Tom Henihan
Express Staff
Smoky River Community Adult Learning Programs (SRCALP) has been offering services in this region since 1975, from its office in the MD building in Falher and for the last two years, having partnered with Northern Lakes College, it also runs an office and classroom in the NLC Smoky River Campus in McLennan.
SRCALP is grant funded by the Alberta Government with a mandate to offer foundation literacy skills such as numeracy, literacy, English as a Second Language, (ESL) and basic computer skills.
While SRCALP’s focus is foundation literacy skills, it also offers community courses such as a Hunter Education Course, First Aid, provincial certificate Food Handling Safety course, more specialized computer skills such as Excel or Word courses and instruction in the proficient use of iPads and Tablets.
SRCALP recently appointed coordinators are now completing their first year with the organization: Sherry Limoges in Falher and Norman Soucy at the NLC campus in McLennan. Both Limoges and Soucy began with SRCALP in November 2017.
“We want to remind people that our focus is foundational life skills,” says Falher coordinator, Sherry Limoges. “People think we are here to offer community classes but that is not our focus. We can offer those classes on the side, but our focus is life skills, such as numeracy and literacy and we can help with resumes, filling out documents, or anything to do with computers such as setting up an email account.”
There are three-hundred similar adult literacy entities across the province that liaise with each other, holding regional meetings to discuss what they can provide and how best to offer those courses and services.
Of course, a vital component of offering these courses is creating awareness within the community as to what is available and hearing from the community as to what its needs are. To that end, SRCALP welcomes and encourages people to make an appointment or simply drop by the Falher or McLennan offices and speak with a coordinator to discuss one’s needs and get the information one requires.
“If people have suggestions they can also drop us an email, message us on Facebook or call us with suggestions of courses and programs that they would like to see,” says Limoges. “We are always looking for ideas about what the community wants or needs and we will try to fit those needs into our mandate.”
SRCALP also encourages people to get in touch if they have a skill or talent they would like to teach or if they wish to assist with ESL, literacy or numeracy, which can also mean budgeting and things along those lines.
The Community Learning Network sets the guidelines for Smoky River Adult Learning, guidelines that the terms of its provincial grant funding also stipulate.
The SRCALP coordinators report to the Board, which in turn reports to Alberta Advanced Education.
The SRCALP Board, which meets approximately every six weeks from September to June, is currently looking for new board members.
Falher office coordinator Sherry Limoges can be reached at 780-837.3013 and McLennan office coordinator Norman Soucy at 780-324.3737 Ext.6712. People should also feel free to drop by the offices or email Smoky River Adult Learning: srcalp@telusplanet.net
SRCALP coordinators will be available at the NLC Open House Roadshow BBQ in McLennan on May 2, to answer any questions about courses and services, teaching or becoming a board member.
Smoky River Adult Learning operates on the lines of the school year, from September to the end of June and its offices are open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday, closing for lunch between noon and 1pm.