Reading and more at community resource centre

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This article was published 08/05/2021 (1607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Some people might barely remember a time before they could read. Others, however, might struggle long into adulthood to be able to comprehend what they see on the page. For people like these, the GOAL adult literacy and upgrading program at the Elmwood Community Resource Centre is available to help.

The need for literacy is everywhere in Canadian society, from filling out job applications to reading instructions or recipes to sitting and relaxing with a good book on quiet afternoons. In many jobs, good reading comprehension is essential. When people are unable to develop the necessary skills in childhood, learning as an adult can help.

The GOAL program is geared towards the needs of its students. Adults aged 18 and up can register at any time of the year, as the program has a continuous intake of students. New arrivals receive a quick assessment of their skills and a customized learning plan, designed to help them earn a GED certificate or gain a work promotion.

Students can take the initiative to register, but often employers will refer their workers to the program. Various levels of learning are available for both Canadian-born residents and newcomers. Some in-person learning with teachers at the centre is available even during the pandemic, but much of the work is geared for individual study. 

Resources are available for students learning from home. The centre has partnered with various businesses to provide laptops and other equipment for students who lack access to their own computers, and classes currently take place through Zoom. Each week, staff members drop off homework materials for students, together with a mental wellness kit to help people who are struggling with the isolation and stresses they may be experiencing. 

The goal of the various programs at the centre, according to executive director Nina Condo, is for people to “get better and be okay in their day-to-day life.” 

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Part of this goal comes through the weekly segment on the timetable when students can learn essential skills such as resume writing, communicating with employers, and more. 

With counselling services, programs teaching parenting from an Indigenous perspective and more, the Elmwood Community Resource Centre will have much to celebrate at its anniversary this September.

As Condo says, the organization has “20 years of being in the community, serving the community.” 

In the future, the organization will still play an important part in Elmwood.

Susan Huebert is a community correspondent for Elmwood. 

Susan Huebert
Elmwood community correspondent

Susan Huebert is a community correspondent for Elmwood

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