Spotlight on Learning Conference Makes Change!

OLC’s Spotlight on Learning: Becoming Agents of Change conference was a big success!

We’d like to thank the over 400 attendees, presenters, speakers, volunteers, funders and all others who helped out with this great event. Spotlight on Learning attendees included representatives from every province and territory.

We hope all of those who attended came away inspired with thoughts and ideas about how you and your organization can become even more influential Agents of Change in your field.

We have received great feedback from the conference, particularly online. Below are links to people/organizations who have blogged about Spotlight on Learning:

Our Twitter hashtag – #Spotlight2010 – really took off! Here’s just a few of the over 200 tweets that were exchanged using the hashtag over the 3-day event:

@jlfournier: Amazing presentation by @rahafharfoush on the impact of social media #Spotlight2010

@researchimpact: Big shout out to OLC staff for tremendous work with the Spotlight on Learning conf #Spotlight2010 York KMb is making great connections!

@FrontierCollege: great lunch and great gathering! Congratulations! No end to buzz!

@Life_Literacy: Having fun @ontarioliteracy #Spotlight2010 meeting new people, participating in insightful presentations and growing the cause.

@warrenbutler@ontarioliteracy #spotlight2010 – I feel like I am there – following all the tweets – thx

Now that the conference is over we want to keep learning going and maintain the momentum. To do this, we will be creating an interactive learning page on the conference website to exchange ideas and continue learning.

Did you build new partnerships, use new technology or develop new ideas? Share your story with us by:

  • Writing a blog or commenting on the OLC blog (we also invite you to write guest post on this blog, if interested)
  • Preparing a short presentation for your peers and sharing it on the interactive learning page
  • Creating a short video and linking it on social networking sites

Continued learning supports the theme of the 2010 conference, ‘Becoming Agents of Change’ and allows us to follow stories of change after the conference is over.

Thank you for helping to shine a spotlight on learning!

Meet Urszula Mazur, Administrative Coordinator

Committed to the Ontario Literacy Coalition’s mission, I have been working as the Administrative Coordinator for over 14 years. I provide general administrative support related to various initiatives and projects undertaken by the OLC and the Executive Director.

Additionally, I am the organizer and contact for varied internal and external meetings (eg. board, committees). I assist the ED with communiqués to the Board of Directos in regards to the OLC AGM and other governance items. I manage all aspects of OLC publications including processing orders, ensure compliance with the OLC copyright policy and respond to requests for permission to reprint. I have been involved in the development and implementation of policies, processes and procedures related to office management.

I brought to the OLC experience gained at the number of insurance companies, access data services and press publishing company.

Promoting Literacy at Queen’s Park

OLC Executive Director Lesley Brown with Minister John Milloy

On behalf of Ontario’s adult literacy community, the Ontario Literacy Coalition held a reception at Queen’s Park Main Legislative Building on Monday October 4, 2010 to recognize the efforts and strides Ontario has made in improving the literacy skills of all Ontarians.

We were joined by almost a dozen Ontario Cabinet ministers, equally as many Members of Provincial Parliament, employees from the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities and representatives from support organizations across the province including literacy sector networks, regional literacy networks and cultural streams.

John MacLaughlin, Manager of Program, Business and Partnership Development at OLC, MPP Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario Minister of Education, Kay Munro of Literacy Link South Central, and MPP Khalil Ramal, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

John MacLaughlin, Manager of Program, Business and Partnership Development at OLC, MPP Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario Minister of Education, Kay Munro of Literacy Link South Central, and MPP Khalil Ramal, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Minister John Milloy, MPP Elizabeth Witmer and MPP Rosario Marchase spoke to the unfaltering work being done in the literacy field, and thanked each and every literacy professional for making a difference in the lives of 60,000 learners across the province.

Paul Clifford, President of UNITE HERE, Local 75 and Anna Chartres, Regional Director of Human Resources for Fairmont Royal York Hotel, highlighted the importance of partnership in making workplace literacy programs possible. Leaner Helen Liu reminded everyone in attendance why support for these programs is crucial – because it makes an immense difference in the lives of people who need and want to learn.


Learner Helen Liu, who spoke about the importance of continued funding for adult literacy programs

The reception was followed by meetings with MPPs who were interested in understanding the literacy issues of their specific constituencies. We thank everyone who participated in those meetings as well as all of you who continue to meet with MPPs in your areas. Your work is crucial to maintaining funding for literacy and essential skills programs across the province.

Meet Ghazal Niknazar, Project Coordinator

As Project Coordinator, I am responsible for organizing the array of projects being managed by the Ontario Literacy Coalition.  Having joined the OLC staff team in 2009, I have been focusing on our work in the areas of Workplace Literacy and Essential Skills, the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum, and Family Literacy.   I have the pleasure with working with an incredible group of staff and subject matter experts who are helping to make the OLC’s projects real and tangible for both government and literacy practitioners.

Before joining the OLC, I spent 8 years in teaching and tutoring settings in diverse cultural contexts.  I taught at all levels of ESL and LINC and have also trained instructors in preparation for their TESOL certification.  My involvements with the Frontier College Literacy Program and WLES sponsored alternative employment training schools, have opened my eyes to the immense need for capable, well educated, teachers as well as well-funded and policy-supported adult programming in Canada.  These insights have only enhanced my desire and commitment to adult education.

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