1. Building the visibility and political importance of literacy – the case of Ireland Inez Bailey NALA 6th September 2012

2. To cover......  What is NALA?  Mission and vision  What we do  What has been the impact Reference – Chapter 7 of the Review of Adult Learning and Literacy Volume 6 (2006) NCSALL

3. What is NALA?  Established in 1980  Independent membership based charity  Funded primarily by the Department of Education and Skills (DES), with projects funded by other statutory and non statutory sources.

4. NALA’s mission and vision  Mission: To be the voice of adult literacy in Ireland and, with our partners, influence policy and practice to support people in developing their literacy.  Vision: We want Ireland to be a place where adult literacy is a valued right and where everyone can both develop their literacy and take part more fully in society.

5. What we do  Advocacy and policy development  Promotional Campaigns  Practice development

6. Definition of literacy  Literacy involves: listening and speaking, reading, writing, numeracy, and using everyday technology to communicate and handle information.  It includes more than the technical skills of communication (reading, writing and maths): it also has personal, social and economic dimensions.

7. Adult literacy situation in 1997  500,000 Irish adults - 1 in 4 - at lowest level  Over 1 in 2 below OECD threshold level 3  IALS 1997 – key policy driver  No state policy – 5,000 participants – €1 million budget

8. Adult literacy tuition in Ireland  In 2011, 57,000 Irish adults attended literacy classes through the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs) Adult Literacy Services (ALS) nationwide.  Every VEC ALS has a family, workplace and intensive literacy programme.  €30 million budget  Accredited Distance Learning – www.writeon.iewww.writeon.ie

9. How did that happen?  Policy development  Innovative Practice development  Singular national drive and focus with bottom up approach  European and international cooperation  Highlighting the connection between literacy and wider socio-economic development

10. Policy Submissions and lobbying of politicians and civil servants:  Adult Literacy Strategy, White Paper, DES 2000  National Skills Strategy, EGFSN 2007  National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy for Children and Young People, DES 2011

11. Practice  Kept volunteers and professionalised the service through quality, curriculum and assessment frameworks.  Higher education training for tutors.  Innovative approaches – on-line learning 9 September 2009

12. Promotion  Traditional media - TV and radio  Social media  Corporate involvement – health literacy and financial literacy  Plain English 9 September 2009

13. Conclusion  Literacy is an equality issue with social and economic causes, effects and solutions. It is not simply an individual problem.  Key Drivers – People with literacy needs direct involvement research and statistics; National engine; Wider economic and social issues; Political and public support.

14. Further information NALA Sandford Lodge Sandford Close Ranelagh Dublin 6 Tel: (01) 412 7900 Email : ibailey@nala.ieibailey@nala.ie Website: www.nala.iewww.nala.ie Plain English site: www.simplyput.iewww.simplyput.ie Health site : www.healthliteracy.ie Financial Literacy site - www.makingcents.ie http://twitter.com/nalaireland http://facebook.com/nalaireland