What does a Literacy Outreach worker do?
The quick answer to that question is just about anything.
In the past two weeks I have been dressed as a moose, have had fun teaching children how to juggle at a community event and hosted a genealogy workshop.
I look forward to my weekly visits at the Salvation Army Drop-In, where we always have fun with the Positive Action word of the week.
This week I will be attending an elders group, hosting a tenancy rights and responsibilities workshop and gearing up for Family Fest on Sunday, Feb. 2.
My role is to help people connect to the resources and information that they need.
Through small group workshops and one-to-one mentoring, my aim is to make the written world more accessible and understandable to everyone.
The workshops are fun and interactive and everyone is encouraged to join in the discussions and activities.
The underlying philosophy of my work is to inspire, encourage and assist people to reach their life goals and literacy is a fundamental component to this.
Imagine for a moment how hard life would be if you were unable to read signs or order food from a restaurant menu.
It would be impossible for you to fill out forms or read and understand contracts.
Some things in the written world seem complicated and impossible, but with help and practice these difficulties can be overcome.
That is why we at CCPL are here to help.
Kirsten Stark is a Literacy Outreach Worker for Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy.