NALD ----The "One-Stop" Literacy Information Centre
Nald Executive Director Charles Ramsey sums up the organization's role succinctly, "We're your one-stop centre for information on adult literacy programs, resources, services and activities in Canada. What's more, NALD provides links with other services and databases across North America and overseas."
With seven million Canadians lacking the literacy and numeracy skills to meet current labor market needs, that service is in hot demand, a demand that is growing as Canada continues its shift from being a resource-based to and information-based economy. Forecasters project by the year 2000, nearly 80% of all jobs will require at least a grade 12 level of reading and writing.
The lack of Adequate skills, Ramsey says, "hurts individuals, families, businesses and Canada's international competitiveness."
To assist practitioners, teachers, volunteers, program administrators, policy setters, and learners across the country, NALD gathers, sorts, stores, and makes available a whole host of literacy information including: programming, resources, services,, contacts, events, awards, and funding sources. In response to requests, NALD also provides analysis of such literacy-related information as demographics and the impact of programming.
With a toll-free telephone number, regular newsletter and Internet World Wide Web site, NALD aims at being as accessible as possible.
Ramsey says, "For those who do not have access to the Internet, we will continue to find ways to get the information to them as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Our office hours are being extended so that you can reach us through out toll-free number between 8:30 a.m and 5:00 p.m. regardless of where you are calling from in Canada. We will also produce this newsletter as frequently as our resources allow."
For those on the Internet, he adds, "We will continue our Web development, enabling smaller and more isolated groups, in particular, to share information with the entire literacy community---provincially, nationally and internationally. Many of the groups would not normally be able to afford the expertise and the technology to undertake such a project."
NALD is a non-profit national organization which is funded by the National Literacy Secretariat, Human Resource Development Canada and supported by the Government of New Brunswick, Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology, the Movement for Canadian Literacy, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and ABC CANADA.
"Our endeavour always," says Ramsey, "is to bring literacy to the forefront wherever and whenever we can."
