Greetings from the Chair

Inspiring Leadership: Dare to care

As I prepared to write the Welcome Message for our November newsletter, I came across an article, Inspiring Leadership: Dare to Care. Well, that title sparked my interest! I would like to share some of the key messages from the article and encourage you to take five minutes to read the entire article.

The following information is taken from Charity Village - Village Vibes Issue 23.44 (https://charityvillage.com/cms/content/topic/inspiring_leadership_dare_to_care#.W9iQ0pNKjcc). “To be an inspiring leader, you have to care. And, just as importantly, you have to demonstrate that you care. You have to show it. And you have to show it in a number of different areas in order to be truly inspiring. And although I give this advice to leaders in every sector, caring is fundamental to our work in the nonprofit sector. If you don't care, no one else will either. CARING is the MOST important thing you need to do to be an inspiring leader. If you don't do this, all of the other approaches and techniques won't matter.”

I have definitely taken the first step, or more like jumped in with both feet. I care! I care for the CLN members, staff, directors, funders and the CALP system.

Chairing this amazing organization is truly an honour for me. Thank you to immediate Past Chair, Karen Plourde, for her passionate leadership of the CLN, and to all the past board members who worked together to govern this successful organization. As I take the role as the new Chair, I plan to support the mission of the CLN and to continue its legacy with spirit and enthusiasm.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our newest Director:

Georgina Supernault from Manning Community Adult Learning & Literacy Council

And I would like to thank all returning Board Members:

Jana Thomson, Vice Chair from Rocky Learning Centre
Jackie Seely, Treasurer from Newell Further Education
Lois Polege, Secretary from Flagstaff Community Adult Learning
Lil Radley, Director from Read On Adult Literacy Program (Lethbridge Public Library)
Colleen Thiessen, Director from Wetaskiwin Community Learning Program

Thank you to each and every one of you who “Dare to Care”.

Doray Veno
Chair, CLN Board

Executive Director's Message

CLN Operational Update

Fall is certainly in full swing as evidenced by the length of our newsletter this month!

In particular, we want to extend our thanks to everyone who completed the Family Literacy survey launched in September. Your feedback and input will be shared at an upcoming meeting of the Family Literacy Working Group. This group will lead a conversation regarding the development of a new required training for Family Literacy staff members. Members of this group represent CALP staff, Family Literacy Trainers, AE Grant Management Staff, curriculum specialists and current professional development providers. Work on this project will take place over the next several months culminating in pilot workshops delivered in May 2019. We look forward to sharing progress reports with you in the months to come.

Want to know more about the Family Literacy Required Training project or CLN’s two other initiatives featured in this edition (Symposium 2019 Call for Presenters and CALP Professional Development Projects, Call for Applications 2018-2020)? Please feel free to reach out to me by email at ed@calp.ca or call 1-877-485-4926.

Call for Applications: CALP PD Resource Development

The Community Learning Network is excited to launch this Call for Applications for the development of CALP Professional Development projects for the benefit of Alberta and Albertans!

Alberta Advanced Education is investing up to $300,000 into the development of training programs, e-learning, curriculum, resource, or innovative methodology, to be made available to the entire CALP system, to address Professional Development needs.

The CALP Professional Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) has identified the following priority areas, for the Resource Development stream of the CALP PD Grant:

• Build expertise in Adult Literacy among CALP practitioners, in areas such as:
  
  • Embedding literacy in programming.
  • Understanding foundational learners, and how their individual contexts affect their literacy learning.
  • Adapting literacy program strategies to meet specific needs of learners’ individual contexts.
  • Exploring the needs of Alberta communities and developing an understanding of how literacy connects to those needs (for example, how poverty connects to literacy).
• Effective governance and administration that supports the planning and delivery of outstanding literacy and foundational CALP programs.

• Family Literacy as a mode of delivery of adult literacy and foundational learning in the CALP context, with specific attention to the Adult Literacy category of the CALP Guidelines.

