Community News

OCO Literacy volunteers encourages people throughout New York State to observe National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 24th through September 30th. Despite the significant role of literacy in today’s world, often little attention is paid to it.

As many as 36 million American adults struggle to read, write, perform daily math and use technology above a third grade level. This severely limits their access to jobs, college and citizenship and increases their vulnerability to living in poverty.

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week raises public awareness about the need and impact of adult education and family literacy to leverage resources in order to expand access to basic education programs for adults with low literacy skills. 

Consider the following facts on the National Impact of Literacy:

• People from low educated families are 10 times more likely to have low literacy skills.

• Better educated parents tend to produce better educated children.

• Literacy education in adulthood is an important contributor to child success in pre-school. A mother’s reading level is the single greatest determinant of a child’s success.

• People with low skills are 4 times more likely to have poor health (twice the national average).

• Low literacy costs an estimated $230 billion in annual healthcare costs.

• Health Literacy programs can increase adults' understanding of medical problems & save medical costs.

• Globalization means US adults must compete globally; workplace literacy programs help them compete.

• Women with low literacy are twice as likely as men to earn less than $300 a week.

• Minimum wage workers increased wages by 18 to 25 $ within 18 months of exiting an adult ed program.

• Low literacy limits Americans’ civic engagement. Low literate adults are less likely to vote or join community groups.

*** From the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) and ProLiteracy

New York State has a literacy problem. A total of 3.4 million New York State residents are either functionally illiterate--reading below the 5th grade level—lack a High School Diploma or cannot speak English...BUT fewer than 10% are receiving help for their literacy needs.

 Low literacy affects every area of life, in New York State, and throughout the U.S.

• 43% of adults with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty

• 50% of the chronically unemployed are functionally illiterate

• 76% of adults on public assistance are illiterate or unable to read more than simple text

• Welfare recipients with the lowest literacy skills stay on welfare the longest

• 75% of prisoners fall into the lowest two levels of literacy

• 85% of juvenile offenders have reading problems

There are resources and toolkits to help raise public awareness of this critical issue. For further information, visit: https://www.coabe.org/aefl-week-2017/ and http://national-coalition-literacy.org/adult-education-and-family-literacy-week/aefl-week-resources/

During AEFL Week, OCO Literacy Volunteers urges people to get involved with an adult literacy organization. You can contact Literacy volunteers at 315-342-8839 or lvoswego@oco.org.

About OCO Literacy Volunteers

Oswego County Opportunities’ Literacy Volunteer program provides confidential literacy instruction at no cost to adult learners who want to improve their literacy skills. Literacy Volunteers provides training for volunteer tutors who will work with the adult learners on a one-to-one or small group basis. LV services include: Adult Basic Literacy (ABE); English Language Learners (ELL) Workplace Literacy and Tutor Training Workshops.

OCO, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency that has been supporting communities throughout Oswego County since 1966. A member agency of the United Way of Greater Oswego County, OCO provides more than 50 vital services throughout 100 separate locations. For more information, visit www.oco.org.