The strengths and abilities children develop from infancy through adolescence are crucial for their physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, which in turn help them to achieve success in school and to become responsible, economically self-sufficient, and healthy adults. Capable, responsible, and healthy adults are clearly the foundation of a…

The purpose of this literature review is to explore the relationship between literacy and poverty primarily using data from the series of related international literacy assessments, commonly referred to as the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). IALS data provides extensive information about literacy and related factors such as employment,…

The authors of this report analyzed the most recent data to illustrate the impact of literacy skills on both the micro- and macro-economic levels. The report explores whether there is a case to be made for direct links between literacy skill and income level. Data relating to the ability to get a job, job retention and promotion, risk of job loss,…

According to Statistics Canada, as many as 8 million Canadians do not have the literacy skills necessary to prosper in a knowledge-based society and economy. For most of these Canadians, the challenge is not simply in "decoding" text, but in "understanding and working with" it. The demands of the knowledge-based society are…

A project explored female poverty in Saskatchewan, Canada, and its implications within the framework of Health Canada's Population Health Promotion Model. Data were collected through consultations with 59 women who had experienced poverty, interviews with administrators of agencies and projects that serve poor women, and a literature review.…

This book analyzes forces fraying the social fabric of many countries, and the reasons why some Western countries have been more successful than others in addressing these trends. Part 1, "Poverty, Income Inequality, and Labor Market Insecurity: A Comparative Perspective," includes (1) "Markets and States: Poverty Trends and…