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 What an exciting time of year! Summer is just around the corner and many of us are looking forward to some much-deserved vacation time. Just before we embark on our summer adventures, I want to take a moment to thank each CALP and their staff for continually rising to the challenges of the world we live in. It hasn’t been easy to constantly adapt and pivot the way we do business; however, each of you has done an exceptional job of serving the learners in your community.
It has been said that consistency and persistence are two of the main components required to build a strong team. As a team, the CLN Board of Directors has continued to build on the strong relationship we have with Minister Nicolaides and his staff at Advanced Education. As you know, CALPs fall under the Foundational Learning and Skills Development unit of Advanced Education, and there was a reorganization during this past grant term. Just recently we have been introduced to some new team members who will be our primary contacts, and on behalf of the CLN Board of Directors, I want to officially welcome Brian Yaeck and Pratima Lobin to team CALP! Having these two new team members will provide consistency to CLN staff and the CALP system, and I know both Brian and Pratima will soon find out just how persistent we can be! If you haven’t already done so, reach out and say hello.
The CLN staff have done a great job of consistently reaching out and making themselves available to CALPs. The quality and availability of professional development opportunities that have been available virtually, and in-person, have enabled CALPs to build strong teams of staff who are both knowledgeable and persistent with learners. I encourage you to start thinking about the professional development opportunities you will be part of in the fall, and if there is something you feel is missing that would be valuable training for CALPs, please reach out to your CLN regional support staff.
The poet John Keats once wrote, “Impossible is for the unwilling.” Over the past 10 years, I have been in the CALP system, I can honestly say that nothing is impossible because I have consistently seen the CLN staff and CALPs find unique and creative ways to thrive. When I read that quote, I see possible is for the willing, and that is how I see the Community Learning Network and Community Adult Learning Programs working together: a strong team filled with consistency and persistence, working together, willing to do whatever it takes to make learning possible.
Enjoy your summer!
Colleen Thiessen
Chairperson, CLN Board of Directors
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National Indigenous History Month
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June is National Indigenous History Month.
During this month, we take time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Canada.
For more information on National Indigenous History Month, you can visit:
And be sure to mark your calendar for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st!
CALP PD Opportunities
Ask Us Anything about Indigenous and Metis World Views - June 14th
As CLN honours this month, we invite you to join Lori St.Cyr, CLN Metis and Indigenous Liaison, and Georgina Supernault from Manning Community Adult Learning and Literacy for this online "Ask Us Anything" session. Intended to draw on the wisdom and experience in the 'virtual' room this Ask Us Anything session will focus on an Indigenous and Metis World View, and we encourage you to join us to connect, share and network. Register online at https://calp.ca/events/ask-us-anything-about-metis-and-indigenous-worldview-june-2022.htm.
Engaging with Indigenous Learners - Old Sun Community College (in-person) June 15-16
Learn about local, regional, and national issues of relevance to adult Indigenous learners to help you create a supportive and welcoming learning experience for Indigenous learners in your community. Connect with and build relationships with community members from your local First Nations Colleges/University. Registration is open on the CALP Portal at https://calp.ca/events/engaging-with-indigenous-learners-old-sun-june-2022.htm
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Team CLN Welcomes Alessandro Bilotta
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 The CLN is pleased to introduce you to a new member of our team. Please join us in welcoming Alessandro Bilotta, who started with Team CLN in May. Alessandro has taken on the role of Program Support, and is based out of the provincial office in Edmonton.
Alessandro graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology, and brings a broad range of experience and skills. He has worked as a Program Supervisor & Youth Support Worker, as well as with Advanced Education as a Learning Clicks Ambassador. Alessandro is very comfortable with technology & problem-solving. He is outgoing, has an eye for design, and is ready to bring his skills and experience to the CLN team, and to the CALP System.
Alessandro can be reached at office@calp.ca, or by phone at the provincial office at 1-877-485-4926 ext. 2.
Welcome aboard, Alex!
