaluation in a national effort to better equip today’s Adult Canadian learner and worker for the workplace and in their learning pathways. We hope you’ll join BVC and other project partners across Canada in this effort by presenting this opportunity to your clients. We hope to hear from you! 

This Month's Spotlight

The World Day of Social Justice, observed on February 20th, serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to address societal inequalities and promote a world where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. Social justice refers to, "Fairness in society which includes healthcare, employment, housing, and more. Over the years, it has started applying to all aspects of society, including race and gender." (source)  One important piece of this pursuit is the intersection between social justice and adult literacy. 

Adult literacy plays a role in social justice by empowering individuals to access education, employment, and healthcare, by effectively breaking down barriers . By recognizing this connection, we can work toward every person having the opportunity to gain the necessary skills for full and meaningful participation in their everyday life.