Patron - Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
Adult Learning Australia is the national peak body representing Australia’s 1400 Adult and Community Education
providers. Our aim is for a learning society in which all Australians are able to participate in lifelong and lifewide learning.
ALA applauds Investment in foundation skills.
Adult Learning Australia congratulates the Rudd government on its investment of $120
million dollars over 4 years in language, literacy and numeracy programs. Sally Thompson,
CEO of Adult Learning said, “It is commendable that the government has had the foresight to
invest in the foundation skills that will enable Australia’s most vulnerable workers to remain in
employment and take advantage of the economic recovery.”
ALA is pleased with the recognition that improved numeracy, literacy and language skills not
only contribute to productivity, but to the lives of individual Australians. The package includes
funding for the unemployed and for innovative community based approaches to informal
learning, such as Men’s Sheds.
“This package makes a conscious decision not to leave behind the many members of our
community who are disenfranchised from the mainstream education and training systems.
For these Australians, less formal community based approaches to learning are essential to
social inclusion”, said Ms Thompson.
Media Contact:
Sally Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, s.thompson@ala.asn.au
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
NEWS 
