As we near the end of the year, we feel very grateful and blessed to be able to continue to provide support to the learners, our members and supporters in the literacy field. We have many wonderful highlights to report.

Thanks to all those who participated in Literacy Action Week. The photos remind everyone that literacy affects every aspect of our lives. When we increase literacy, we create jobs, improve health, reduce crime, build stronger families and make safer communities. The benefits of improving literacy go beyond employment and are for those outside the workforce and for those no longer in the workforce. It's not just about productivity but about quality of life, empowerment, and social justice.

We’ve produced a new issue of the Learning Beacon which features important information on Covid-19, lots of learner stories, and more!

A huge thanks to LAE for their collaboration and funding of the webinar series. Thanks to the Planning Committee for ensuring such a broad range of topics and speakers. The committee included: Lynne Wells-Orchard, Stephanie Patriquin, Simone Le Gendre-King, Cathy Campbell, Juanita Bruneau, Wendy Kraglund-Gautier and Marie David. The webinar recordings and resources have been posted on the LNS Resource Hub.

We congratulate the Practitioner Training graduates who received their certification over the past year. We hope to have them celebrate with us in person at next year’s conference. We are excited to have a whole new look to the NS Practitioner Training Program in January when we move from the Moodl platform to Znanja platform. We are working with Velsoft, a local company, to upgrade our product which will be available through our ecampus.

We have completed our participation in the Essential Skills for the Atlantic Fisheries pilot. The research reports are available. There’s a great video as well which is available in French and English. We’re using our learnings from the pilot to continue to meet the needs of the fishing sector in NS.

Please let your learners know there are still two bursaries available! These provide financial support of $500 to learners participating in an adult learning program (CLOs, adult high school, ALP at NSCC). We will give this out to eligible applicants on a first come first serve basis now that the deadline has passed.

Happy Holidays everyone and stay safe! The Literacy Nova Scotia and home offices will be closed after December 18th and will re-open on January 4th.

Don't miss our updates, resources and news on PD and funding opportunities for adult learners, practitioners and learning organizations. Subscribe to LNS eNews. It is published on the first Wednesday of each month.

These practitioners recently completed the PT program and have received their certifications:
Alecia Green, Dartmouth Learning Network
Justin Legere, Eastern Shore Musquodoboit Valley Literacy Network
Crystal Tobin Legere, Eastern Shore Musquodoboit Valley Literacy Network
Paul O’Flaherty, Bedford Sackville Learning Network and Dartmouth Learning Network
Tina Prosser-Cameron, Dartmouth Learning Network
Patricia Roberts, Halifax Community Learning Network
Monica Romero-Arce, Dartmouth Learning Network
Certification is funded by Labour and Advanced Education to support the NSSAL system.

This year, Labour and Advanced Education and Literacy Nova Scotia are pleased to offer webinars on Wednesdays from 2:30 – 4:00pm AT until December 9, 2020. Webinar descriptions are on the LNS website. The presentations and recordings are available on the LNS Resource Hub.

It's not too late to register for the December webinars!
December 2: Literacy and Oral Cultures, presented by Stephen Augustine
What are the social impacts of low literacy among Indigenous communities? Are they the same as in mainstream society? In this webinar, we will compare attitudes and examine the negative impacts in both cultures and societies. Indigenizing literacy is key in the presentation.
December 9: Everyday Resiliency in Ever-changing Times, presented by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
With stress, uncertainty, and unrest at a record high, Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe’s message is both inspirational and practical. She introduces her “Five Pillars of Resiliency”, and shares strategies to help foster each pillar in ourselves and others based on research-informed best practices and real-world applications. This interactive and engaging presentation helps participants regain a sense of order in ever-changing times and learn how to establish new daily routines to increase productivity and decrease anxiety.

These sessions are funded by Labour and Advanced Education and support the NSSAL system.  Register   Questions? Contact Marie David.

The webinars have been well received by participants - here is what they are saying...
"It would be great if we could have webinars every Wednesday or even every other Wednesday, PD during them is great but even having an opportunity to have networking and trouble shooting with other CLOs once a month would be great."
"Keep this momentum going with these short series of learning."
"I am really enjoying the webinars and especially the flexibility that they can be watched via the LNS Resource Hub. I also appreciate not having the stress of making travelling and family care arrangements. Would love to see a virtual option (at least in part) for 2021. Thank you!"

