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VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT |
Literacy Volunteers: A Profile“So much hinges on the ability to read - self-respect, access to information or simply the enjoyment of the beauty of our written language. To help someone to achieve any of these is rewarding indeed.” (A
literacy volunteer)
IntroductionVolunteers have been a critical part of the Ontario literacy field since the beginning of the literacy movement in this province. Starting with Frontier College in 1899, literacy organizations have been tutoring adults in communities large and small throughout Ontario for over 100 years. Literacy volunteers were important all those many years ago, and they are still an integral part of many literacy organizations in Ontario today. According to statistics gathered from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) via its Information Management System (IMS), in 2003/04, there was an annual average of 4,854 literacy volunteers in Ontario (all sectors and streams). In total, these volunteers contributed 314,476 hours of their time. In January 2005, Community Literacy of Ontario conducted a "Volunteers Value Added" survey. Fifty-three literacy agencies and 204 literacy volunteers throughout Ontario responded to this important survey. The "Volunteers Value Added" research report and the accompanying volunteer management tool kit will be circulated to community literacy agencies and literacy networks in early fall 2005. We are weaving some of the important trends from this survey throughout this training module. CLO's survey found that, on average, each community literacy agency in Ontario has 3.4 paid staff and 57 volunteers. The majority of literacy volunteers tutor adult learners. One-to-one or in small groups, they help students with reading, writing and numeracy. However, volunteers are involved in a wide variety of other tasks as well:
BenefitsSo what benefits do volunteers bring to literacy agencies? Firstly, volunteers provide an incredible economic benefit. Research conducted by Community Literacy of Ontario in 1998 found that volunteers in Ontario's community literacy agencies contribute an estimated annual total of $8.9 million in volunteer time to the province's training system. This statistic is currently being updated by CLO but is not yet available. Volunteers further contribute a variety of "out-of-pocket" expenses such as travel costs, childcare, purchase of materials and books, etc. However, in addition to their direct economic value, volunteers also bring the following incalculable benefits to literacy agencies:
In its 2005 volunteer survey Community Literacy of Ontario asked volunteers themselves what value they brought to literacy. The response from volunteers included:
The majority of Ontario's literacy volunteers report a high level of satisfaction with their work. It is good news indeed that 54% of literacy volunteers were "very satisfied" and 33% were "mostly satisfied" with their experience. As well, 89% of literacy volunteers believe that their literacy agency is making the most of their time and skills. They are however busy people; in fact, 56% of literacy volunteers also volunteer with other organizations. The single most important reason for volunteering expressed by literacy volunteers was to make a difference in another person's life. (Source: CLO's Volunteer Survey, 2005). |
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CLO gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided by the National Literacy Secretariat (HRSDC) and the technical support provided by the National Adult Literacy Database in developing this web site.
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