Friday, September 06, 2013
Premier Honours Leader in Adult Literacy
Shelley Harris, an education and employment manager at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, is the winner of Ontario's 2013 Council of the Federation Literacy Award.
Premier Kathleen Wynne honoured Ms. Harris for her leadership in adult education and her long-time commitment to strengthening literacy skills across Ontario.
Together with the staff at YWCA, Ms. Harris is helping adults strengthen their essential literacy skills through programs tailored to their needs. Her work also helps learners build their confidence so they can fully participate in their communities.
Helping people of all ages learn new skills is part of the government's plan to create jobs, grow the economy and build a fair and prosperous Ontario.
Quick Facts:
- Ontario’s Literacy and Basic Skills Program provides free training to people who have skills below the Grade 9 level in reading, writing and math.
- In 2011, Ontario invested an additional $44 million in the Literacy and Basic Skills Program over three years.
- The program is delivered by more than 200 agencies –- including colleges, school boards and community agencies –- at more than 300 sites across the province.
Learn More:
Quotes:
"By helping adults strengthen their literacy skills, Ms. Harris is helping people get good jobs, raise their incomes, and achieve greater independence. I want to congratulate Ms. Harris on her award and thank her for helping to create a brighter future for so many people in our province."
— Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario
"I would like to congratulate Ms. Harris for her ongoing commitment to provide literacy programs that not only help people learn new skills and realize their dreams, but also strengthen our communities and our economy."
— Brad Duguid, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
"The YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin is thrilled and delighted that Shelley’s hard work and dedication to learning for all has been recognized at the provincial level. Shelley is truly a champion for literacy."
— Marla Champion, Executive Director, YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin
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