Earlier this month, the Further Education Society of Alberta was awarded top honours for this year’s Canada Life Literacy Innovation Award for their program, Indigenous Workplace Learning Circles.
Indigenous Workplace Learning Circles (IWLC) is a flexible literacy and workplace-readiness program that integrates the Skills for Success framework with Indigenous culture, language and community priorities. Designed to address barriers to employment for Indigenous adults, the program recognizes existing cultural knowledge as a foundation for building workplace confidence and essential skills. Over the past 15 years, IWLC has evolved to include online, hybrid and self-paced learning, improving accessibility for diverse communities.
The Canada Life Literacy Innovation Award, supported by Canada Life, honours innovation in the development, implementation and delivery of adult literacy or adult-integrated family literacy programs delivered by a community organization in Canada. The adult-focused literacy program makes a positive contribution to the lives of the participants as well as the community and could serve as a model for other organizations to adapt.
“When people have access to literacy supports, entire communities benefit,” said Stephanie Halligan, Director, Community Relations, Canada Life. “That’s why we’re proud to work alongside ABC Life Literacy Canada to recognize and support organizations that are finding creative ways to improve literacy outcomes and help make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
If you weren’t able to attend our virtual awards presentation and Innovation Learning Lab, which featured a discussion with staff from the Further Education Society of Alberta, you can watch the recording.