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2022 - 2023 CLN Membership Renewal
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CLN membership renewal will be sent out by direct email to the Senior Staff person at each CALP during the week of June 6th.
Watch your email next week for the link to complete your CALP's renewal. You can get a head start by reviewing and updating your CALP's information in the Portal's online directory at https://calp.ca/find-a-calp-near-you.html.
To keep your membership in good standing, all we ask is that you confirm a few details about your CALP and provide up-to-date contact information for key staff.
A few things to keep in mind before you receive and fill out the renewal:
- If your organization receives a CALP grant directly from Alberta Advanced Education, you are automatically a member of the Community Learning Network
- There are NO membership fees or dues to pay
- Our membership year is aligned to the CALP grant cycle, from July 1st to June 30th
Renewing your CALP's membership helps us ensure our records are current, so we can continue to keep you up to date about training and networking opportunities, new resources and supports, and other CALP news from across the province.
The deadline to complete your membership renewal is Friday, June 24th.
If you have any questions, or if your CALP has not received the Membership Renewal form by June 9th, please contact Odette Lloyd at news@calp.ca or call the provincial office at 1-877-485-4626.
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CALP System Survey from Advanced Education
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The Foundational Learning Supports and Skills Development Unit in Alberta Advanced Education is undertaking a survey for the Community Adult Learning Program (CALP). The purpose of the survey is to determine if the CALP system is sufficiently funded to meet the current needs of the community and to analyze what would be needed to further expand CALP to address gaps and unmet needs.
Community Learning Network (CLN) is coordinating the hiring of a contractor to design a survey, collect responses, and summarize and analyze the results. The survey results will be shared with Advanced Education to inform future program development and improvement.
As the survey will likely not be ready to be conducted until July when many CALP providers are closed for the summer, please provide a contact for your organization in this link for an email or phone number that will be monitored by someone in your organization in order to provide important information about CALP in your community: https://calp.ca/submissions/calp-sytem-survey-by-advanced-education
This survey is an opportunity to hear from you and inform how CALP can be improved for the Albertans you support in the future. Time and resources permitting, you may also be contacted to participate in a discussion as part of this survey.
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Annual CALP PD Survey: Deadline June 10th
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Don't miss your chance to win one of seven gift cards for your organization! One gift card will be awarded in each of the regions (North, East-Central, Central, West-Central, South, Calgary, and Edmonton).
If you accessed CALP-funded professional development services or supports from the Community Learning Network, Calgary Learns, ECALA and/or Rural Routes, in the 2021-22 year, please take a few minutes to complete this survey. This survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete.
Your anonymous input helps us measure the impact of the work we do to support you in your role, and is one of the ways you can contribute to actively shaping the CALP system.
This survey is a joint initiative, and has been distributed by several organizations are distributing the survey, so you might have received the link more than once. Please take the survey only once.
We encourage everyone on your team who has access PD in the last year to complete the survey, regardless of their role within your organization. We want to hear from all staff, instructors, leaders, and volunteers who are accessing the CALP Professional Development system. To help us collect a wide range of responses and reach potential participants, please distribute this survey widely within your organization.
This survey will stay open until June 10, 2022.
This survey is administered through NorQuest College. All data collected through this survey is anonymous and is not linked to your e-mail or your organization.
After completing this survey, you will have a chance to enter a draw to win one of seven Chapters gift cards valued at $75 for your organization.
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Upcoming Training Opportunities - September 2022
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Registration will open for September and October training events on August 22nd. Here are some of the events you can look forward to in September 2022:
CALP Guidelines 101
This introductory workshop demystifies the CALP Guidelines to give you clear information about CALP programming, operational and financial requirements. With a strong understanding of the CALP Guidelines and requirements, your CALP will be well-positioned to make the greatest impact in the lives of adult learners in your community. CALP Guidelines 101 is an introductory workshop for new CALP staff, board members and staff looking for a refresher in the CALP Guidelines.
