About a year ago it was brought to my attention that due to low literacy rates in North America, the generation that is currently in elementary school will not be literate enough to carry our economy forward. Low literacy, is what Horst Rittel would call a, Wicked Problem. As I have explored this issue as part of the Give to Grow Fund I have come to realize that literacy isn't just about the ability to read. Literacy directly correlates to:
access to local language (English as a Second Language training)
health and nutrition (kids can't learn on empty bellies)
access to banking services (parents can't learn financial literacy without the tools)
seeing employees as part of the revenue side of the equation by investing in their professional development (employees can't advance in their field if employers aren't investing in them leading to economic growth)
acculturation and integration (language nuance and social norms)
supplies in schools and quality education
access to literature outside of the school and work environment (book deserts)
