Literacy – Spanning the US :: Oklahoma Co OK :: Rochester MN :: Buffalo/Niagara Cos NY

@OICofOKC 

Adult education center hopes to reunite with community 'family'

News OK: 7.10.2017 by Carla Hinton

For more than four decades, the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Oklahoma County offered adult education classes and skills training in a building in the historic Deep Deuce area of Oklahoma City.

While the center's location changed a few years ago, OIC continues to "motivate, inspire and educate people to become their best selves," said DesJean Jones, the agency's executive director.

Jones said OIC is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a "family reunion" of sorts.

She is inviting past and present students, staff, board members, volunteers and their families to join in an "OIC Family Reunion" set for 7 p.m. July 22 at Taft Stadium, 2501 N May.

Along the way, she is hoping to introduce OIC to a new generation of people who may not know much about it.  READ MORE @

Beyond the bars: Prison volunteers make a difference

Post Bulletin: 7.10.2017 by Kay Fate

Tish Torchia was sitting in church one day when something strange happened.

"I heard a voice. Call it the Holy Spirit, whatever you want," she said. "I got the call to volunteer in a prison. I kid you not.

"I was just praying," and there it was: The answer to a question she'd been asking for months.

Torchia's children were grown, meaning the hustle and bustle of a busy family had stilled. Her husband was still working, leaving her with ample opportunity to fill a need through volunteer work.

"So I filled in all the forms, sent them in — and waited," she said. "About a year went by, then I got a postcard in the mail, inviting me to the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet" at the Federal Medical Center, Rochester.

She'd been an elementary school teacher in Western Maryland years ago, then did some substitute teaching after moving to Rochester for her husband's job.

Though "I originally wanted to do hospice work (at the prison), through our church," Torchia said, Weaver told her he could use some help in education classes.  READ MORE @

@BNPartnership 

Literacy must be a part of workforce development

Buffalo News: 6.14.2017 by Tara Schafer

It’s always exciting to read about the promise of 1,500 new jobs – and even more gratifying to hear the emphasis on workforce training programs.

Despite our region’s economic recovery, too many residents are still unemployed or underemployed. According to Empire State Development Corp., “employers across WNY and in all industry sectors say it is hard to find people who can do the jobs.”

The situation in our region is that we have people who need jobs – and jobs that need people – but too many people are undereducated and underskilled and lack the literacy abilities needed in the 21st century workplace.

Knowing this, we are pleased to hear that the new Employ Buffalo Niagara initiative will specifically provide workforce development skills for the many people who need them. =This includes over 130,000 adults in Buffalo and Niagara Falls who have low literacy levels.

And we hope that this new initiative is beginning by addressing literacy levels first and foremost, as increasing literacy leads to better employment and better economic conditions. Our region cannot effectively prepare its workforce until we address workers’ most basic needs. Low literacy limits the pool of qualified workers from which businesses can choose. This is a problem for both businesses and people alike.  READ MORE @