November is an exciting time in literacy with programs underway across the province! We kick off the month with Literacy Action Week (LAW). LAW is the time when Literacy Nova Scotia and individuals and organizations who have an interest in supporting adult literacy share information with governments and the public about literacy and essential skills in their community. We’ve reached out to the newly appointed Ministers to request meetings.

We are hoping you join us at this year’s complimentary 2021 NSPGI for Literacy Virtual Extravaganza on November 3 at 7:00 pm via Zoom.
Get your free ticket!
Guests include: Rick Mercer, Mayor Mike Savage, Jenni Blackmore, Twin Flames, Louise Penny, Ashley MacIsaac, Stephen Fearing, Jorden Ogden, Christina DiVittorio. The opening loop includes photos and quotes from many learners from across Nova Scotia, some of whom have been in your classrooms!

Please encourage your learners to apply for a LNS Scholarship or Bursary. Any learner in an adult learning program who did not receive a high school diploma can apply for the $500 bursary. Those who go on to post-secondary are eligible for $1500. The deadline is November 29th at noon.

There will be four Wednesday webinars offered this month with hands on information about Universal Design, preparing for the GED, Structured Literacy, and Digital tools. These are offered in collaboration with and supported by Labour, Skills, and Immigration (LSI), Adult Education Division.

We learned over the past month of many imminent retirements in the literacy field. The experience and dedication of Ann MacDonald, Barb Moreton, and Millie Hatt will leave huge shoes to fill!

We have two Back to Work projects funded by Labour, Skills, and Immigration. The Essential Skills for Nova Scotia Fisheries is ready to start it’s first training cohort in Yarmouth. The Empowerment for Employment (LTC) is finalizing the curriculum and will be offering its cohorts in the new year.

November is also Financial Literacy month across Canada. ABC Life Literacy Canada has resources and information your can use in your classrooms.

Literacy Action Week (LAW) is the time when Literacy Nova Scotia and individuals and organizations who have an interest in supporting adult literacy share information with governments and the public about literacy and essential skills in their community.
We invite the public to post photos of adult learners, literacy practitioners, community members and literacy supporters on social media from November 1 - 5, 2021. Everyone can participate; there are no age restrictions. Do you feel passionate about literacy and learning in Nova Scotia? We urge you to get involved! It is easy. All you have to do is:

1. Print off one or all of the #LAW2021 posters in color or black and white.

• I think literacy is important because...
• Because I improved my literacy and essential skills, now I can...
• Literacy matters to me because...

2. Think about the question on the poster and fill in the blank.
3. Take a selfie of you holding the poster or get a friend to take the picture.

After you have taken your picture, post it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or email the photo to us. Write a caption including what you wrote on your poster. Don’t forget to use hashtags! Use #LiteracyMatters or #LAW2021, and tweet to @literacyns1. All pictures collected for LAW awareness will be posted on our social media, and they will be available on our website. Read more about LAW

Webinar Wednesdays: Continues Until December 8, 2021- Registration Open!
Labour, Skills, and Immigration and Literacy Nova Scotia are pleased to offer eight 90-minute webinars allowing for presentation, interactive activities and discussion. These sessions are funded by the Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration and support the NSSAL system. Webinar descriptions are on the LNS website. Questions? Contact Marie David.

Literacy Nova Scotia is providing an opportunity for you to support learners through the A New Beginning- Scholarship/Bursary Fundraiser. Learners tell us how important these scholarships and bursaries are in supporting them to embark and continue on their learning journey. They want to go to community college, university, or enrol in technical/trades programs. When going back to school, they may have a hard time managing family responsibilities, travel, and other costs. For those currently in upgrading programs or those who are moving on to post-secondary, there are many learners who need support to reach their full potential. Your donation will be pooled with others to ensure we can support Nova Scotians returning to school. All proceeds will go towards creating adult literacy scholarships and bursaries.

LNS Scholarships and Bursaries for Adult Learners
Literacy Nova Scotia provides scholarship and bursary awards each year for adult learners who are upgrading their education.

To qualify for the LNS Bursary Award, you must be a Nova Scotian who:

• left the public school system before completing grade 12 and has not yet completed grade 12
• will be attending an adult learning program in the fall of the year the bursary is available

To qualify for the LNS Scholarship Award, you must be a Nova Scotian who:

• left the public school system before completing grade 12
• has received the GED or High School Diploma through an approved adult learning program
• has been accepted or is returning to university part-time or full-time OR a community college program OR a certified technical, trade or private trade school program in the fall of the year the scholarship is available. The program must be at least eight (8) months long

Those applying for the scholarship or bursary have to also send in a Teachers Recommendation. Application deadline for LNS Scholarship and LNS Bursary: Monday, November 29, 2021 @ noon  Read more

Creative Writing Workshops!
We All Have Story – with Jenni Blackmore
This workshop is designed to be inspiring and empowering. It stresses the importance of listening to our inner voice and learning to trust it. Referencing her own experience, Jenni Blackmore describes how writing (fiction and fact, poetry and personal opinion) strengthens our confidence and self-awareness. She explains how to eliminate the typical self-doubts that prevent the natural flow of words reaching paper. Key point: writing is not difficult when we know how to embrace it as a powerful form of communication - it’s all about deciding what you want to say and crafting it into a succinct statement that is truly yours. Writing is also magical and mystical, most definitely something we all carry in our hearts.
Contact marie.david@literacyns.ca to discuss hosting a workshop in November or December for your learners.

