March 2008

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Community Literacy of Ontario

Our Voice

Marketing Survey Results

Community Literacy of Ontario received funding from the Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program (Government of Canada) for a project called: “Making the Connection: Effective Program Promotion in Literacy Agencies.” This valuable project had multiple goals, including:

• Conducting research into the needs and current best practices in marketing in Ontario’s community literacy agencies.
• Conducting print and Internet-based research on effective practices in marketing in areas external to literacy, including the broader not-for-profit sector and the private sector.
• Holding a focus group with the CLO board of directors on marketing and outreach needs and practices.
• Writing a resource guide on Marketing and Outreach.
• Offering two online training workshops on tools and strategies for effective marketing and outreach.
• Developing a self-directed online training module on marketing.

In May 2007 Community Literacy of Ontario issued a marketing
survey to community literacy agencies to determine:

• Effective methods of outreach to adult learners
• Useful methods of marketing the literacy agency to the
  community
• Successful promotional events that increase the agency’s profile in the community

Fifty-five community literacy agencies responded to the survey. There was excellent representation from all sizes of agencies as well as province-wide representation geographically. Community literacy agencies use a wide variety of valuable marketing strategies and they are closely involved in promotional events in their communities. They provide an effective “face of literacy” in communities large and small across Ontario.

Community Literacy of Ontario is pleased to share these important survey results with you in this newsletter.