Literacy DuPage - SPARKING change head on

MAY 2020

  Laura Wickramasinghe: A tireless crusader for Literacy DuPage   When new learners come to Literacy DuPage, one of the first faces they see is that of Laura Wickramasinghe (Laura W for short). As our Program and Strategic Initiatives Manager, she manages the student intake process.   Laura takes the significance of this role very much to heart. She loves making potential learners feel welcomed and valued.    "Education gives people a voice," says Laura.   "A lot of our learners have come to us in hopes of a better life," she explains. "Literacy DuPage gives them that opportunity."   Literacy DuPage initially sparked Laura's interest because she saw our organization as a way to open doors. Without English-language skills, adults can be closed off from so many opportunities. Our services give them the communication skills they need to access basic but essential things like work, childcare, healthcare, and transportation.   In addition to welcoming new learners, Laura also manages two special, relatively new initiatives for Literacy DuPage: Workplace Literacy and Health Literacy. Laura has built these vital programs from the ground up.

COVID-19 UPDATE:   In late April, we launched our first-ever virtual tutor training, which we fondly call "quarantrain." There are nine trainee tutors in training, and they have completed three of the seven sessions.   Quarentrain is such a different way to conduct training. We were anxious about the approach as we wanted to provide the same level of interaction, quality, and relationship building as we do in face-to-face training sessions.   We continue to make adjustments to fit the training platform and are delighted with how the training has gone thus far.   Trainer Carol Garcia says of the training:   "I have enjoyed working with my co-trainer, Lauren Nadolski, developing this process and the opportunity to continue to welcome and work with new tutors in preparing them to tutor their students."   Carol will also be holding virtual Peer Tutor Mentor meetings in the coming weeks. We are excited about these new opportunities and taking these new challenges head-on.   Thank you for being a Literacy DuPage supporter as you are helping us continue our vital work!

These two initiatives are expanding our reach in the community.   Our Workplace Literacy initiative sets up both tutoring and instructor-led programs inside local businesses, helping employees improve their English-language skills. Laura points out that these arrangements benefit both the employee and the employer.   "For the employee, it helps to eliminate communication barriers and boosts morale by making employees feel valued," says Laura. "For the employer, it increases productivity and employee retention."   Our Health Literacy initiative creates partnerships with area healthcare organizations. When they identify a patient who requests an interrupter or struggles with English, they can refer them to Literacy DuPage for help. Through tutoring, we can prepare these learners to communicate more openly with their healthcare providers and follow medical instructions.   "To be able to ask a provider a question or describe symptoms directly is empowering," says Laura.   Laura finds Literacy DuPage a rewarding place to be.   "I get more from my work than I could ever explain in words," says Laura. "People say that you never really work a day in your life if you love what you do. That is so true for me."

Has this message SPARKED your interest in learning more about Literacy DuPage Initiatives? Email Laura W. to learn about how you can become involved.

Literacy DuPage - SPARKING change head on

Until next time, Cassandra Shepherd Marketing Manager (630) 416-6699 [email protected]

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