The government will invest an additional $1.1 million in adult learning and literacy in Budget 2008. This brings the total to $19.3 million in support of adult learning and literacy. Adult learners will have more opportunities to better their lives with several new initiatives to strengthen and support adult learning and literacy. Advanced Education and Literacy Minister Diane McGifford made the announcement on April 14 at the opening of the first Pan-Canadian Interactive Literacy Forum. Full press release

Nominate a deserving adult learner by May 9, 2008
In July 2004, Canada's Premiers decided to create a special annual award to recognize achievements in literacy across the country. The Council of the Federation (COF) Literacy Award acknowledges outstanding achievement, innovative practice and excellence in literacy. Each year 13 COF Literacy Medallions and award certificates will be handed out, one in each province and territory.

To be eligible, the nominee must:
1. Be an adult literacy learner in Manitoba, who has been actively involved in
---literacy/essential skills programming within the past 18 months
2. Reside in Manitoba
3. Have made significant progress in his or her learning
4. Have assisted others with learning and/or impacted others in the literacy community
5. Consent to his/her nomination

For more information, call (204) 945-1053 or toll-free 1-800-282-8069 ext 8247 outside of Winnipeg. To download a nomination form or for more information visit www.manitoba.ca/all.

The 18th Annual Manitoba PGI Golf Tournament for Literacy
David Asper, Executive Vice President of Canwest, will be this year's Poet Laureate.

Date: Monday, June 9, 2008.
Time: Texas Scramble 12:30 pm, Shot Gun start
Place: Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, Garven Road (off Highway 59)

Space is limited to the first 144 paid golfers. Entry deadline is May 31 and registration forms can be found here. Sponsorship opportunities can be found here. For more information or to register, please contact Shannon Barry at Planners Plus (96 Drake Blvd) at (204) 253-8623 or shannon@plannersplus.ca.

Debra Litkowich, the LPM Resource Centre Cooridinator, visited 4 literacy programs in Winnipeg and surrounding area and 3 programs in Brandon through March and April. The practitioners and students appreciated learning how to use the online catalogue for easy access to our collection. Many were surprised with the number of subject areas on our list.

If your program is one Debra hasn't visited yet, please call her to arrange a time to meet. Her regular hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:00 to 5:00. How about organizing a field trip for your learners to come in and see our Resource Centre? They could browse and find interesting books for themselves. It would also be helpful training for them to feel more comfortable when visiting public libraries. Please call to make arrangements.

To see what's new at our resource library, please see more.

LPM brought Charles out of retirement to train writers from Red River Community College, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the Sexual Education Resource Centre.

Each writer brought in a piece to put into Plain Language. In just 9 hours, Charles taught them the philosophy and the techniques needed to produce polished documents. Charles also offers an hour of free individual tutoring to graduates (when the going gets tough). More...

For the past 15 years, Canada Post has awarded Canadians who have made a special effort or an important contribution to literacy. You are invited to nominate a deserving individual and/or educator from your hometown for an award. Canada Post will present awards in two categories: Individual Achievement and Educator. More

Sabrina Bernardo, Thursday May 8, 7:00 pm in the Events Alcove.
A reading and signing of Innercity Girl Like Me, by Bernardo, who grew up in Winnipeg. This fictional story of G Child and Jessica and their involvement with gangs, turf defense, sex, drugs and violence are partly based on Bernardo's own experiences as a teen. A raw and unflinching look at gang life. A powerful and real story that will speak to both teens and adults.

Elizabeth Adam, Saturday, May 10, 1:00 pm at the bottom of the escalators.
Just in time for Mother's Day, a signing of Mother Love: Portraits of its Power. Through real-life stories, Adam displays the unique beauty of a mother's love and shows the tremendous strength of motherhood. Adam is a Winnipeg writer.

Fewer young women than men quit school without their high school diploma. And female dropouts are also more likely than men to return to class to finish their high school education, according to a new study.

The study, "High school dropouts returning to school," based on data from the Labour Force Survey and the Youth in Transition Survey, found that a significant number of high school dropouts take advantage of the "second chance" system that offers them another opportunity to get their diploma. Full story

We would like to regularly feature a Learner Writer on our web site homepage.
If you have a story or poem to share, we would love to read it!
Please see the submissions guidelines.