April 2 to 9 is International Adult Learners Week. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) started this annual event in 2000 as a way to celebrate adult learners and lifelong learning. Here in the Boundary there is a lot to celebrate.
One of the newest Boundary programs and partnerships is the Community Learning Place held at the Grand Forks and Greenwood Public Libraries. These are drop-in programs held on a weekly basis in Grand Forks and every second week in Greenwood. They offer a unique opportunity for adult learners looking for help with basic computers, English language, math, test preparation, skills upgrading, or just finding out more about the community.
Lizanne Eastwood is the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy’s (CBAL) community literacy co-ordinator for the Boundary region.
“The Community Learning Place is just one of several programs we offer adult learners who are seeking ways to improve the skills that will allow them to navigate this changing world.
“We also offer weekly sessions for adults with English as a second language, seniors’ computer classes, and one-to one tutoring. CBAL trains volunteer tutors each year and currently has five dedicated volunteers working with learners on a one-to-one basis,” she says.
“We couldn’t do any of this without our community partners, which include Selkirk College, Grand Forks Public Library, Greenwood Public Library and School District 51.
“We also work closely with Community Futures Boundary and their work with Essential Skills in the work place.”
Sheila Dobie is the adult literacy co-ordinator for the Boundary region.
“Many people wonder how much need there is for a literacy program in what seems to be a very well educated community,” explains Dobie.
“The reality is that one in three of the adults in B.C. are not able to meet the demands of life in the 21st century and the workplace because they need to improve their essential skills, including reading, document use, numeracy and computer use.
“This situation impacts employers and our community’s ability to take on new economic development opportunities.”
Across the Selkirk College region, CBAL serves approximately 400 core learners each year and an additional 250 drop-in learners, who access help for a specific need, such as filling out a job application or understanding a rental agreement. CBAL is a registered non-profit society whose purpose is to promote literacy and lifelong learning in 17 communities in the Boundary, West and East Kootenays.
All of the programs CBAL offers are free of charge. For more information about the adult literacy programs in the Boundary contact Sheila Dobie through Selkirk College at 250-442-2704 ext.228 or by email at sdobie@cbal.org.