Message from Literacy Nova Scotia

Our Mission: Literacy Nova Scotia provides leadership to advance literacy by ensuring that all Nova Scotians have equal access to quality literacy, essential skills, and lifelong learning opportunities.

Last June, we were approached by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES) at the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada. Their mandate is to increase access to essential skills supports and training for the purpose of integrating these skills into the Canadian labour market. We were pleased to be one of three organizations selected to submit a concept paper to develop a Framework for the Professional Development of Essential Skills Practitioners. We worked closely with many colleagues from all across Canada and with the guidance of Brigid Hayes. It was wonderful to connect with practitioners and see their willingness to partner on such an important project. We were not selected to proceed with a proposal but are very pleased to have input through a national advisory committee for the project and will be working with SkillPlan from British Columbia.

A new venture for Literacy Nova Scotia has been the partnership with the Atlantic Provinces on the Essential Skills for the Atlantic Fisheries project. We have completed the first cohort of this pilot project. We were very fortunate to work with exceptional employers at Acadian Seaplants and Seastar Seafoods. The community support was incredible through an advisory group, and funding from Department of Community Services ensured the success of participants. Our seven participants, who were not attached to the workforce, completed the training and were offered employment. This has been a huge success which can be contributed to the dedication and expertise of the project staff, Colin Bawn and Paulette Atwood. There will be work done over the summer on revising the curriculum and another cohort will be set up for next year.

Project funding is important but it doesn’t keep our organization running. Without core funding from the federal government, we have had to rely solely on project administration fees and fundraising. Our major fundraiser has been the PGI Golf Tournament. We had a successful tournament in Baddeck under the leadership of Beth and Duncan Gillis who were celebrating 20 years of involvement in the tournament in June 2017. Riding high on that successful event we decided to go ahead with another golf tournament in June 2018. Even the lure of holding it at the prestigious Fox Harb’r Resort was not enough to ensure a successful event, and the decision was made to cancel. Although it was the end of the era of golf tournaments, it certainly wasn’t the end of our PGI for Literacy fundraising events. With donations from 100 Men Who Give a Damn (Valley Region), supports from sponsors, and the collaboration with the Community Learning Organizations in the valley (DALA, HLNA,VCLA) we were able to hold a Learner Celebration and support 36 learners with financial awards. We were extremely fortunate to have Chuck Cartmill of LED Roadway Lighting step in to fully transition the NSPGI into a Gala Dinner and Auction in April 2019. He brought a committee together, along with Mayor Mike Savage, which worked tirelessly over the winter to bring in sponsors, donations, and table sales.

We have been able to keep our heads above water and maintain our services over the last five years due to prudent fiscal management. However, our operational funds are very close to being depleted at the close of this fiscal. The board will need to continue having important strategic discussions on the viability of the organization.

Danny Cavanagh
Chair

Jayne Hunter
Executive Director