This Call for Applications will include 2 stages:

• Submission of Concept Papers, for review, ranking and funding recommendations by members of PDAC
• Full Applications: In consideration of the recommendations from PDAC, the CALP Professional Development Guidelines and CLN’s grant agreement with Advanced Education, CLN will invite applicants to submit full applications for projects.

Details of the process and review criteria for Concept Papers and Full Applications are publically available on the CALP Portal at https://calp.ca/resources/call-for-applications-pd-resource-development.

Concept papers will be accepted by CLN at proposals@calp.ca until 12:00 p.m. (noon) on November 30, 2018.

Call for Presenters: Literacy and Learning Symposium 2019

It's that time already! The Literacy and Learning Symposium Planning Committee is now accepting proposals for sessions at Symposium 2019.

We are working to build a comprehensive, interactive schedule for sessions and presentations from September 24th to 27th, 2019, between 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. The conference program will be a combination of full-day, half-day and 80-90 minute breakout sessions.

Symposium threads will include: 

Literacy and Foundational Learning  

• Adult Literacy
• Basic Digital Skills
• English Language Learning
• Essential Skills
• Foundational Learners and Learning
• Foundational Life Skills
• Numeracy

CALP Programs and Activities

• Community Capacity Building
• Family Literacy for CALPs
• Financial Literacy
• Learner Support Services
• Learning Activities
• Newcomer Supports for English Language Learners
• Tutoring for English Language Learners (ELL)
• Tutoring in Literacy and Foundational Learning (LFL)
• Workplace Literacy

CALP Staff and Volunteer Development

• Board Development
• Coaching & Modeling Strategies
• Digital Technology, Tools and Resources
• Facilitation Skills and/or Instructional Strategies
• Inclusion, Diversity and Safer Spaces
• Indigenous, Metis and/or Inuit Learning and Learners
• Learner-centred Assessment
• Learning Disabilities
• Trauma-Informed Practices, Mental Health & Learning
• Tutor Training

Operations/Management

• Budgeting & Finances
• Community Partnerships and Engagement
• Human Resources
• Marketing and Social Media
• Regional Stewardship and Post-Secondary Connections
• Succession Planning
• Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

To be considered, sessions must be interactive learning formats and must have clear learning objectives. Session participants should walk away with knowledge of a tool, strategy or tactic that will enhance their ability to support learners. Participants should also come away from these sessions with a clear understanding of the relevance of the session topic to their work, as well as information on how and where to access additional resources and supports.

Presenters will be asked to answer three questions to identify the session's learning objectives:

• What will the participant learn?
• What will the participant do during the session?
• What will the participant take away?

The answers you provide will be included in the published program information to help our Symposium delegates choose the sessions that will meet their individual professional learning needs.

You can find all the details about how to submit a proposal on the Symposium's Call for Presenters page on the CALP Portal.

To submit your proposal, please complete the form at:https://calp.ca/profile/call-for-presenters-literacy-and-learning-symposium-2019.htm

 Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, December 4, 2018 at 4:30 pm.

If you have any questions please contact:
Odette Lloyd, Communications Specialist, Community Learning Network
Email: news@calp.ca
Phone: 780-485-4926

Please help circulate the Call for Presenters within your networks!

And remember to SAVE THE DATES!
Literacy & Learning Symposium
September 24-27, 2019
DoubleTree by Hilton, Edmonton

Culture of Collaboration

The Culture of Collaboration initiative, funded by the Government of Alberta, developed in response to the growing recognition that community dialogue is a valuable tool to increase awareness, identify local learning needs, foster new and existing partnerships, and a way to support CALP grant activities with engaging and mapping your communities. It is also a great way to process a learning needs assessment.

