READING - THE KEY TO EMPOWERMENT

There are so many causes in need of manpower these days. Choosing which one to devote one’s time and effort to is not an easy task, yet there are only so many hours in a day, so many days in a week. I decided to become involved in the cause of literacy because I feel, very strongly I might add, that in our society, the ability to read and write is the foundational stone upon which all other aspirations rest. It is empowering – you can read, you can learn, you can gather information, you can choose, you can progress, you are more confident.

For those of us who read and write, we can hardly imagine a world where the letters truly appear as hieroglyphs. Where we have to feign comprehension because everyone else can read the notice posted on the board, or the headline in the newspaper. Where we don’t know where to go because we can’t read the street signs. Where we can’t help our children with their homework because we just can’t read the instructions. Sadly, this is the case for too many anglophone adults in Brome -Mississquoi.

The Council is now in the midst of implementing our communications plan, the goal of which is to publicize our services in the hopes of recruiting both potential students and tutors. We have been distributing newly created publicity materials in government offices, libraries, clinics, community centres, and churches in Waterloo, Cowansville, Knowlton, and Sutton, and will continue distributing in other areas throughout the year. Our special project this year is to concentrate our efforts in Waterloo, Bedford, and Mansonville, sectors we have identified as top priority. We are hoping to make as many people as possible aware of our existence, and enrol as many students and tutors as we can.

The Council’s regular activities continue fullswing; the Prison Program remains highly successful, a workshop on working with intellectually handicapped persons was held, a tutor training workshop is imminent as is the annual Christmas party. Next year we hope to invite tutors to share their experiences with each other over coffee and cake. We would like to do the same for students – our motto remains “each one teach one”.

All in all, a very busy year lies ahead. I look forward to it.

Joani Tannenbaum,
President, YLC