Page Forward seeks literacy volunteers in Clark County

Page Forward Volunteers for Literacy in Clark County is sponsoring a spring effort to recruit more volunteers to tutor in Clark County. The nonprofit organization, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, was founded in 1994 by Clark County residents whose mission was to improve literacy in Clark County. That remains the mission today.

Historically and currently, membership consists of 20-30 tutors who serve 45-100 adult students throughout Clark County. Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life – community organizing, truck driving, medical field, art, business, education and more.

Tutoring services are provided in GED/ HSED study, English, adult basic education, computer skills, driver license study and more. The GED/HSED program is a collaboration with Chippewa Valley Technical College. Services are provided in public libraries, churches, schools, businesses, homes and the Clark County Jail.

Latino farm and factory workers and their families make up the largest demographic of the student population, but tutoring is also provided to people in the Clark County Jail, to international refugees and to non-literate English speakers.

Funding for tutor training sessions, teacher manuals, workbooks, calculators, computers, printers, software and other teaching and office supplies are provided through grants awarded by local and national foundations and by the generous support of Wisconsin Literacy.

New tutors are provided with orientation resources and are assigned a regional coordinator in their area who will mentor them through their first months of tutoring. Tutors and students set up times and locations that best suit their schedules. Scheduling is always flexible and typically is two hours a week with skipped weeks due to the tutor or student having other obligations.

It is important to know that speaking the primary language of an English language learner is not necessary. One can be a very effective and successful tutor without knowing a foreign language.

More information can be obtained by contacting Diane Opelt at 715-937-8262

Clark County literacy volunteers assist inmates in the Clark County Jail, Latino farm and factory workers, international refugees, non-literate English speakers and anyone else in need of their services.

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