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Partner Assisted Learning tutor training begins Sept. 15 in Williams Lake

Some of the “unsung heroes” amongst us are the men and women who give generously of their time to help others in the community.

Some of the “unsung heroes” amongst us are the men and women who give generously of their time to help others in the community.

Among the most praiseworthy are those who volunteer at Partner Assisted Learning.

Partner Assisted Learning or PAL, as it is familiarly called, is an initiative of the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners in Literacy.

Its aim is to provide help in any areas where adults need literacy help.

There are many reasons why people leave school with less than adequate levels of literacy.

Sometimes it is disinterest, sometimes learning disabilities, poor health, or family needs.

Whatever the reason, it occasionally comes back to haunt us as we age. Income tax forms need to be filled in; the children think we should be able to use a computer, cellphone etc.

We need new skills in order to take on a new job. Perhaps we want to upgrade to take a course at the university.

PAL is here to help- and it’s free.

The wonderful volunteers who make this program possible come from many walks of life.

There are retired teachers certainly, but there are retired nurses, truck drivers, housewives (generally not retired), administrators, and many more who willingly devote their time to helping adults who request help with literacy issues.

These people work without pay.

Their training takes a full 24 hours of instruction, encompassing subjects from communication to beginnings of math.

They willingly devote a minimum of two hours per week to helping others achieve the literacy levels they aspire to.

One really exciting outcome of this work is seeing a discouraged, unsure person start to “walk tall,” showing increased levels of self confidence.

Knowing you have made a real difference in someone’s life is exceedingly rewarding.

Training for new PAL tutors will be on Sept. 15 at Thompson Rivers University from 10 a.m. to noon.

If you are interested in making a real difference in our community, call June at 250-392-9649, 250-392-8130 or Janette at 250-392-8161.

Submitted by June Striegler