LNS Bursaries ($500) for adult learners are available. Read more

Register now for Practitioner Training modules scheduled for January 2021:
• The Beginning Reader: Basics: January 4 – 29
• Learning Challenges: January 4 – 29
Check out the Practitioner Training webpage for details on the program, modules, tuition schedule, and how to register for modules. Questions? Contact Marie David or call 1-800-255-5203. These modules are funded by Labour and Advanced Education to support the NSSAL system.
Registration Form for NSSAL Participants
Registration Form for Non-NSSAL Participants (Tuition Payers) 

The 22nd Annual Family Literacy Day (FLD) is Wednesday, January 27, 2021 and ABC Life Literacy Canada will again provide Family Literacy Day materials on their website for the celebration for non-profit literacy groups. Families are always encouraged to take 15 minutes of Fun for FLD with new activity ideas and several new resources that the whole family can enjoy together.

NSSAL IT Fund: There are funds available for community-based learning organizations to purchase equipment and resources necessary for the delivery of NSSAL’s Adult Learning Program. Read more information on criteria and application process. The NSSAL IT Fund is funded by Labour and Advanced Education to support the NSSAL system.

Is there a PD opportunity that would benefit your learning organization?
Apply to the NSSAL PD Fund. Online learning opportunities are eligible. Applications received in November will be reviewed on December 8th. The NSSAL PD Fund is funded by Labour and Advanced Education to support the NSSAL system.

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December 3rd, 4:00 - 5:00pm AT
Join ABC Life Literacy Canada for a conversation with community leaders on best practices when working with volunteers. Register

December 8th, 1:00 - 2:00pm AT
ABC Life Literacy Canada will discuss best practices for bringing family literacy to your community and how HSBC Family Literacy First can be incorporated into your own programs. Bonus:

• Two lucky attendees will win $100 Indigo gift cards for their organization
• The first 15 people to register and attend the event will win 50 custom Family Literacy First workbooks for their organization
• In addition, for host organizations that receive the custom Family Literacy First workbooks, if they host workshops and return the completed evaluations, they'll receive an honorarium of $100    Register

December 10th, 2:00 to 3:00pm AT
What lessons can we derive from a multi-year research and evaluation process focused on understanding the impact of local intersectoral actions in addressing complex social change? Register

December 16th, 2:00 to 3:00pm AT
Healthier Together was designed to support community-led solutions to improve long-standing health disparities. This webinar will share key learnings and insights about this unique approach to supporting residents to lead community change efforts that address complex social factors that impact health. Register

An economic crisis has arisen from COVID-19, and Canadians must be open to doing things differently and be forward thinking to adjust. The 2020 report Canada: A Learning Nation outlines key priorities for promoting and enabling skills development and training for workers despite the barriers created by the pandemic. Read more

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LNS Resource Hub is the place for literacy practitioners who teach, tutor or mentor adult learners in Nova Scotia to share and co-develop teaching resources and discuss best practices. Recently uploaded resources:

• Resources from LNS Webinar Wednesdays:
  • Inclusive Leadership
  • Nurturing Resilience Through a Strong Community
  • A Blended Approach to Learning
  • Enhancing Equity Through Access to Literacy Programs
  • Moving On Up - an Online or Blended Learning Option Aligned with NSSAL Curriculum Outcomes
• Systemic Racism & White Priviledge workshop resources

If you don't already have an account on the LNS Resource Hub, email Elaine Frampton to request an account registration code. The LNS Resource Hub is funded by Labour and Advanced Education and supports the NSSAL system.

Issue 17 of The Learning Beacon, our enewspaper for adult learners is online! You can read/hear stories by some of the 2020 iPad Mini Draw contest participants in Literacy Changes Lives and from learners from Dartmouth and Truro in the Community Map Project. The Who Am I feature lets you guess at clues, read/hear a story, and includes a fill-in-the-blank quiz. You can learn how not to be fooled by unreliable information in the CTRL-F: Find the Facts feature. Read more

The Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia (CSCNS) along with three Community Foundations joined forces to create a coalition to provide supports during COVID-19. There are great forums/webinars you can listen to on this website. CSCNS has been doing a lot of work around Decolonization and Anti-Black Racism.

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ABC Life Literacy Canada - November 2020
Alberta’s Community Learning Network - December 2020
As I Was Saying - November 2020
Digital Literacy Success Stories in Ontario's Community-Based LBS Agencies
NWT Literacy Council - November 2020
Tamarack Institute - November 2020
Tech Tips - November 2020
Volunteer Canada News - November 2020
World Education / U.S. - November 2020