FSW
475 Clinton Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06605
Tel: 203-368-4291
Fax: 203-368-1239
Literacy Volunteers of
Southeastern Fairfield County (LVSFC)
Programs
Literacy Volunteers of Southeastern Fairfield County (LVSFC) has been serving the communities of Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport and Wilton for over 29 years.
LVSFC is a non-profit, self-funded organization. Learners do not pay a fee for our services. All operating income comes from individual donations, state and federal grants, in-kind donations, fees for service (workplace) and various organizational gifts.
BL learners improve their basic reading and writing skills. They work toward their personal goals, such as reading the classified ads, filling out job applications, applying for a driver’s license or getting their GED. Many Basic Literacy learners have both social and economic problems, resulting in low self-esteem. BL matches are one-to-one. This confidential, personalized and goal-oriented approach to reading has proven successful in meeting the special needs of adult learners.
For more information on Basic Literacy
Contact: Mary Agostino, Literacy Coordinator
E-mail: LVASFC lvasfcMaryA@aol.com
Phone: 203.579.2208
English for Speakers of Other Languages
ESOL learners improve their English skills so they can meet their communication and life skill needs. ESOL learners tend to be highly motivated. Some are illiterate in their native language; others have advanced university degrees. They all have a common mission—to learn English so that they will succeed in this country. ESOL learners work well in small groups consisting of three to five students working with one tutor.
For more information on English for Speakers of Other Languages
Bridgeport
Contact: Kathy O'Shea, Literacy Coordinator
E-mail: LVASFC koshea@fswinc.org
Phone: 203.579.2208
Norwalk
Contact: Elizabeth Baker or Susan Epstein, Literacy Coordinators
E-mail: LVASFC lvasfcesol@aol.com
Phone: 203.853.7437
Workplace education programs are designed to make literacy services more accessible to employees and to assist companies in providing additional job training and/or retraining programs. Because workplace program designs are driven by corporate needs, Literacy Volunteers work with each employer to design a literacy program to meet the needs while fitting in with the company’s human resource principles.
Issues of learner confidentiality and management/peer support are critical to a literacy program’s success. LVSFC helps the employer to design and hold management awareness sessions, develop public relations campaigns, and explore and address employee and union relation issues.
Employers can choose from a variety of program formats.
Programs can include:
- Basic Literacy (BL) training
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training
- occupational literacy (job/task specific) programs
- customized tutor materials directly related to employee job performance
- tutors and learners recruited from the workforce
- tutoring done on personal time
- a combination of any or all of the above
LVSFC staff will develop a comprehensive literacy program to meet the unique needs of employees in virtually any workplace setting. We analyze written materials and procedures used by employees. Interviews are conducted with both supervisors and employees, after which we evaluate the gathered information. This information provides a benchmark of the basic skill required of each worker for optimal job performance.
Learners who are not comfortable being tutored in the work environment are encouraged to make use of the regular community program services.
Contact: Wayne Valaitis
Tel: 203.579.2208
Email: lvasfc@aol.com
One out of every eight employees is estimated to read at no more than a 4th grade level, and one out of five reads only to 8th grade level. The loss in human potential is enormous. Social and economic costs run into billions of dollars a year.
- Business Council For Effective Literacy.
Literacy Volunteers of Southeastern Fairfield County
is an affiliate of Proliteracy Worldwide
For more information call 1.800.345.7323
