Names Sought for Community Literacy Volunteer Awards
The Department of Education is seeking nominations for the first annual Community Literacy Volunteer Awards. The awards recognize the outstanding contribution and efforts of more than 600 Nova Scotians who help adults in their communities learn to read.
"In this, the International Year of Volunteers, it’s important that we recognize and encourage Nova Scotians from all walks of life who offer their time and energy to help adults in their communities learn to read," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "Whether they work as tutors, answer the office phone or sit on a literacy organization’s board, these volunteers are making a tremendous difference in people’s lives and a vital contribution to the province’s social and economic growth."
Nominees must be volunteer tutors or members of Nova Scotia’s community learning networks. They should have at least three years of experience and regular involvement in community-based literacy activities. They should also be advocates for adult learners and adult literacy, and perform their tasks in exemplary ways that demonstrate their skills and commitment.
Six regional awards will be presented -- in Cape Breton, metro Halifax, northern Nova Scotia, southwestern Nova Scotia, the Strait area and the Annapolis Valley. One provincial award will be presented for the Acadian, African-Canadian, Mi’kmaq, and English-as-a-second-language communities.
The deadline for submitting nominations is July 29. The department’s Adult Education section is accepting nominations through its Port Hawkesbury office. Those interested in submitting a nomination should call 902-635-3761 or e-mail lindamac@strait.nscc.ns.ca .
Awards will be presented on International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on Sept. 8.
Ms. Purves announced the new award at Ocean of Learning 2001, a conference on community-based literacy held at White Point, Queens Co., over the weekend. It brought together more than 100 co-ordinators, tutors and instructors involved in Nova Scotia’s Community Learning Initiative.
The Community Learning Initiative was launched by the Department of Education in 1994 to help adult Nova Scotians improve their literacy skills. With $1.6 million in annual department funding, the initiative’s 27 community learning networks offer more than 100 programs and are helping about 2,000 Nova Scotians each year. This initiative supports government’s commitment to improving literacy levels in the province.
The conference was organized by a team of community literacy organizations with in-kind support from the Department of Education and financial assistance from the National Literacy Secretariat of Human Resources Development Canada.