Literacy-related Barriers to Employment
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The Centre for Social Research and Evaluation's research programme on barriers to employment includes a focus on literacy-related issues. Low levels of literacy are a significant barrier to a high proportion of unemployed adults gaining sustainable employment. ("Literacy" here relates to literacy, language and numeracy.) In an environment of low unemployment, productivity can be improved by equipping those outside the workforce with basic literacy skills and those inside the workforce with further literacy training.
Adult literacy interventions 2001/2002 to 2003/2004: Monitoring report
This report provides consolidated monitoring and evaluation information over three financial years for the Ministry of Social Development's funding of personalised literacy assistance for job seekers. The report looks at what literacy assistance has been provided to MSD job seekers and how that assistance can be improved.
Literacy in Taranaki (LIT) research pilot
The LIT research pilot was undertaken in response the monitoring report's finding that we lacked a reliable means of identifying literacy needs and reliable information on the extent of literacy need.
A tool for screening basic literacy need was trialled along with a tool for assessing levels of literacy. The assessment tool is intended to help providers progressively develop and implement tools that measure and link learning gains to frameworks such as the Adult Literacy Achievement Framework (ALAF). We have produced a fact sheet to share our learnings from the LIT research pilot with other people who are investigating adult literacy issues.
Screening welfare beneficiaries for adult literacy skills: A review of the international literature
This literature review examines international policy and operational responses to literacy issues among beneficiary populations. The review considered over 150 reports, publications and websites, focusing on recent material from four benefit regimes: England; Ontario, Canada; Australia; and Ireland.
The review found that a number of factors need to be considered when planning a literacy programme: the interrelated nature of the screening, assessment and provision components; staff capacity and training; relationships between case managers and providers; and provision.
