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PAGE 8 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MAY 16,2001 Literacy help has to be sought, not forced: Durham agency BY SUSAN O'NEILL Sniff Writer DURHAM -- Welfare recipients forced to participate participate in literacy training programs programs may not achieve the same level of success in learning to read as they would if they chose to seek help themselves, say local officials who arc concerned with the Province's new welfare welfare plan, "My concern with forcing people into it is that it's almost almost like marking them as problem citizens who need to go to welfare university," said Paul Cloutier, head of Durham Region's income support division. "The whole issue is so sensitive." Mr. Cloutier said although although helping people attain literacy and numeracy skills is a worthy goal, if the initiative initiative becomes "public finger- pointing... it does become counterproductive." And, Wanda Pitchforth, executive director of the Literacy Literacy Network of Durham Region, said although "there are people on Ontario Works who possibly have low literacy literacy skills, each one of us has to realize that to learn something something we have tried and tried to leam and haven't been successful at, we have to be at a certain spot in our life if we're going to do that. Being pushed into that spot I don't think will make it any easier." easier." In announcing his government's government's plan to introduce mandatory literacy testing and training for welfare recipients recipients who struggle with reading, writing and math, Community and Social Services Services Minister John Baird said in a statement to the house last week that, "We recognize that literacy is a basic yet important skill in today's marketplace. "We know if you can't read the job ad, it will be tough to get off welfare. If a welfare recipient can't pass a basic language and math test, they will be offered help. If they refuse help, they will have made themselves ineligible ineligible for welfare in Ontario." It's that mandatory component component of the program that concerns Mr. Cloutier. "Certainly we come across clients who have literacy literacy and numeracy problems," problems," he said, noting people PAUL CLOUTIER ' It's almost like marking them as problem citizens.' who have made it into adulthood adulthood without learning how to read or write arc "ingenious "ingenious individuals" many of whom are "very guarded and proud. "The toughest thing for these people is to step up to the plate and say, 'I can't read or write. I need help'," he said, noting the Region offers to connect any individuals individuals in that situation with the Literacy Network or an adult education basic skills training training program. Ms. Pitchforth agreed people are more successful in any program if enrolling in that program was a choice they', made. Sihe also said studies conducted conducted for the Literacy Network, Network, which co-ordinates the community planning for all literacy programs in Durham Region, have found "it takes a person about two years after they've decided they want to improve their skills for them to really be successful successful in the programs. They seem tô need that time." Ms.l Pitchforth reported there were approximately 1,000 students enrolled in the various 'training programs offered offered across the Region during during a six-month period last year. ; | She Said many programs could accommodate additional additional students, but noted the system could be strained depending depending cvn the influx of people people and their reading level. Individuals who have very basic: skills work best one-on-ono, she said. She added most programs rely on volunteer tutors and wonders, "where will we get the volunteers to work with them one-oil-one?" ANDREW IWANOWSKI/ Statesman plwto Dee-licious food BOWMANVILLE - Dee Pinchers of Dee's Cohering Cohering was one of many food vendors serving up goodies during a Food and Wine Festival at Archibald Orchard and Estate Winery on the weekend. The event benefited Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Clarington. , Literacy trouble hits 40 per cent of Canadians: Statistics Canada BY MANDY O'CONNOR Special to This Week OSHAWA - Can you read this article? Consider yourself lucky. More than 40 per cent of Canadians aged 16 to 65 would find it difficult and frustrating, according to Statistics Canada. Although this doesn't mean they're illiterate, it docs mean they have low literacy skills. For nine years, Literacy Council of Durham Region volunteers volunteers have been doing something something about this evident problem. problem. Tucked away in an Oshawa office building, Brad Cook connects connects volunteer tutors with adults who have literacy problems. problems. "The Literacy Council pro vides. one-to-one tutoring for adults .who may have difficulty reading and writing," explains Mr. Cook, a volunteer and student student co-ordinator. One thing the council prides itself on is being student-centred. student-centred. "It's geared based on what the student's goals are," said Mr. Cook. "If the student has a work-related goal, than the reading reading and writing would reflect that. What the tutor docs depends depends on where the student wants to go in the future." Directly helping someone create a better future is a benefit of volunteering for the approximately approximately 40 tutors who help the approximately 40 students weekly. "What a lot of them get out of it is, it can change their life in a lot of different ways," said Mr. Cook. "On a personal level, but also in a social and economic way." If this sparks your interest, keep in mind a reason people volunteer is the challenge. "It's not just showing up," warns Mr. Cook. "They have to put something of themselves in it." So the next time you pick up a newspaper, a book, or even a menu, think about the people who would stmggle reading it and remember two things. First, low literacy skills leave people with very limited choices in terms of where they can go. Second, it doesn't have to be that way. For more information, call 905-434-5441. 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