26TEN – THE TASMANIAN STORY OF ADULT LITERACY AND THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE ACTION

15
Apr

26TEN – THE TASMANIAN STORY OF ADULT LITERACY AND THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE ACTION

26TEN – THE TASMANIAN STORY OF ADULT LITERACY AND THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE ACTION

Too many adults around the world don’t yet have the reading, writing, math’s and oral communication skills they need for life and work in a technological society. In Australia’s island state of Tasmania, we are doing something about this. All sides of politics are supporting a strategy for change known as 26TEN. 26TEN refers to the 26 letters of the alphabet we use for reading and writing, and the ten digits we use for counting. It is a growing network of business, community, government and individuals working together to improve adult literacy and numeracy.

Learn how adult literacy and numeracy is being tackled in the Australian state of Tasmania. Hear compelling stories from a now well-established program that combines practical grass-roots action with evidence-based supporting frameworks. Stories of adults who are now able to read to their children, get that promotion or job, taking on some training or apply or purchase items on line for the first time. You will see how collective action, a model for social change, is helping to get action on literacy levels on a large scale. At the Strategy’s halfway point, delegates will find out about what we have learnt along the way and how we have changed lives through evidenced based socio-economic return on investment research. Delegates will have a chance to take part in a practical activity run as part of 26TEN’s free literacy awareness-raising workshops. The activity, the 26TEN Chat, encourages people with good literacy and numeracy skills to encourage those who need to improve their skills to get the help they need. Doctors, health workers, lawyers, accountants, and state and local government services encounter people with low literacy and numeracy from time to time and this tool helps them to start that very important conversation to seek help with their reading, writing and math’s.

AUTHOR: Sue Costello

Sue has worked within the Australian government, community and education sectors. With qualifications in economics, adolescent counselling, education and career development, Sue has a history of helping young people and is passionate about the importance of education to work and life. Sue is now managing 26TEN’s strategy to improving the adult literacy and numeracy levels of all Tasmanians. Sue has a strong belief that collective action works to address learning disadvantage. She has presented on 26TEN across her state, nationally and at the 2016 International Clarity conference in New Zealand.

Email: sue.costello@education.tas.gov.au
Twitter: 26TEN@26TENTas
LinkedIn: Sue Costello

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