22 Jun Supporting Adult Literacy in NSW
The NSW Department of Education and the Commonwealth Government have signed a National Skills Agreement to strengthen access to foundation skills across NSW.
Running until December 2028, the agreement includes four key initiatives which are being delivered in partnership with the Adult and Community Education (ACE) sector. These comprehensive initiatives were informed by consultation with the Australian Council for Adult Literacy, the Reading Writing Hotline, and an ACE sector working group. Two of these important initiatives are outlined below.
Workforce Development
To help address the shortage of adult literacy and numeracy specialists in the ACE sector, the Department is taking a whole of organisation approach. At the centre of this is a professional development matrix that outlines the knowledge needed across all roles – from volunteers through to CEOs – to better improve foundation skills access and outcomes.
This approach includes a range of professional learning opportunities to build skills across the ACE workforce, including:
- A 20-hour, non-accredited How to Teach Literacy to Adults course designed for staff with little or no prior experience.
- Scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate study in Adult Literacy and Numeracy through Charles Sturt University, supporting trainers and coordinators seeking deeper expertise.
- Subsidised places at key literacy and numeracy conferences, including the ACAL Annual Conference and the NSW ALNC Conference.
Increasing Access to Foundation Skills Program
The Increasing Access to Foundation Skills Program is funding 30 ACE providers to deliver accredited and non-accredited foundation skills training across NSW. The program prioritises Aboriginal learners and students assessed at ACSF Level 2 and below, with a strong focus on regions with lower levels of foundation skills attainment.
The program also introduces clear quality and accountability arrangements for non-accredited foundation skills delivery. The funding approach recognises that learners with lower foundation skills require more intensive support and enable providers to respond to student need.
Applications were open to NSW not-for-profit, community-based Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s), with foundation skills qualifications on their scope of registration. Aboriginal Community Controlled RTO’s were strongly encouraged to apply.
Want to hear more?
ACAL will be exploring the good practice model described above with presenters, Helen Zwicker & Chesca Zacchini from the NSW Department of Education in a webinar Delivering the National Foundation Skills Strategy through NSW ACE.
The webinar will be held on Wednesday, 8th July 2026 at 5:00 pm NSW (AEST). Register Here.