November 2004

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Conference 2004 The Rae Review In the Spot Light CLO News

Community Literacy of Ontario

CLO's "Raising the Bar and Celebrating Success" Conference

Community Literacy of Ontario hosted its conference and seventh annual general meeting at the Fern Resort in Orillia on October 20 – 22, 2004. The "Raising the Bar and Celebrating Success Conference" was funded by the National Literacy Secretariat for Ontario's community-based literacy practitioners. This event was well attended with 81 representatives from 54 literacy agencies from all areas of Ontario.

Conference participants were honoured to hear words of wisdom and encouragement from the Honourable Mary Anne Chambers, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. Her compassion and empathy was heartfelt, inspiring and truly warmed the hearts of everyone present at CLO's 10^th anniversary gala dinner. CLO was also delighted to have Patti Redmond, Director of the Skills Investment Branch and Robin Young, Field Consultant, attend the gala dinner on behalf of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

In honour of our member community-based literacy agencies and in celebration of its 10^th anniversary, CLO proudly launched the newly developed "Ontario's Community Literacy Agencies: Shining Across Ontario" promotional kit. This kit was developed to give CLO's member agencies a tool to promote and showcase how they shine across this province. The kit includes fact sheets with factual, statistical and anecdotal information; overhead masters; and a CD with electronic versions of the kit material that can be adapted for agency use in promotional and fundraising events. Member agencies not present at this event will receive their kit in late November.

Conference workshops all received rave reviews and conference delegates came away with information that they felt was useful and informative.
Workshops included:

• Developing Goal-Related Learning Activities
• Developing Partnerships
• Learner Recruitment and Retention: Working Hand in Hand
• Literacy Outreach to Social Agencies and Businesses
• Outcomes Measurement: Are Your Programs Making a Real Difference
• Tough Love

The feedback from conference participants overwhelmingly concludes that participants feel that they learned something new at the conference and that CLO's annual conference provides extremely beneficial training to community literacy agencies. The hard work and commitment of CLO's staff, board of directors and conference committee in combination with the enthusiasm of the conference delegates resulted in CLO's most successful conference to date. The conference truly "Raised the Bar and Celebrated Success"!