VOLUNTEERS IN ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMS
Jean Searle
School of Vocational, Technology & Arts Education
Griffith University
Recent research reports on the state of literacy in the community have indicated that... for the adult population...a new kind of further education is needed: one that requires immediate consideration in terms of resources. Because adults have such diverse attainment, experiences, backgrounds and needs, individual instruction is indicated. At a professional level the cost of tuition would be prohibitive. Other community needs have been met through volunteer aid. Why not literacy needs? (Foster and Byrne, 1979, Preface)
This quote came from a report by Sadie Foster and Marie Byrne on the establishment of a volunteer tutor project in Queensland, and it seems to be as relevant today as when it was written in 1979. There are still large numbers of adults, from a range of backgrounds, being referred to adult literacy classes, and their experiences and needs are every bit as diverse as they were in the 1970s. Similarly, adult literacy provision remains underfunded. To provide individual assistance in a non-threatening way, many community programs work with the assistance of vlunteer tutors. So, in this United Nations Year of the Volunteer it is appropriate to focus on the contribution of volunteers to adult literacy programs. However, since the 1970s there have been many changes to the field which have impacted on the role of volunteers. To exemplify a few of these changes, I shall draw on data from a recent study of adult literacy in Queensland (Searle, 1999) to discuss firstly, the re-forming of the underpinning principles of adult literacy and the place of volunteers, secondly, the move to increase the credentials of volunteers, and thirdly how these and other changes have resulted in the changing face of volunteerism in adult literacy. But first some background information about adult literacy programs.
Background
Until the public awareness campaigns of the late 1970s brought adult literacy to the attention of politicians and the media, officially there was no 'illiteracy' in Australia. Although a number of short courses for 'illiterate and near illiterate' recruits (Dymock, 1993) were provided by the army during World War II, and remedial classes in reading and mathematics were conducted in some TAFE colleges in New South Wales in the 1950's, it was not until the 1970's that the first adult literacy evening classes began in New South Wales and an adult literacy program was established by the Council of Adult Education, Victoria. Meanwhile, in Queensland, Adult Education classes for 'adults with reading difficulties' were established in the early 1970s closely followed by the first community volunteer tutors programs. Adult literacy programs in Tasmania commenced in 1973 and were coordinated from the Division of Adult Education, Education Department. Pearse (1976) noted that the first adult literacy programs in both Western Australia and the Northern Territory were for adult Aborigines and are thought to have commenced in 1974. Programs in South Australia and the ACT began in 1976 (Dymock, 1982).
In the early days of adult literacy, Kath White identified a tension between remaining true to adult education principles of being free to respond to individual and community needs, as and when they arise, and lobbying for government funding for programs and therefore complying with government agendas and accountability measures. Sadie Foster and Marie Byrne, in Queensland, chose to respond by offering a volunteer tutor program which, like many other similar programs, drew on members of the community who accepted a responsibility to address a perceived need which was not otherwise acknowledged or provided for. The decision to use volunteers was in many cases a pragmatic one, assistance was required and there was no funding for paid staff. At the same time, the nature of the volunteer tutor, as someone who has empathy with others, has always been important and even with the development of more formal literacy provision, volunteer tutors often play a vital role. Some of the challenges of maintaining fundamental beliefs while conducting government funded programs are outlined in the next section.
Re-forming adult literacy principles
Traditionally, adult literacy practitioners accepted a primary responsibility to their students and students' learning. Early 'statements of principle' included the voluntary participation of students, negotiation of a student centred curriculum, the development of student self-confidence and engagement in whole language pedagogies. Such principles reflect a social-justice agenda and a 'sense of commitment' which has been noted by observers of adult literacy practitioners, whether teachers or volunteer tutors, in the UK (Mace, 1994) and the USA (Wilson & Corbett, 2000). However, as adult literacy programs have changed, the tensions outlined by Kath White earlier, have become more apparent. With the introduction of national competency-based curricula and employment focused funding, adult literacy is perceived as being integral to training reform and essential for the long-term unemployed, thereby related to vocational and employment goals. So, what does this mean for volunteer tutors?
Some adult literacy programs have re-formed the principle of 'meeting individual needs' into 'learning about student interests or concerns' (Mace, 1994) so that literacy becomes a situated practice, embedded within a meaningful, relevant, social activity. This is not easy to do when faced with a modular, competency-based curriculum which has vocational or employment focused outcomes, and cost per student contact hour is the basic selection criteria in the tendering process. However, if an initial 'Independent Learning Program' can be factored into the program for each student, the individual needs of the student can be catered for more readily with the support of volunteer tutors. But, along with the vocational focus of programs came the necessity for accreditation, and this also applied to volunteers.
Increased credentials for volunteers
Many of the early volunteer tutor programs started from the premise that 'if you could read you could help someone else to read' - an 'each one teach one' approach. Other programs favoured a more formal approach such as the ten hour Mt Gravatt volunteer tutor training program (Foster and Byrne, 1979), which covered affective, cognitive and action components, backed up with on-going tutor support. However, with the introduction of the national reform agenda, all vocational education and training (VET) courses and providers had to be accredited, and all curricula were to become modularised, competency based and linked to vocational or employment outcomes. In Queensland, this resulted in the development of competency based adult literacy curricula for the teaching of adult literacy and the Adult Literacy Volunteer Tutor Training Curriculum (CN543) for the training of volunteer tutors. The aim of the Volunteer Tutor Training Curriculum was to enable trainers to organise a comprehensive, competency-based training program which would provide opportunities for volunteers to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills considered most desirable for tutors of adult literacy students. As opposed to the informality of assessment in the early tutor training programs, volunteers now had to demonstrate that they met the criteria, at the indicated standard, associated with each learning outcome, to be assessed as competent. From a previous commitment to a short training course, now a minimum of 100 hours training was required over a twelve month period. As will be shown in the next section, this commitment has had quite a significant impact on the nature of volunteers.
