Modern life presents many challenges. Adequate literacy skills make it possible to successfully deal with those challenges. However, those who lack a range of literacy skills can quickly become overwhelmed by those same challenges. The illiterate fall further behind and become a burden to the community that is left with little choice but to fund pay to feed and house them.
Those who lack literacy skills often find themselves unable to read a book to a child, understand a physician’s prescription, establish a budget, balance a bank account, follow a printed recipe, complete an employment application, or understand operating instructions.
Literacy enabling programs are found in our educational systems and/or volunteer driven non-profits. Those in need of skills training come voluntarily bearing an acute awareness of their need to gain life enhancing skills. They may be people who dropped out of school early, unemployed or under-employed adults, or those new arrivals needing to learn some English.
Armed with adequate literacy skills, they become better students, more capable parents, and better qualified employees. Many are now prepared to become employed apprentices or students at a community college. They are equipped to open doors that had been previously closed to them.
In every community across the country, demand for these services can dramatically exceed the number of those who are willing to help provide the training. Often, needed funds fall far short. For those who need help and for those who provide that help, LITERACY MATTERS.
Bill Ramsey's Blog 