The purpose of The Literacyworks Center is to assist underserved, below-basic-skills students in solving the many educational, personal and logistical challenges they must face to stay in school and succeed in work. The Center will provide advising support and need-based Adult Literacy Awards to our Veterans that will help them break their persistence barriers such as transportation, childcare and tuition. This will help to ensure our Vets complete their educational and career goals.
Over 30 million US adults (1 in 5) don't have a high school diploma and 20% of adults with a high school diploma have only beginning literacy skills. The US ranked 21st in numeracy and 16th in literacy out of 24 countries in a recent assessment of adults' skills. Low literacy costs society $240 billion each year in lost productivity, welfare, crime, poverty and related social ills. Veterans are often left behind when accessing basic literacy programs critical to attaining better jobs.
The Literacyworks Center is designed to assist basic-skilled students in solving the many educational, personal and logistical challenges they must face to stay in school and succeed in work. The Center is strengthening and coordinating services for adults to access career and technical education. The Center helps students enroll and succeed in educational programs by providing: scholarships, mentoring, advising, life skill training, test taking, tutoring, financial literacy & career planning.
In 3 years 200 Veterans will be succeeding in programs that will transform their lives. Veterans will have greater access to basic skills programs and thus 2-year technical school, apprenticeship or community college programs leading to living wage jobs. The Center will share its best practices with other national programs helping thousands of Veterans succeed in solving the many educational, personal and logistical challenges they must face to stay in school and find meaningful work.
