The North Bay Literacy Council is pleased to announce that we have received our third Literacy and Health grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Literacy providers have always recognized that their client’s health improves during their involvement with upgrading literacy skills.  The North Bay Literacy Council identified an opportunity to work with a variety of agencies involved in both literacy services and the health care sector.  The goal is to identify areas of need and work towards improving awareness of the issues and the services available in the community and the North Bay Literacy Council.

The North Bay Literacy and Health Project Phase III will design and deliver a “Literacy and Health” awareness and education campaigns within the general population and the health sector.  We will establish a working partnership with the sector to develop responsive solutions to the issues identified.  The “Ask Me Three” material, developed by Pfizer’s Clear Health Communication Initiative, will be used to improve patient communication.  A Literacy and Health symposium will be held for literacy and health care providers.  A Health Literacy Audit designed by Literacy Alberta will be conducted at the North Bay General Hospital and the Northeast Mental Health Centre.  “Health Literacy Study Circles” developed by Harvard University will be used to train tutors and tutor trainers at the North Bay Literacy Council and the Ontario Laubach Literacy conference.  Future funding possibilities will be investigated.