This year, more people in Perth-Wellington will be able to get literacy and basic skills upgrading and training that will help open the door to a good job and a stronger future, John Wilkinson, MPP, Perth-Wellington announced recently.
The move is part of Ontario’s investment of an additional $44 million in the Literacy and Basic Skills program over the next three years.
“Ensuring every adult has the opportunity to upgrade their skills is one of the best investments we can make,” Wilkinson said. “Not only does it help more people succeed, but it builds a stronger foundation for our local economy.”
The plan is to increase base funding to every literacy organization in the province. The money will provide ongoing support to ensure literacy organizations can continue to deliver programs and serve more learners. Adults can have free help with literacy and basic skills at 340 sites across the province, including colleges, school boards and community-based organizations.
“Due to the generous increased funding for Wellington County Literacy Centre/Conestoga College partnership site in Arthur, we will be able to be open four days a week instead of two,” said Andrea Leis, of Conestoga College. “It will allow us to meet the high demand as we have exceeded our targets in the last three years.”
In Arthur, Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (177 George Street) and the Wellington County Learning Centre (179 George Street) are receiving $100,000 in funding for 2011-12. In total, literacy training in Perth-Wellington will assist as many as 415 people in 2011-12.
There have been 4,106 adults in Perth-Wellington assisted with literacy and basic skills training since 2003.
