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Many local organizations devoted to improving literacy within communities are non-profit and rely on the support and enthusiasm of volunteers and donors. If you want to contribute to literacy efforts within your community, here are a few of the ways you can get involved:

LITERACY TUTORING

Literacy tutoring is a broad category that may encompass many areas, including basic adult literacy education, GED preparation, and ESL (English as a second language) training. The focus of these programs will be to teach and reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and math skills. The goals of students at this level will be quite varied. Some will want to become better employees, be able to read to their children, learn a new language after immigration, understand medical instructions, and more. Some literacy courses are taught one-on-one and others in small classes.

GED PREPARATION

A study released in 2009 reported that 80.5% of high school students in Pennsylvania successfully graduate on time, compared to the national average of 73.4%. Although the state ranks 6th in

the nation in terms of graduation rate, this still means that each year more than ten thousand students in Pennsylvania do not graduate from high school. However, GED preparation programs offer adult learners the opportunity to reclaim lost schooling time and create new opportunities for themselves. Attaining a GED diploma enables people to become more competitive in the job market, qualify for more positions, go to college, and even become eligible for certain career-related certification exams. For many, going back to school and earning the credentials they were previously unable to get for whatever reason is a goal in itself, and GED

preparation classes offer a targeted approach for those who want to earn their diplomas.

ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication changes as we use different media to convey our message. Two particularly common forms of communication, telephone and email, are important for both everyday and professional life, emphasizing accurate listening and reading comprehension skills in addition to speaking. Knowing how to communicate clearly, expressively, and professionally over these devices is a major part of some jobs. Also, it may take some practice using these media to become comfortable communicating because you cannot see the other person to gauge reactions or physically express yourself. The sole reliance on the words you choose to convey meaning can be particularly intimidating for people with low language skills.

According to a study released by the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) in 2003, 14.5% of U.S. adults lack basic prose literacy skills, meaning that their literacy skills range from being completely unable to read English to being able to understand only basic phrases and sentences. The same study found that 10% of the population of Allegheny County lack basic prose literacy skills. Other studies show that education level correlates strongly with annual salary, and that the cost of illiteracy to taxpayers every year is

about $20 billion in reduced productivity. Low-literate Americans are unable to help young children with homework, fill out a job application, read a newspaper, or even understand a prescription label. The lack of literacy skills can negatively impact individuals’ lives as well as the lives of those around them.

Fortunately, resources are already in place to help people gain the literacy skills they need to turn their lives and their families’ lives around.

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TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTION

Along with literacy skills, the ability to use computers and basic software is critical for working in offices today. Office employees often must be able to type well, navigate the Internet, and use the functions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. While higher software and web-based skills vary by industry and employer, those basics remain a core requirement for much computerized work. Local organizations often have computers available for people to practice with and train on if they do not have or cannot afford a computer in their own home.

DONATION

Not everyone has the time to volunteer as a tutor or teacher, but there are still ways that you can get involved. Aside from depending on volunteers, organizations that fight illiteracy also rely on grants and donations to keep their operations going. Many of these donations are tax-deductible. Not all donations must necessarily be cash – some organizations may also accept real estate, bequests, used cars, and more. Registration for or participation in fundraising events held throughout the year also provide opportunities for donors to get involved in the organizations. Different organizations may have different donation suggestions, preferences, or limitations, so check with your local organization before making a donation.

GPLC is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping adults and families improve their lives through literacy. It provides literacy education as well as basic job preparation and computer skills training. As a provider of free education, GPLC relies on the efforts of community volunteers in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas to help students succeed in their literacy goals. GPLC offers many opportunities to volunteers to become tutors for

reading, writing, basic math, ESL, or GED preparation. Other volunteer positions focus on telephone conversation, e-mail communication, refugee tutoring, technology instruction, special events (Leaders for Literacy Luncheon or Trivia Bowl), and other fundraising events. For every dollar GPLC receives, 89 cents go directly toward students, making it a wise investment for donating to a charity in Pittsburgh.

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If you would like to learn more about our programs or are interested in being a volunteer in Pittsburgh or Allegheny County with GPLC, contact us at 412-393-7600 or visit our website.