Tech Talk
This online training will provide opportunities for CALP staff to gain the understanding they need to be flexible and adaptable when training others in technology. Three interactive online sessions will provide tools that CALP staff can use to encourage learners to identify common concepts, structures and navigational methods, rather than a “step-by-step, how-to approach”.
Introduction to Adult Foundational Learning
This online training aligns with the Government of Alberta Community Adult Learning Program (CALP) Guidelines, and is intended to give CALP-funded practitioners fundamental knowledge for supporting adult foundational learners in communities across Alberta. Introduction to Adult Foundational Learning takes a hands-on approach to exploring strategies for creating meaningful learning experiences for adults in CALP-funded programs. Participants will come away with practical strategies and resources to start using right away. This is a required training for CALP-funded staff.
CALP Essentials for Family Literacy Programs
Are you a new family literacy practitioner in a CALP-funded program? Are you curious about how family literacy programming can reach adult foundational learners while supporting learning for the whole family? In this participatory online training, CALP-funded staff will learn what family literacy programming is, how well suited it is 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. This is a required training for CALP-funded family literacy program staff.
Adult Literacy and Learning (ALL) in Family Literacy Programs
As Family Literacy Coordinators and Facilitators, we want to ensure our programs are welcoming places for parents as learners – to build their confidence as their child’s first teacher and to enhance their own foundational skills and practices.
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Literacy and Learning Symposium 2023
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Reminder: The next Symposium will be held in May 2023
Usually, in our June newsletter, we remind you that Symposium registration is open, but not this year.
As we communicated in the February CALP Connections newsletter, the next Literacy and Learning Symposium will be held in the spring of 2023.
With this extra time added to our Symposium 2023 planning cycle, we are delighted to be able to think beyond the box, to explore, re-invent and re-design new ways to deliver a high quality, accessible and affordable provincial professional development and networking event.
As we plan for the next Symposium, your input will be critical! You might recall that in February we opened the conversation by asking for your thoughts about CLN events, at that point in time, through a quick survey. The survey asked about events in general, about regional meetings and gatherings, about the Symposium, and about your priorities, and what you hoped to gain from taking part or attending. That survey was just a snapshot in time, to let us know what your thoughts and feelings were then.
That was certainly not the end of the conversation – we plan to keep in touch with another “pulse check” survey in August before we start our focused Symposium 2023 planning.
In the meantime, if you would like to share additional thoughts, or keynote speaker/presenter ideas, or if you have any questions, please contact Pat Halewich, Symposium Lead, at pdevents@calp.ca
Thank you in advance for your input and feedback!
Wishing you a wonderful summer and a chance to relax and refresh!
Symposium Planning Committee
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CLN Board of Directors: Call for Applications
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The CLN Board is currently recruiting Community Adult Learning Program Staff and/or CALP Board Members to join our team.  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.
CLN Board Nomination Application Form (PDF)
The CLN Membership will elect our Board for 2022-23 at our virtual Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022.
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PDAC Membership: Expression of Interest
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 On behalf of Alberta Advanced Education, Community Learning Network is seeking staff and/or board members of CALP-funded organizations to complete and submit the attached Expression of Interest to be considered for membership on the CALP Professional Development Advisory Committee (PDAC). Membership is for a two-year term, with one meeting held in person (October) and two meetings held online (February and May). PDAC has greatly appreciated and benefited from the unique regional perspectives of CALP staff who have participated in the committee, and looks forward to continuing conversations to strengthen CALP professional development in the province.
Committee Purpose: PDAC provides a formal, ongoing platform for stakeholders involved in the development and/or delivery of literacy and foundational learning to come together to share perspectives and information on the professional development (PD) needs of the CALP system, the effectiveness of current system investments to meet those needs, and to provide advice to Alberta Advanced Education on priorities that could advance the CALP system vision.
