Literacy changes lives:

Why we need to work together to close the nation’s literacy gap

We are delighted to invite you to a free conference to celebrate International Literacy Day on Friday 6 September.

In Ireland, 500,000 adults have problems reading and writing. Even more have difficulty doing basic math. This has a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities. It also costs public services, businesses and the economy millions each year. The conference, which will look at how literacy changes lives, will focus on how we can all work together to help close the nation’s literacy gap and to create a more inclusive society.

There are a lot of interesting speakers including Jason Vit, Head of Literacy Hubs at the National Literacy Trust in the UK, Professor Donal O’Shea, Consultant Endocrinologist and Dr Shana Cohen, Director of the Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC). It is a morning event and will take place in the National College of Ireland in Dublin.

The conference marks the start of National Adult Literacy Awareness Week and the launch of the SOLAS funded ‘Take the first step’ campaign. Adult Literacy is co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020.

When: Friday 6 September 2019 from 10.30am to 1pm. Registration will be open from 10.00am.

Where: National College of Ireland, Mayor Street, Irish Financial Services Centre, Dublin 1.

Cost: There is no fee for attending this conference

Speakers and topics:

• Introduction and MC: Joe Little, Religious and Social Affairs Correspondent, RTÉ News and Current Affairs
• Low literacy costs, high literacy pays – Why good literacy skills are fundamental to the life chances of each citizen and to the development of an equal society: Dr Inez Bailey, Chief Executive, National Adult Literacy Agency
• The personal consequences: Brian O’Donnell, Adult Literacy Student, Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (ETB) and Galina Moraru, Adult Literacy Student, Kildare and Wicklow ETB
• Health literacy and health inequality in Ireland: Professor Donal O’Shea, Consultant Endocrinologist
• Family, society and community: Jason Vit, Head of Literacy Hubs at the National Literacy Trust in the UK
• Literacy in the workplace: Andrew Brownlee, Chief Executive, SOLAS and Sylvia Caldwell, Learning and Development Manager, Keelings
• Representatives from Keelings and SOLAS, the further education and training authority
• What’s next? – Developing a 10 year whole-of-government and whole-of-society framework for literacy in Ireland: Dr Shana Cohen, Director, Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC)

Public transport: The nearest LUAS tram stop is Mayor Square (two stops after Busarus on the red line)

Parking: The NCI car park is on Alderman Way, Dublin 1 (Please note that NALA does not pay for participants’ parking)

Book your place on here on Eventbrite