Welcome to VALBEC’s 2026 conference titled: Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future. Join colleagues from across the adult education sector for a lively day of ideas, practice-sharing and connection. We will celebrate what has strengthened adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy over time—and take a clear-eyed look at what needs to change to meet today’s learners, workplaces and communities.
Through practical workshops and presentations, we will reimagine teaching for changing learners and contexts—responding to social and cultural shifts, evolving workplaces, and digital demands. Sessions will highlight purposeful innovation and research-informed practice that honours prior knowledge, strengthens participation and equity, and supports learners to navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Keynote speaker
Jo Medlin is a literacy and numeracy teacher and advocate and current president of the Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL). She volunteers on the Reading Writing Hotline Steering Committee and the JSA Foundation Skills Study Steering Committee. Employed part-time as an Associate Lecturer in Adult Vocational Education at CSU, she coordinates and lectures on a range of teacher -training adult LLN subjects. Research, consultation and resource development fill in the rest of the working week. Between literacy advocacy Jo walks the dog, contemplates jobs in the garden, and dreams of being an archaeologist. As a prolific reader (mainly cosy detective stories) she firmly believes a book a day keeps reality away.
Click here to go to the VALBEC2026 Conference Homepage.
VALBEC acknowledges the support of the ACFE Board and the State Government of Victoria for its professional learning activities.
Address PO Box 29 Clifton Hill Vic 3068
Email info@valbec.org.au
ABN 56 550 665 438 VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) was established in 1978 and is managed by an elected volunteer committee of management.
Incorporated Association No. A00 130 71K
