[NLA] Re: [NLA]

[LitNetJose@aol.com]

Hi, Andrea and Friends:

In regards to who is not choosing adult literacy, you have asked a question with an answer that can certainly go on forever...and sometimes does.  I recently had the opportunity to assist two students from Southern Methodist University, who were conducting research on English speaking Latinas who had enrolled in literacy programs and who were making progress on their journey to literacy.  The intent of the study was to discover what it was that made these particular individuals enroll in a literacy program and what was inspiring them to continue in pursuing their goals.  The data is being deciphered at this time.

Given high drop rates, which vary (in my experiences)from approximately 30-60%, depending on how long you are counting, there really is a thin line between those who ask for services and those who don't, and those who achieve their goals and those who hardly hang in long enough to be remembered.  

When you first asked your question, I started thinking along ethnic lines...but I think that is, to SOME extent, the wrong way to go.  

In workshops I have presented to personnel of health and human service agencies (to increase referral of literacy students to literacy programs), we talk about "why people don't ask for help".  You know, it really comes down to...who in the community has the correct information about our services and who is doing a good job in letting people, who lack access to information in general, know what it is we offer.  The bottom line is that there are misconceptions about what is involved in the services provided by our programs.  People draw conclusions of their own:  It costs money; I'm too old to learn; There are lots of forms to fill out; It is just like going to high school and I hated it there; I don't have time; It is too far away.  It is embarassing.  There aren't other people like me there.  The programs don't start low enough or go slow enough.

Also, when we talk to learners about childcare and transportation issues, they say that they have had to really work to make literacy fit in their lives.  Many of them said they did not need help with childcare and transportation. Of course they wouldn't...because they are already attending!  When we asked them if they knew other people who would enroll in a literacy/ABE program, but could not because of childcare and transportation issues, they said they knew plenty of people.  Now....that also makes sense.

There is more to Andrea's question and more to this answer.  My thoughts are that, we as a field, need to continue acting in a way that shows we understand that the people we target for services have had negative experiences in education...and that they have preconceived notions about the services we offer, and that they have limited access to information in general.  Also, in some cultures, people don't participate in (fill in the blank), because they never received a PERSONAL INVITATION.  This is important.

Finally, we workers in the field expect that we can take care of greater business when we develop RELATIONSHIPS with agents of resources.  Why would that be any different for the people we are targeting for services?  We have often succeeded in our efforts to serve "the hardest to reach" by working with those agencies and individuals who have relationships and trust with those we want to serve.  This is important, too.

So...who are those who don't ask for services?  Well...there are still many degrees of openness that people have to have before they respond to our marketing techniques.  Partly, for practicality sake, I think some of the answers are descibed above.

Jose Cruz
President, National Alliance of Urban Literacy Coalitions

Network Director, California Literacy
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