Created in October 2000, the ANLCI mobilizes and works with stakeholders able to act at institutional level and in the field to prevent and fight illiteracy. Its role is to bring together and optimize the energies, actions and resources of all decision-makers and stakeholders to increase the visibility and effectiveness of their commitment. It is a Public Interest Group, a flexible structure that brings together public and private partners. It organizes the distribution of work within the areas of expertise and action specific to each player. It does not award subsidies but works to produce added value through an action plan that combines the efforts of all. Its organization reflects the determination to enable everyone to take part in decision-making and participate in shared and concerted action. Worldwide, 860 million men and women are deprived of one of the simplest basic skills – knowing how to read and write. Industrialized countries where schooling is compulsory are also affected. All generations are affected. To describe the situation and to distinguish those people who have never been to school, France chose the term “illettrisme” (illiteracy). This term provokes reactions and indignation, but it is still necessary today to ensure that those confronted with illiteracy are not forgotten, because they typically try to hide their illiteracy, synonymous with failure. And yet, facing daily life without using the written word requires courage, and the implementation of clever strategies to get around the problem. Since 2001, working with many partners, members of its Board, its Advisory Board, representatives of institutions and civil society, the French National Agency for the Fight against Illiteracy decided to share some clear definitions:
To end confusion:
- For people schooled in France, but who have not acquired sufficient mastery of reading, writing and mathematics to be autonomous on a day to day basis, we talk about illettrisme (functional illiteracy). The aim is to get back to basic education and re-learn.
- For an adult who has never been schooled, the term is alphabétisation. (literacy) The aim is to learn.
- For a new arrival in France, the aim is to learn French. This is French as a foreign language, learning that can be combined with either of the first two approaches.
Enable anyone, at any age, to acquire and consolidate the very basics …
This is a functional foundation that groups together the basic skills: reading, writing, basic arithmetic needed to deal with everyday situations such as getting about, doing shopping, taking medicines, using appliances, following a child’s schooling, withdrawing money from an ATM, following work or safety instructions, reading a timetable, calculating amounts, etc..
Banishing stereotypes
In a society where recognition is too often based on academic success, without taking into account skills acquired through lifelong learning, let us avoid stigmatizing those faced with illiteracy, instead giving them the confidence to re-learn. Prevention needs to be implemented from childhood, even infancy: preparation for early learning, consolidation and support for basic skills throughout compulsory schooling. Because, throughout life, without necessarily being synonymous with exclusion, illiteracy can foster isolation and be an obstacle to social integration, access to employment and professional mobility. There is no inevitability about illiteracy. Men and women of all ages, living in very different contexts are faced with illiteracy. Breaks (such as failure at school, problems at work, health and family issues, etc.) can contribute to this crumbling away of knowledge, but suitable solutions for getting learning processes back on track are available.
How many people are affected?
3,100,000 people, or 9% of the population aged between 18 and 65, having been schooled in France, are confronted with functional illiteracy (figures from French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, 2006) 4.9% of young people aged 17 are functionally illiterate (Call-up day for Defense Preparation, 2007, French Ministry of Defense in coordination with French Ministry for National Education).
More key figures on the functionally illiterate:
41 % are women 59 % are men
53 % are over 45
49 % live in rural or sparsely populated areas, i.e. 1,500,000 people
10 % live in sensitive urban zones (ZUS), but the percentage of functional illiterates in 18% in ZUSs
57 % work, or some 1,700,000 people
5 % sbenefit from income support (RMI), but 26% of RMI beneficiaries are functionally illiterate
74 % spoke French only at home aged 5
Adult functional illiterates are not well identified; they are confused with immigrants who have to learn French as a foreign language. People see it as a marginal phenomenon. And yet 4.5% of 18-25 year olds, 9% of 36-45 year olds, 13% 46-55 year-olds and 14% of 56-65 year-olds are functionally illiterate. The proportion of functional illiterates increases with the age group of the population. Difficulties are exacerbated throughout life. People are unaware that 57% of functional illiterates have jobs.