Alberta Advanced Education will determine membership to ensure broad-based representation from across the system with the following perspectives:
- Experience in the delivery of Literacy and Foundational Learning, including a range of modes of delivery
- Understanding of CALP PD needs
- Ability to provide strategic provincial and regional perspectives
- Ability to provide strategic urban and/or rural perspectives
- Ability to provide strategic Indigenous perspectives
Please see the PDAC Terms of Reference, where you will find information about the committee objectives and administration, as well as the roles and responsibilities of its members. Please note, PDAC members are reimbursed for all travel, accommodation, and meals incurred as a result of PDAC meetings.
PDAC is currently seeking non-permanent members representing the following perspectives:
- CALP-funded organization – East-Central region
- CALP-funded organization – Central region
- CALP-funded organization – North region
- Granting Council-funded organization – Urban Edmonton
To submit your expression of interest, please complete the online form at https://calp.ca/submissions/pdac-expression-of-interest
Thank you for considering this opportunity to share your perspectives, and help to shape the CALP professional development system in Alberta.
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Nominations for the Outstanding Contribution to Community Adult Learning Award
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Just a reminder the Call for Nominations for the Outstanding Contribution to Community Adult Learning Award's deadline to submit a nomination package is Thursday, June 30, 2022.
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 or an individual who has been exceptional throughout the 2020-21 year, please submit a nomination.
Read the guidelines and nomination package for more information or to fill out a form.
You can send your nomination to board@calp.ca.
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Council of the Federation Literacy Award Nominations Closing Soon
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Alberta is now seeking nominations for the 2022 Council of the Federation Literacy Award!
This year Alberta will continue to honour the hard work and commitment of a community organization that is helping adults to acquire and build on the foundational learning skills they need to achieve their goals.
Help us celebrate and recognize the work and leadership of an organization by completing and submitting a nomination package:
On September 8th of each year, in celebration of International Literacy Day, all provincial and territorial award recipients are announced in a national press release.
The nomination form for the 2022 award is available here https://cfr.forms.gov.ab.ca/form/EMP13054
Depending on your browser settings, you may need to right-click on the link and select "Save target as" or "Save link as" to download a copy of this secure form to your own system.
Nomination forms and supporting materials must be submitted via email to:
Pratima.Lobin@gov.ab.ca
Subject Line: COF Literacy Award
Nominations close on June 3, 2022.
For questions or more information, please contact:
Pratima Lobin
pratima.lobin@gov.ab.ca
Community Adult Learning Program Coordinator
Foundational Learning Supports
Advanced Education
Phone: 780-638-4383
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Literacy in Action
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Strengthening Literacy Practices: What Program Participants Have to Say
Recently, I have been looking over the comments and responses of CALP staff who have participated in the Strengthening Literacy Practices program over the past three years. I’ve noticed that a number of themes have emerged that show some of the changes that have occurred for participants.
Changes in beliefs – participants experienced changes in their perceptions around literacy, what it means to create a safe space, and the power they share with a learner.
Changes in knowledge – Participants gained knowledge of various tools, strategies and approaches, such as the five components of reading, writing approaches and assessment. These strategies and approaches were often new to the participants, and they noted that what they learned helped them to better meet the needs of the learners they work with.
Changes in practice – The greatest area of change was in practice. All the participants noted various ways they have already made changes in their literacy practice or shared about the changes they are planning for the future.
Increased confidence from the training – Many participants experienced a change in their confidence and ability to work with adult literacy learners.
Strengthening Literacy Practices is open to all CALP staff who work or plan to work with adult literacy learners. The overall objective of this program is to build knowledge and skills in delivering adult literacy programming to better serve adult literacy learners.
Strengthening Literacy Practices will be offered again in the 2022-2023 CALP year. Watch the Portal and Connections newsletter in late August and early September for dates to submit an expression of interest.
To learn more about Strengthening Literacy Practices please contact me at literacy@calp.ca
Rebecca Still
Literacy Specialist
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"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start."
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– Nido Qubein
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| Contact Us |
Community Learning Network
c/o University of Alberta - SCSC - South Campus
2-211, 11610 – 65 AVE NW Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1
P: 1-877-485-4926
E: news@calp.ca
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