North Carolina Symposium on Public Policy Advocacy

NCL held its first public policy advocacy symposium under its 2009-10 Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant on Nov. 17-18 in partnership with the North Carolina Basic Skills Program and Community College System, and the North Carolina Literacy Association . The symposium “straddled” two state conferences – the NC Basic Skills and Community College conferences.  More than 90 new adult education advocates attended over the course of two days.  Guest speakers included Jackson Routh (Dollar General Community Initiatives Manager), Dr. Peter Waite (NCL President), Lynn Selmser (NCL Public Policy Director) and meeting facilitators Jackie Taylor and Marsha Tait (NCL Public Policy Committee Co-Chairs).

Local panelists and speakers included Dr. Randy Whitfield (Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Services, Basic Skills Department, North Carolina Community College System), Jennifer Gore (Executive Director of Reading Connections), Dr. Ed Smith (Interim Director of the Gaston County Chamber of Commerce), Kaye Gribble (Executive Director of the Gaston Literacy Council), and Donna Locket (Executive Director of Gaston Together).  The symposium featured a panel discussion about the challenges and successes of Gaston Career Climb, a local collaboration representing the culmination of more than ten years of planning to increase the basic skills of workers in Gaston County, NC.

The forum included presentations about the importance of public policy advocacy on behalf of adult education at the local, state, and federal levels.  Speakers discussed their own advocacy experiences, and demonstrated advocacy skills through role plays and discussions.  Jackie Taylor showed participants how to use the NCL On-Line Advocacy Toolkit and Clearinghouse, and participants blogged live during the symposium.  Jackson Routh awarded two surprise $2,500 grants, drawn randomly from attendees; and participants were offered the opportunity to apply for two additional $5,000 grants via RFP.  These funds will all be used to build the public policy advocacy infrastructure in North Carolina.

One participant commented: "This was the most informative, relevant, useful opportunity that one could participate in to better serve our students, programs, and the state needs as it relates to literacy education."

NCL extends its sincere thanks to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for generous support of the event, and its colleagues and partners in North Carolina for their assistance in making the symposium a success.  Planning has begun to identify a location and partners for the next symposium, to be held in the spring of 2010.