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ReadWriteNow
Altrusa
Bishopstown
Travellers

10/12/2002    

INTRODUCTION

 Read Write Now Ballyphehane / Togher has responded to the literacy needs of people since 1988. It strives to break the barriers to accessing education for all ages within the community. The Strategic Plan 2002-2006 seeks to continue the good work already in place and to develop more innovative and progressive methods in its service to the people of Ballyphehane / Togher.

 MISSION STATEMENT

 Read Write Now aims to provide a range of learning opportunities for adults in the Togher and Ballyphehane district in an equal, supportive and appropriate manner.

AIMS

1. To promote Read Write now as an educational service.

2. Secure adequate resources.

3. To continually train tutors in all aspects of the service.

4. Develop and support high quality Adult Education provision.

5. To provide training in management skills for the representative group (management).

REPRESENTATIVE GROUP  COMPOSITION

PROFILE OF BALLYPHEHANE / TOGHER AREA

Ballyphehane/ Togher are adjacent districts in the Southside of Cork City and characterised by high levels of disadvantage as indicated by scores on the Trutz Haase Index. High scores on the index of Relative Affluence and Deprivation are indicative of multiple layers of disadvantage and are gauged through the following: unemployment rates, lone parenthood, dependence on social welfare payments, Age dependency rates, local authority housing and educational attainment. 

 Educational Attainment

 The catchment area is characterised by educational disadvantage that is demonstrated by low levels of educational attainment, high levels of early school leaving and the designation of each of the primary and secondary schools in the area as disadvantaged. Approximately 50% of the population in this area left school at or before the age if 15. Less than half the population in the area complete second level education and by age 18, 95-96% have left education.

 Unemployment

 Of the total number of people on the live register for the Southside of Cork City maintained by the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs, 20% are living in Ballyphehane or Pouladuff. Unemployment ranges from 15% in Ballyphehane to 20% in Pouladuff to over 25% in Togher.

Note:  From these figures it seems that there is a target group in the locality

(Figures from the CDP workplan 2002-6

 PAST ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES

• The scheme provides 1-1 and group tuition for all learners mornings afternoons and evenings in three venues in the locality  CDP  TFC CSS

• Learners are encouraged and have submitted portfolios for FETAC at foundation level in the core modules and electives of their choice.

• The principles of good adult literacy work is the policy of the scheme:  respect for the adult status of the learner: learners are encouraged to  become active in their own learning.

• The learners and tutors take an active part in the representative group.

 TUTORS / TRAINING

1. Training in different aspects of the service is carried out regularly by the Organiser and training team.

2. Tutors have the opportunity to attend appropriate courses provided by NALA and WIT. (One Tutor has completed the National Certificate for Tutors and is about to pursue the Diploma.)

3. The Organiser has completed the National Certificate in Literacy Management and  Diploma in Adult Education.

4. The Organiser is also a member of the Ballyphehane / Togher Community Development Project Adult Education Sub-Committee( this ensures a good working relationship between the Adult Literacy Group and the CDP.)

SERVICE PROVISION

1. Literacy awareness with SHB staff.

2. Literacy awareness with local groups.

3. Engaged in literacy proof reading of Southern Health Board information leaflets.

4. Engaged in literacy proof reading of RAPID information leaflets.  

5. This proofing was also carried out for the Image of Cork leaflet

GOALS

• Identify and encourage progression routes for students and tutors.
• To identify new target groups from local area profile.
• To lobby for fundraising to maintain the service.
• To ensure that Read Write Now is publicised widely in the area.
• To have Read Write Now acknowledged as a quality Adult Education programme with in the local network.
• To ensure that Read Write Now is recognised as a professional Adult Education Service.
• To promote career development opportunities for ALO

GOAL 1 To identify and encourage progression routes for Students and Tutors.
Steps Toward Implementation
Encourage students to complete courses available in the scheme.
Engage in research on courses available to students and tutors
Performance Indicators
Evaluation and monitoring of progress of students and tutors
Increased participation in courses from both students and tutors.

GOAL 2: To identify new target groups from local area profile.
Steps Toward Implementation
Use local demographic figures to identify and locate early school leavers  and unemployed people.
Advertise literacy scheme in local Social Welfare outlet.
Performance Indicator
Participation from students in these target groups
 

GOAL 3: To lobby for fundraising to maintain the service
Steps Toward Implementation
Highlight the increasing demand for the Adult Literacy Service
Highlight the increasing costs of providing such as service.
Highlight the increasing workload on Adult Literacy Organiser
Performance Indicators
Expansion of service provision in order to satisfy demand.
Allocation of Administrative support to Adult Literacy Organiser.
 