The changing face of volunteerism
The implementation of the new tutor training curricula received a mixed response. Some practitioners welcomed the introduction of accredited courses and the accreditation of providers as bringing some professionalisation to the field. Other practitioners strongly opposed the imposition of curricula.
There's a lot of interference, you're not free to deliver individual programs. You have to get by certain regimental sets of guidelines and rules and things and you know, I find that very frustrating. At least when you were doing it on your own you could serve the person that you were dealing with and it was much better. (Mavis Cooper, interview, 19.4.95)
At this time (1990-1995) as funding for adult literacy programs became tied to vocational and employment outcomes, many of the volunteer tutor programs in TAFE ceased, although subsequently they have reappeared. Figures regarding enrolments, as recorded on the (TAFE) College Administrative Project System (CAPS) database, suggest that in 1995, 621 volunteer tutors were working with students, giving a total of 40 975 voluntary student contact hours (SCHs). This compared with 849 tutors and 80 736 SCHs in 1990. During this time, many community groups had emerged as literacy providers using volunteer tutors, however, no comparable statistics were available for comparison.
Some program co-ordinators attributed the decline in the number of volunteers working with students in TAFE programs to the changing nature of volunteers. For example, one co-ordinator stated that many women who formerly might have been volunteers "are now having to return to the workforce... [As a result] it is more difficult to get volunteers for daytime programs and volunteers do not stay as long - they leave when they get paid employment." (personal communication). Another trend is for people to use volunteering as a first step towards either a further qualification or paid employment. For example, one co-ordinator commented,
Ten years ago it was seen as an adequate, rewarding thing for women to do and today it's no longer seen that way. A lot more women want something more than a traditional caring role somewhere as a volunteer. Maybe they're looking for something more challenging or more rewarding for themselves. (personal communication)
Another tutor co-ordinator argued that not as many people in the community were coming forward as volunteers "I used to get 80 responses to ads, these days 20 if we're lucky" (personal communication). Further, co-ordinators commented that tutors are not prepared to undertake the amount of training that is required. As the curriculum has become more formal, some tutors have become quite apprehensive about what is required. Some co-ordinators also question the ethics of requiring such a lengthy course before working with a student. In addition, with the introduction of the adult literacy curriculum in TAFE, although volunteer tutors still play an important preliminary role, their support is in the context of working towards specified outcomes. In contrast, volunteers in community programs have retained a more informal approach in which they are more able to respond more specifically to individual student needs.
Conclusion
Morris (1991) argued that trained volunteers provide a flexibility of service in TAFE and community programs which would not otherwise be available. In Queensland 1990, the previously mentioned volunteers would have provided at least 75 296 hours of student contact. Costing this at $15 per hour, the monetary contribution would have amounted to $1 129 440 (Morris, 1991:54). It could be argued that volunteer tutors provide a cheap alternative to professional staff. On the other hand, it is time that all governments recognise the vital contribution of volunteers in filling the gaps in provision left when governments consistently abrogate their responsibilities in the area.
As Charnley and Jones pointed out back in 1979, students attend adult literacy programs for a range of reasons but those related to employment outcomes do not rate as highly as those related to the affective areas of adult learning. Students need to develop a positive, confident view of themselves as learners and have a similar trust and confidence in the provider. Not only does this take time, which is not always available in labour market programs, but this is an area in which individual tuition and the building of rapport are crucial. It is here that volunteer tutors have a vital role to play in overcoming initial barriers to learning. The appropriate use of volunteers adds an extra dimension to programs provided by professionals. They make it possible to provide a wider, more diverse and responsive service. So, the challenges to the field are first, not to lose sight of the needs of the individual student, and secondly to work collaboratively, volunteer and professional, to keep adult literacy at the forefront of the nation's mind.
References
Charnley, A.H. and Jones, H.A. (1979). The concept of success in adult literacy. Cambridge: Huntingdon Publishers.
Dymock, D. (1982). Adult literacy provision in Australia: Trends and Needs. Armidale: ACAL.
Dymock, D. (1993). 'Fall out the illiterates' - lessons from World War 11 adult literacy program. Open Letter, Vol 3, No 2. 53-66.
Foster, S. and Byrne, M. (1979). A study of tutor competence in an adult literacy project. Brisbane: Mount Gravatt College of Advanced Education.
Foster, S. and Byrne, M. (1977). Using volunteer tutors to assist an adult population attain literacy. Brisbane: Mount Gravatt College of Advanced Education.
Mace, J. (1994). Literacy interests or literacy needs? Contexts and concepts of adults reading and writing. Convergence, XXVII(1), 58-67.
Morris, B. & Associates. (1991). Opening doors: A review of adult literacy needs and provisions in Queensland. Brisbane: Department of Employment, Vocational and Further Education, Training and Industrial Relations.
Pearse, E.J. (1976). Adult literacy education in Australia: A survey of provision. Literacy Discussion, Vol vii, No 2. Summer 77-92.
Searle, J. (1999). A band of unsung heroes. A history of adult literacy in Queensland 1970-1995. Brisbane, Griffith University. Unpublished PhD thesis.
Wilson, B. and Corbett, D. (2000) Interim evaluation report #2: The prospects for disseminating research to a hungry field. NCSALL Occasional Paper, February 2000. Cambridge, MA: National Centre for the Study of Adult Learning & Literacy, Harvard Graduate Scool of Education.
Note: The use of the term 'personal communication' indicates that information was gained through informal conversation not an audio-taped interview.