The 23rd Annual Family Literacy Day (FLD) is Thursday, January 27th, 2022. The theme for this year’s Family Literacy Day is Learning in the Great Outdoors. Families are encouraged to get outside and take 15 minutes of fun spending time in nature, which provides many benefits for our minds as well as our bodies.

Be sure to check out ABC Life Literacy Canada’s Website for information and resources about Family Literacy Day. There is even a virtual event you can sign up for with Barbara Reid!

We are also proud to partner with two New Brunswick organizations: the Moncton Public Library and the Early Childhood Family Resource Centre of Westmorland-Albert. Both organizations will be receiving a grant from LCNB to help them provide their Family Literacy Day activities.

The Moncton Public Library will be posting an online storytime and craft with New Brunswick author and illustrator, Nathasha Pilotte! This event will be posted to their Facebook page on January 27th and no registration is required. Check out their Facebook page by clicking here!

The Early Childhood Family Resource Centre of Westmorland-Albert is giving away free literacy day kits to the first 20 families who register! This event is for families who are registered with the center. Call them at 506-384-7874 for more details.

We are glad to help New Brunswick organizations like these, and look forward to seeing all of the amazing Family Literacy Day activities that will be taking place across the province!

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick is calling for nominations for the 2022 Dr. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell Literacy Awards. The awards recognize outstanding achievements of individuals or groups in the field of literacy, essential skills and lifelong learning. Awards will be presented to worthy recipients in the following categories: Early Childhood Literacy, Community Literacy Programs, Individual Outstanding Contributions to Literacy, Business/Corporate Literacy Initiatives, Workplace Essential Skills, and Outstanding Effort in Indigenous Literacy.

“The Dr. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell Literacy Awards recognize those who work tirelessly to help ensure a better quality of life for all New Brunswickers, through the advancement of literacy, essential skills and lifelong learning.”

The English nomination form can be downloaded here.

Version française ici.

Or you can find a downloadable version of both forms here.

Click here to see last year’s award winners and watch the Zoom ceremony.

Click here to see a list of past winners.

If you are a director of an adult learning program (including newcomers learning program) in New Brunswick, we need to hear from you!

LCNB is partnering with co-researcher, Wendy Kraglund-Gauthier, Yorkville University, to conduct an adult literacy research project funded by the NB Innovation Fund and NB Social Policy Research Network. The purpose of the project is to identify the barriers to accessing literacy learning programs that adults, (including newcomers), experience in terms of access and engagement, program relevance, and delivery methods. Our inquiry will deepen the understanding of the contexts in which organizations and service providers design and deliver adult literacy programs and provide insight from learners who access those programs.

Click here for the online questionnaire for directors.

On November 30^th, 2021, the Literacy Coalition held its first ever virtual Peter Gzowski Invitational celebration. The event was held on Zoom, with over 40 people in attendance.

Our annual PGI event is our main and most important fundraiser, which we were unable to hold last year due to Covid. Therefore, we are so pleased to say we exceeded our fundraising goal, raising $5,375 for literacy in New Brunswick. We thank everyone who donated for their generosity!

We also want to thank our incredible sponsors for this event: Bringloe Feeney LLP, Chuck Cartmill of LED Roadway Lighting, Plugged-IN CPA, and Passiv Inc.!  Thanks also to all of our donors and participants for your kind support.

This year’s recipient of the Peter Gzowski Award went to Ashley Counsell. This award recognizes Ashley’s tireless work and dedication to our PGI events and literacy over the years.

The event also featured some well-known guests: Rick Mercer as the National MC, author Louise Penny who gave some wonderful remarks, and fantastic musical guests Ashley MacIsaac, Twin Flames, and Stephen Fearing.

Lynda Homer, LCNB’s Executive Director, was the coordinator of our event and our local host. Jordan Trethewey, Fredericton’s Poet Laureate, read his poem titled “The Wolastoq River’s Council”, dedicating it to Fredericton’s Mayor, Kate Rogers.

As always, a very special part of the celebration was dedicated to honouring our incredible adult learners. This year’s winners were Martin Comeau and Jessica Baillie. Martin was one of the winners of the Adult Learner Essay Contest, and he shared a bit of his inspiring story about how learning changed his life. Jessica is part of our Essential & Employability Skills – Health Sector project, and she spoke about how learning and essential skills have improved her life and wellbeing. Congratulations to both of our inspiring award recipients!

Since our first inaugural Peter Gzowski Dinner and Auction 16 years ago, the Literacy Coalition has raised more than $1.6 million dollars. Funds raised go directly to youth, adult and family literacy programs around the province, including support for our schools, libraries and community groups. While it may have looked a bit different this year, we were so pleased that we could celebrate literacy safely!

Thank you to everyone who donated, registered and attended this amazing event!

With the conclusion of the ESAF project, we are pleased to release the final report and evaluation.

The final report, available in both French and English, details the project’s methodology and training model. It then goes on to document the results of both mentors and participants across both cohorts, as well as lessons learned, takeaways, and success stories.

Click on the links below to read the reports:

Essential Skills for Atlantic Fisheries (ESAF) – Final Report

Compétences essentielles pour les pêches de l’Atlantique (CEPA) – Rapport final

The final evaluation report, available in both French and English, summarizes the key evaluation process and outcome findings. Read it by clicking the link below:

Essential Skills for Atlantic Fisheries (ESAF) Project – Final Evalution Report

Compétences essentielles pour les pêches de l’Atlantique (CEPA) – Rapport d’évaluation définitif