GOAL 4: To ensure that Read Write Now is publicised widely in the area. Steps Toward Implementation
Advertise in all local public services.
Provide Literacy Awareness sessions in the locality.
To advertise in local newspapers and newsletters.
Performance Indicators
Increased participation.
 

GOAL 5  : To have Read Write Now acknowledged a quality Adult Education programme within the local network.
Steps Toward Implementation
Take active part in the advocating of the scheme as a quality education service.
Performance Indicators
Gain increased recognition in local network.

GOAL 6: To ensure that Read Write is recognised as a professional Adult Education Service.
Steps Toward Implementation
To have the training programmes fully recognised and accredited.

Performance Indicators
Waterford Institute of Technology to award accreditation to tutor training courses.

GOAL 7 : To promote career development opportunities for   the staff of Read Write Now.
Steps Toward Implementation
Work towards the upgrading of Organiser to full time position.
Performance Indicator.
Granting of full time position to Organiser.
To have qualification and experience of Organiser recognised. 

Ballyphehane/Togher - READ WRITE NOW 
Adult Literacy and Basic Education.
Service Plan 2002 

Read Write Now  provides a basic educations service within the Togher Ballyphehane area. Within the scope of the premises provided by the CDP  and  a room at night from the Togher Family Centre and   Colaiste Stiofain Naofa  Without the support of these organisations provision would be  difficult if not impossible.The scheme has been working with literacy and basic education since 1988

Clients  -  Client Profile – Age

Males

• 22-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64
  	6	10	6	4

 Female

• 22-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64
  2	6	10	20	14

Literacy level 1,2

 Presently Read Write Now caters for 78 clients 52 female and 26 male.

• Recruitment is constant and the service is available to any person in the area who needs the service. This service is available all through the year (except August) Recruitment is done through liaison with groups within the CDP and family Centre FAS participants. Church notices and notices within the local services attracts clients.I am always looking at new and innovative ways to recruit clients.

Service

• Levels of service offered: 1,2and 3

• Group Work Involves
  • Personal effectiveness Training
  • Communication...Fetac Foundation
  • Maths...Fetac Foundation
  • Computers...Fetac Basic
  • English
  • Tutor Initial Training
  • Organiser - Cert and Diploma in Education WIT

Range of service:

•  1/1 tuition is available separately and within a group situation the learner has a say in what he wants to learn

•  FETAC in the core modules and elective modules of their choice.

Timing of Service

• Service is available at presently five days a week mornings afternoons and evenings. 

• Tuition is from September to July and classes last for two hours.

Innovatory Projects

• The scheme networks with other educational providers in the area  and I am on the Education committee of the CDP this is to forge links with the service they and I provide and to avoid duplication.

• NALA sponsored projects are offered to the clients for  personal and social development. Literacy through computers.

Support Service

• P.A.G.E. and C.D.P.

Networking

• Local Schools Primary & Secondary
• Southern Health Board
• FAS
• Any local service that can assist in promoting the service and referring people to the scheme.
• Stiofáin  Naoifa
• FETAC

Recruitment

• Publicity and word of mouth (voluntary )

• Paid tutors from trained experienced tutors within the scheme

 Training  

• 20 hours initial training is provided by the scheme training team. 

• 10 hours in-service brings this basic training up to a level where tutors are assigned a learner.

•  Continuous training in different aspects of the service is carried out  regularly by the Organiser and training team.  Tutors have the opportunity to attend appropriate courses provided by NALA and WIT.

• One tutor  has completed the National Certificate for Tutors and some tutors have done single modules of this course.

 Organiser  has to date attended  and completed the National Certificate in Management  and is presently studying for the Diploma in  Adult Education.

 Quality provision is provided at all times by the tutors and the Organiser is in regular contact with the participants is ensure this.  The representative group meets regularly to plan and discuss progression and innovative ideas for the service. Interviews with participants and tutors are carried out regularly to evaluate the service.

PLANS FOR 2002

• Continuation of Groups

•  NCVA Communications and Numeracy (foundation)

•  To continue to provide a 1 to 1 provision to the participants 

•  To have a literacy available  through computers  to participants in groups.

•  To look at the possibility of providing  a Family Learning Course within the Togher Family Centre and Ballyphehane/Togher CDP.

•  To obtain Office space within the Togher area.

•  Plan to apply for space within Stiofain Noafa (Day Time)

•  Proposal put forward towards RAPID (Buildings planned for Togher)

CSN=Colaiste Stiophain Naofa
CDP = Community Development Project