Toward Creation of a National Table for Aboriginal Literacy and Essential Skills (NTALES). Report on Meeting of May 27, 2014

The Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN), in partnership with Aboriginal community leaders and literacy experts, is leading an initiative to create a National Table for Aboriginal Literacy and Essential Skills (NTALES). A potential role of the National Table will be to represent First Nation, Metis and Inuit literacy and essential skills (LES) needs and priorities in Canada. The partnership would seek to build on existing competencies, knowledge, and networks within the Aboriginal community. The resulting NTALES structure will help eliminate duplication of services and resources, facilitate cross-regional sharing, and assist in creating a highly representative field of practice within Aboriginal LES. A half-day meeting to gauge interest in creating a NTALES was held on May 27, 2014 in Ottawa. Expected immediate outcomes of the meeting were: (1) Agreement from consultation participants to move forward with a NTALES; (2) Establishment of an interim advisory group to participate in initial discussions of the purpose and structure of the NTALES; and (3) A list of resources required to get started, with ideas on how to access them. This meeting report describes the facilitated discussion that took place and four broad themes that emerged from the discussion itself. Appended are: (1) Original NTALES Overview; (2) Agenda; (3) Participant List; (4) Participant Biographies; and (5) Why Do You Think NTALES Is Important? [Ted Norris facilitated this meeting. Jodi Bruhn took notes and drafted the meeting report.]