Digby adult learner has extra reason to celebrate
The challenges that can often go along with being an adult learner aren't stopping Digby area resident Myles Haight from reaching for his goals.
A student with the Digby Area Learning Association, Haight was the winner of an iPad mini from Literacy Nova Scotia for his story, 'My Learning Work Journey,' to be published in this year's Adult Learners' Week Booklet in celebration of Adult Learners' Week (ALW), which runs from March 31 to April 6.
“At its core, Adult Learners' Week is a weeklong celebration committed to raising awareness, offering valuable learning opportunities, and spotlighting the unwavering determination of adult learners from across the province,” says Literacy Nova Scotia (LNS).
“As part of ALW, LNS compiles inspiring stories like Myles' into the Adult Learners' Week Booklet, which is distributed to community learning organizations throughout the province," it says. “These narratives guided by the question, ‘How did adult learning change your life?' serve as a testament to the strength and resilience of adult learners and inspire others to embark on their own learning journeys.”
LNS says the booklet also amplifies voices like Haight's,
showcasing the profound impact of learning on individuals, their families, and communities.”
“Each learner has an exceptional story to tell, and Myles is no different. He is a resilient adult learner who has demonstrated the transformative power of education. In his own words, 'Learning has changed me to be able to go to college… gaining self-confidence to be a better, more productive worker,'" reads a media release. "Myles highlighted the broader impact of his learning journey in his entry, emphasizing personal growth, enhanced social connections, and a newfound respect for the environment and diversity.”
Like many adult learners, Haight faces unique challenges.
"Sometimes the hardest
part is just getting out of bed, putting the right foot forward in life," he says. Yet, despite struggles with mental health, he underscores the importance of perseverance, stating, "Problems with my mental health [taught me] to never give up and keep trying, even if it takes me longer than others."
During Adult Learners' Week (ALW) Literacy Nova Scotia organizes creative writing workshops throughout the province, sponsors the iPad Mini draws, publishes the learner stories, and hosts a celebration at the Halifax Central Library, being held on April 5, from 11 am to 12 pm, noted Ethan de Winter, communications coordinator for Literacy
Nova Scotia.
Entries were accepted in four streams for this
year's Adult Learners' Week Booklet: English, French, Mi'kmaq/Indigenous, and African Nova Scotian.
“Each community learning organization celebrates the week in their own way, with many opting to hold workshops and classes that cater to the specific interests of their adult learners, ranging from arts and crafts to field trips in the community," said de Winter. "At its core, ALW celebrates the achievements of the province's adult learners by encouraging them to reflect on everything they have accomplished on their learning journey during the previous year."
In southwestern Nova Scotia, Literacy Nova Scotia works with four community learning organizations: Équipe d'alphabétisationNouvelle-Écosse in Tusket,
Digby Area Learning Association in Digby, Yarmouth County Learning Network in Yarmouth, and Shelburne County Learning Network in Barrington Passage.
“We support these organizations, and many others, through bursaries and scholarships for learners, professional development funding for staff, program promotion, information sharing, learner workshops, and in other capacities, including the distribution of grants for transportation assistance, technology, classroom supplies, breakfast and lunch programs, and extracurricular learning activities,” said de Winter.
Using data from previous years, Nova Scotia has between 3,000 and 3,500 adult learners annually, said de Winter.
Literacy Nova Scotia is a non-profit charitable umbrella organization that provides a provincial forum for organizations and people to work together so that every adult has literacy and essential skills learning opportunities. They do this by raising awareness about the state of literacy in the province and the country, by promoting accessible programs for all, by collaborating with others who have similar interests and goals to support and celebrate learning, and by making connections.
LNS is partly funded by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration.