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Who
Are We?
Since its beginning, Literacy Volunteers of
America--Essex/Franklin Counties, NY has had only one purpose: to
provide free confidential instruction by trained volunteers to
adults with limited language skills and to help these students
attain self-esteem and achieve aims
in the areas of education, family, employment and the community.
These students with "limited language skills" include those reading
under a seventh-grade reading level, those studying for the G.E.D.
(high school equivalency diploma), and ESL (English as a Second
Language) students, who are newcomers to America hoping to improve
their English language skills.
This service is available to any adult over the age of
16 who requests it. Some adults are referred from other agencies for
tutoring. There is also a Roo the Reader
Outreach, featuring a costumed kangaroo character visits classrooms and
talks about reading and hands out books that are returned home to
help parents and families.
We have four offices spread over our two-county area:
in Mineville, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Malone, NY. Many
tutoring pairs also meet in libraries or similar public places, at a
time that is convenient for learner and tutor.
Email
us at:
Mineville@LVEFC.com
Malone@LVEFC.com
SaranacLake@LVEFC.com
LakePlacid@LVEFC.com
Our Mission
Statement
Literacy Volunteers
of Essex/Franklin Counties provides Basic
Literacy (BL), English as a Second Language (ESL), Family Literacy
and other services to people in our two-county area.
Our purpose is to
enable people (primarily adults) to achieve personal goals through
literacy. To accomplish this we recruit and effectively train,
utilize, supervise and support volunteers in the delivery of
individualized (primarily one-to-one) service in the form of
tutoring. It is the policy of LV-Essex/Franklin to accept as
priority learners, Basic Literacy students who are reading below a
7th grade level (functioning at level 1 and 2 according to the
National Adult Literacy Survey), as well as English as a Second
Language (ESL) students. Through individualized literacy
instruction, we seek to enable adults with limited literacy
proficiencies to achieve personal, job-related and family goals,
and to enhance their ability to contribute to their community.
It is also the
policy of LV-Essex/Franklin to offer volunteer tutoring service to
adults free of charge. We provide instruction to address the
individual needs and goals of the learner. This is referred to as
student-centered instruction. We value learners as participants in
our organization and respect their right to confidentiality.
LV-Essex/Franklin
volunteers, supported by a professional staff, serve as tutors,
tutor trainers, board members, fundraisers, affiliate
cheerleaders, secretaries, administrators, student coaches and in
other functions necessary to the achievement of our mission.
LV-Essex/Franklin
believes that the ability to read is critical to personal freedom
and the maintenance of a democratic society. Our society is
dependent on an informed citizenry, and the ability to read is
necessary to be informed. As our culture becomes more complex and
dependant on technology, literacy becomes even more basic to
survival and the achievement of one's potential. These believes
have led us to make the following commitments:
We are committed
to the personal growth of our learners. This means that we
help people acquire basic literacy skills, and by doing this
enable them to achieve broader personal goals. This also means
that personal needs have precedence over organization needs. Our
tutoring is confidential , individualized, and student-centered,
at site convenience to the student.
We are committed
to the effective use of volunteers. Through training and
support, we help build the skills and abilities that enable
volunteers to grow and succeed. Through pursuit of the mission,
volunteers find satisfaction and fulfillment.
We are committed
to improving our society. We recognize literacy as an integral
element in the broader goal of economic opportunity and security,
social justice and dignity for all. We support others who make a
commitment to provide all access to effective literacy service.
We are committed
to strengthening and improving our organization. We continue
to search for efficiency and creativity in the delivery of our
programs; to grow and expand in order to stay the rising tide of
illiteracy; to discover new ways of harnessing society's existing
resources for the achievement of literacy; and to remain
responsive to our students' needs.
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