PORT HAWKESBURY: It’s about pride, it’s about confidence, it’s about the ability to do things for yourself and the ability to pass it along to your children.
Since the early 1980s the Port Hawkesbury Literacy Council (PHLC) has been providing access to community-based literacy programs and creating awareness among adults that, no matter their level of literacy, there is help available for improvement.
“I remember only learning about it when I was doing my practice teaching at SAREC, because they were housed at SAREC at the time,” Taralee Wood, interim executive director of PHLC told The Reporter on Jan. 17. “And I remember walking by and there was adult learning going on.”
The organization, which is now located in their own space at 305 Granville Street operates adult literacy programs, which are funded by the Province of Nova Scotia.
“Because of the funding and our fundraisers, we’re able to offer our programs for free,” Wood said. “This year, we’re running computer programming, and Gary offers Beginner iPad, Intermediate iPad, Beginner and Intermediate Laptop, and Introduction to Chromebooks, as well – just your basic digital skills.”
The majority of the people PHLC see are seniors, their interim executive director highlighted, noting it comes with the tale of the times.
“People my age and younger, grew up with technology, and it’s engrained in the education system,” Wood said. “Sometimes it does tie into family literacy, because they want to learn how to use Zoom or Facebook Messenger so they can communicate with family members or learn how to look up a recipe.”
While a group of 15 individuals make up multiple different classes, four days a week; they also run an ALP Level 1 and 2 course, which she said could be someone working towards earning their high school credits or they could already have their Grade 12 and be brushing up on their reading or writing skills.
“We’ve got five learners here working towards their GED, and some just come to develop their employable skills,” Wood said. “We’ve got a lot of people driving in from the St. Peter’s-River Bourgeois area this year, we’ve got a leaner come over from Mulgrave.”
Neighbouring PHLC in the Strait Area, Richmond County Literacy Network, however they’re only offering digital selections, which is why she thinks they’re seeing a bit of an increase in their numbers from that area.
“I started out in the public school system working with kids, at all different levels, and I subbed until I got this job,” Wood said. “You take things for granted and I remember encountering my first students, who was 20, who couldn’t read, but I was blown away by that.”
As much as she hates to say it, she believes the school system is a little broken, and the PHLC is trying to rework and revamp things to make it work.
“Because we’re seeing so many learners just being pushed through,” and now I see it in the adults that come through our door,” Wood said. “And when you have an adult, who is not only responsible for themselves, but they have a family to support, and they can’t read or can’t write and all of a sudden can’t help their child with their homework.”
While Family Literacy Day is Jan. 27, this year, it’s celebrating its 25th year of learning together as a family.
“Poverty ends up being an inter-generational thing oftentimes and it might start with a parent who didn’t get their full education,” Wood said. “And if they can’t it gets passed down to your child, and you absolutely see a difference when parents are taking the time to work with their children.”