Minister Harris encourages adults to unlock their literacy potential on International Literacy Day

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD is today encouraging people to improve their literacy, numeracy and digital skills on International Literacy Day.

The Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) strategy, launched by Minister Harris on International Literacy Day 2021, has a vision of an Ireland where every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to fully engage in society and realise their potential.  

The ALL Strategy maps-out a plan to make literacy supports as visible, accessible and inclusive as possible for everyone who may wish to avail of them. These literacy supports allow people to build and improve their reading, writing, numerical and digital literacy skills, opening up a world of opportunities to them.

If you would like to avail of literacy supports please contact your local Education and Training Board. Contact details can be found at www.adultliteracyforlife.ie/find-your-local-service/. 

Speaking at Ballymun Adult Education Centre in Dublin today, Minister Harris says: “It is great to be here on International Literacy Day. I am especially delighted to be here to listen to learners tell their story of how improving their literacy positively impacted their lives.

Today’s event is just one of 30 different events and activities, up and down the country, being held to promote adult literacy this month. These events have been organised by our Regional Literacy Coordinators and the Education and Training Boards, to help start a conversation around adult literacy.

The Adult Literacy for Life Strategy ensures whole of Government and whole of society approach to literacy. There is a vast amount of really fantastic work going on nationwide in providing literacy services and we want to ensure that everybody knows about it, and knows how to access it! I would encourage you to contact your local education and training board, and indeed call our freephone number 1800 20 20 65”

Minister Harris also helped to launch An Post’s Unlocking Life initiative yesterday, which will help to bring greater awareness of literacy supports available to people around the country, making it possible for more of our citizens to access greater opportunities in life. An Post’s collaborative and partnership-centred approach to getting the message out about literacy is exactly the vision of the ALL Strategy, which ensures that we take a whole of Government and whole of society approach to literacy. Through Unlocking Life, An Post will partner with NALA, the Regional Literacy Coordinators and Education and Training Boards Ireland in supporting awareness building through selected Post Offices on 7th, 8th and 9th September 2023.

The ALL Strategy is a ten year strategy that puts in place the long term structures needed to empower those who may previously have felt they were simply unable to learn. These structures include an ALL Programme Office, 16 Regional Literacy Coordinators across the country and ALL Strategy Collaboration and Innovation Fund. This year €1million was allocated to 51 literacy projects under this Fund by Minister Harris.