About

Today, more than ever, literacy is one of the most important foundations for success in life. It is central in our society and affects our opportunities for education, employment and wellbeing. Yet, an estimated 46% of Australian adults don’t have the literacy skills they need to cope with the demands of everyday life.

Polaron’s vision for our 4th annual diversity forum, Are You Talking to Me: the Power of Literacy is to contribute to the creation of a literate community. A community that exchanges ideas, engages in dialogue, innovates and creates.

It’s a joint effort by people and organisations who care about how we communicate, including Victorian Multicultural Commission, Centre for Culture, Ethnicity & Health, Youth Activating Youth, Orange Monkey Media, Settlement Services International, Wattleshire, Law Squared and AALC. The forum is free to attend thanks to Polaron’s commitment to diversity and the very generous support of our sponsors, the Commonwealth Bank and NAATI.

The forum, held once again during Victoria’s Cultural Diversity Week, will feature presentations, conversations and professional development with leading experts in literacy and access, as well as demonstrations of good practice, joint initiatives and tools.

The forum program will explore:

– What digital literacy is and how to develop your knowledge and practical skills to bridge the gap

– Ways to embed health literacy in community strategies, policies and programs

– How to communicate clearly and deliver financial information at the appropriate literacy levels

– How we can actively address the challenges of legal and civic communication in a meaningful way

The forum will be held on 19th of March in Melbourne.