Any CALP and Granting Council recipient can apply for funding at any point throughout the year. Allow a minimum of 6 weeks for CLN  to review your application and approve financial support for each successful application (applies for both new and follow-up events). Other kinds of support from CLN are tailored to your specific needs, and the needs of your community. These may include:

• Tools, templates and guidelines to help engage a broad cross-section of the area you serve in a meaningful dialogue that best suits the needs of your community
• Mentoring for effective dialogue facilitation
• Coaching on event planning and logistics for a successful event

For more in depth information please go to https://calp.ca/resources/culture-of-collaboration-information-package.htm.

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Online Training

NorQuest College is hosting online training this month on the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy resources that were developed recently. 

You may attend as many of the training sessions as you are able. It is not necessary to attend all training sessions as some may not be beneficial to your role.

Thursday, November 15, 9:30 am to 12 pm  
How to use the Initial Numeracy Assessment

This training would be most beneficial for CALP staff and literacy or numeracy coordinators as you are the first contact of learners. Numeracy tutors may find it beneficial as well. To prepare for the training please download and complete the Initial Numeracy Assessment and have it with you.

Thursday, November 22, 9:30 am to 12 pm  
Numeracy how to use the modules as well as quizzes and tests

This training will be most beneficial for CALP staff, Literacy or Numeracy Coordinators and Numeracy Tutors.  For training purposes the focus will be on the decimals module. Please download the Decimals facilitator module and Assessments. Also please install a QR code reader program to your phone or tablet.

Thursday, November 29, 9:30 am to 12 pm
Literacy how to use the modules with the focus on skill development

This Training would be most beneficial for CALP staff, Literacy Coordinators and Literacy Tutors. For training purposes the focus will be on Module 1: Voting. Please download the Voting Facilitator guide and have a copy with you. Also please install a QR code reader program to your phone or tablet.

More training sessions may be available in the new year depending on demand.
To register for sessions please email Glen McCalpin glen.mccalpin@norquest.ca.

For more information on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy resources, be sre to read Glen McCalpin's recent blog: 
https://calp.ca/blog/foundational-literacy-and-numeracy-resources-and-training-for-calps.htm

Money Matters - Financial Literacy Month and Webinar

November is Financial Literacy Month! This year's theme is "Invest in your financial well-being". This month Money Matters workshops will take place across Canada to encourage people to invest in themselves by taking control of their finances to create a better future for themselves. 

You can watch their latest Money Matters video, or to find out more about Money Matters or to sign up to host a workshop visit ABCMoneyMatters.ca.

Money Matters Webinar

Also, in January you can join ABC Life Literacy Canada for a practical webinar about how numeracy skills are embedded in Money Matters, their suite of free financial literacy programs for adults. Your ABC Senior Programs Coordinator will walk you through the program and workshop materials, highlighting activities that employ foundational learning and can serve as a base to explore other relevant numeracy skills. They will discuss how you can use already created, accessible materials as a jumping-off point for more learning. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A period. The webinar is geared toward CALPs and will be co-hosted by CLN. The Webinar will be on Tuesday, January 29th from 1 pm to 2:30 pm. 

To register please go to https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/602852724243889410.

Review the Updated Essential Skills/Canadian Language Benchmark Comparative Framework

Relating Canadian Language Benchmarks to Essential Skills: A Comparative Framework (CF) was produced in 2005 for the purpose of bringing together the communicative abilities described in the Essential Skills (ES) and the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). It was designed from the perspective of Essential Skills, with the focus on illustrating how CLB levels lined up with ES tasks and descriptors.

A second resource was introduced because instructors working with learners at CLB Stage I were interested in finding ways to incorporate Essential Skills principles into their classroom activities. This foundational framework was introduced as the Essential Skills Primer: CLB Stage I.

The Comparative Framework and Essential Skills Primer have been in use for more than a decade, during which time revisions have been made to the Canadian Language Benchmarks document. If you would like to review the updated version of the Framework and provide feedback, you can request a copy by visiting  CLB-ES Comparative Framework.