Register now for Practitioner Training modules scheduled for November 2021:
• Literacy, Adult Learners and YOU!: November 8 - December 3
• Communications - Learners in Transition: November 8 - December 3
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 the Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration to support the NSSAL system.
Registration Form for NSSAL Participants
Registration Form for Non-NSSAL Participants (Tuition Payers) 

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, Skills, and Immigration 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. A new learning narrative template has been added. The NSSAL PD Fund is funded by Labour, Skills, and Immigration to support the NSSAL system.
Individual applications are no longer accepted. NSSAL now provides funding directly to the CLOs for individual PD. Exceptions will be made to allow for individual expenses to be covered through the PD Fund to ensure equity for travel. We are able to offer travel support to individuals who need to travel over 300 kms round trip and/or stay in a hotel more than 1 night within the province for Professional Development purposes. The support will be for kms and hotel stays only.
Further information on applying

Back to the Top

November 3, 2021 at 7:00pm AT (Sign in at 6:45pm AT)
This year’s NSPGI will present powerful, personal accounts from adult learners whose lives have been changed for the better because of the work of Literacy Nova Scotia and its partners. We have an all star line up with Rick Mercer, national host, Mayor Mike Savage, local host, author and artist Jenni Blackmore, as Poet Laureate, and special appearances will be made by Twin Flames, Louise Penny, Ashley MacIsaac, and Stephen Fearing. And you are all invited!! To show our appreciation for your past and present support, we would love to invite you to this year’s complimentary 2021 NSPGI for Literacy Virtual Extravaganza! Watch for your invitation to register to receive the zoom link. Please share this link with all your contacts to help raise awareness of the importance of literacy in our communities. Read more

November 3, 2021 at 12:00 - 5:00pm AT
This online event will bring together professionals within the Canadian nonprofit and charitable sectors. Panel discussions will explore trending topics such as workplace mental health, youth engagement, and fundraising, and there will be opportunities to network with peers, visit exhibitor booths, and attend the award ceremony. Register

November 3, 2021 at 2:00 - 4:30pm AT
Learn why theatre is the perfect vehicle for bringing your diverse group of stakeholders together to peel away the layers of the issues you’re working on so that you can focus your time, energy and resources on the areas that matter most. Register

November 8, 2021 at 9:30pm AT
This virtual event hosted by Meghan Yuri Young starts 30 minutes before the live broadcast of the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Gather online with other lovers of literature across Canada and enjoy a fun evening filled with games, contests, exciting prizes, and an amazing virtual auction. Read more

November 9, 2021 at 1:00 - 2:00pm AT
Join poverty reduction and environmental advocates to explore the ways in which Basic Income can be a tool for both environmental and social progress. Read more

November 10, 2021 at 12:00 - 1:00pm AT
This webinar is the third of a monthly series on Place-based initiatives, featuring a diversity of experiences made in Quebec. The funding landscape in Québec – and Montréal in particular- has seen increased willingness for collaborative philanthropy and a renewed interest in place-based approaches. Read more

November 16, 2021 at 3:00 - 4:00pm AT
This panel conversation brings together researchers and front-line practitioners to help demystify and improve labour market information (LMI) access for Canadians. Register

November 17, 2021 at 2:00 - 5:30pm AT
This workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools to support the decision-making processes needed to bring participatory evaluation practices into your community change work. The workshop includes 1 hour of pre-learning, the 3.5 hour workshop and a 1 hour coaching session on December 9. Register

February 22 - 24, 2022
The Future Skills Summit gathers experts in skills development across Canada, including policy makers, industry leaders, community representatives and skills training practitioners, to discuss finding relevant data and information, discovering new skills approaches, identifying systemic change enablers, and scaling best practices. Register

March 2 - 4, 2022 at the Radisson Hotel, Richmond, BC
Call for Presenters: The conference theme is “Literacy connects us!” Literacy practitioners, researchers and others involved in literacy and learning are invited to submit proposals for workshops and panel discussions on how literacy connects us. Deadline: November 15. For more information, contact Maureen Kehler    

Back to the Top

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. This resource is fully funded by Labour, Skills, and Immigration to support the NSSAL system. Recently uploaded resources:

• Webinar: NSSAL Review - Are We There Yet?
• E3 Starter Kit - Orientation and Instructor Training
• Webinar: Resiliency with Wellness 2.0
• Getting Started with Brightspace
• Canadian Math GED resource website
• Resource Links to Support Truth and Reconciliation
• Adult Basic Skills Instructor Training Manual - Teaching Writing

If you don't already have an account on the LNS Resource Hub, email Elaine Frampton to request an account registration code.

November marks Financial Literacy Month (FLM), an annual initiative to improve the financial literacy skills of Canadians. ABC Life Literacy Canada offers these financial literacy resource guides and workbooks. Resource

Up Skills for Work focuses on the soft skills we use to manage ourselves and to work well with others. ABC Life Literacy Canada offers new workbooks and resources on Reading, Writing, Numeracy, Problem solving, Communication, and Creativity & Innovation and Digital (coming soon). Resources

Back to the Top

ABC Life Literacy Canada - November 2021
As I Was Saying - October 2021
CALP Connections - October 2021
Literacy Council of New Brunswick - Fall 2021
Volunteer Canada News - October 2021
World Education / U.S. - November 2021