“Unite to act more effectively”
In order for everyone to better understand their place, the ANLCI established a structuring tool in 2003, the national reference framework, which is the anchor point for a national policy that is cross-cutting, consistent and shared. When its constitutional convention was renewed in 2005, the ANLCI public interest group’s field of intervention was confirmed and extended around three strong focuses:
- Measure
- The ANLCI is responsible for promoting, at a national, territorial and local level, all actions aimed atmeasuring, preventing and acting to fight functional illiteracy and to encourage access for all to reading, writing and basic skills.
- Organize
- The ANLCI brings together and optimizes the resources mobilized by the State, local authorities, the private sector and civil society in the fight against functional illiteracy.
- Provide tools
- The ANLCI supports and helps stakeholders performing actions to fight functional illiteracy to professionalize and develop their skills.
To provide access to all to reading, writing and basic skills
Act together in continuity and with pragmatism
Work together:
At national level: By bringing together all institutions and partners within a lightweight and flexible structure, the ANLCI does not overlap administrations but produces what is missing for the fight against functional illiteracy to develop according to needs. The ANLCI includes over 150 institutions between its Board of Directors, Advisory Board and Scientific Council. And at territorial level with the regional plans to fight illiteracy to coordinate actions by the State, local authorities, civil society and economic stakeholders in each region. By raising awareness of and sharing the regional diagnosis, the strategic objectives of public actions in the regions, the resources mobilized to prevent and fight functional illiteracy at all ages, these regional action plans mobilize all players in the long term in an operational manner.
June 2009: 20 action plans signed or pending signature:
Seek, find and share what works for dissemination of best practices To answer to problems that arise: Concrete solutions do exist. In the field pretty much everywhere, agents are developing effective methods of action that correspond to the diversity of difficulties and situations of functional illiterates. It is possible to find solutions, and it is indispensable and more productive to raise awareness of them and share them instead of constantly thinking up new measures. This is what the Permanent Best Practices Forum of the ANLCI has proposed since 2004: A working method anchored in reality, and that works – over 3,000 participants have already got involved To find all these best practices, tools and outcomes:
- A resources portal to share this common heritage, with the entries “areas of action”, “people concerned”, “regions”, etc. www.anlci.gouv.fr : Go to the “forum permanent des pratiques” area (available in French only)
- And for stage 3 of the Forum (2008-2010), you will find the log of the work carried out in all regions based on a chosen best practice on the topics Prevention / Integration of young people / Career development
- www.anlci.gouv.fr
- www.blog.fpp.anlci.fr
Inform, raise awareness, provide tools
There are many achievements and publications.Some of the most recent include:
- Prévenir l’illettrisme : des clés pour comprendre et agir (June 2009) (Preventing functional illiteracy – keys to understanding and acting)Practical guide, including resource forms and 9 films to support actions aimed at families.
- Le Référentiel des Compétences Clés en Situation Professionnelle (RCCSP) (May 2009) (Repository of Core Competencies for the World of Work)On request from a number of partners, the ANLCI offers this repository of core competencies for the world of work in order to facilitate the professional integration of unskilled young people, anticipate transfers and coordinate actions, etc.
- Partager les pratiques qui réussissent: des films courts pour comprendre et agir contre l’illettrisme (December 2008) (Short films for understanding and fighting illiteracy)During the major stages of its Permanent Forum of Best Practices, the ANLCI has produced some twenty short films, interviews and testimonials to give a voice to those affected by illiteracy, those who act (training agents, stakeholders from the corporate world, the world of education, integration, culture, researchers, policymakers, etc.) in all areas and at all ages.
- Acteurs de la formation de base : se professionnaliser (November 2008)(Stakeholders in basic education – professionalization)Practical guide produced based on contributions collected during work carried out at the Permanent Best Practices Forum at the ANLCI.
