Why do we need volunteers literacy tutors?

Illiteracy is a national epidemic.  An estimated 22% of adults nationwide operate at the lowest level of literacy. 

Illiteracy is a local tragedy. 32% of Crittenden County adults are considered functionally illiterate.  

Illiteracy affects every member of the community.  Illiteracy prevents individuals from achieving their personal goals, but also has repercussions for the entire community.  In regions where the rate of adults illiteracy is high, we can expect to see higher levels of unemployment, underemployment, welfare dependence, poverty, and crime.  The children of functionally illiterate adults tend to perform poorly in school, and so the cycle of illiteracy continues...unless someone intervenes to break the cycle.

The Importance of Tutors

The Literacy Council of Crittenden County relies upon our dedicated team of enthusiastic, compassionate volunteers to keep our program running.  Tutors are essential to our program and have tremendous potential to make a real difference in the life of their literacy students.  Volunteering as a literacy tutor is extremely rewarding, but it is also a position of considerable responsibility, so we ask that potential volunteers be aware of our expectations and requests before making the commitment to become a tutor.

General Guidelines

• We are happy to talk with you about the potential student, but we will not "cold call" a student without having heard from him or her first.
• The potential student, or someone acting for that individual, should contact the Literacy Office to set up a first time appointment.
• The first appointment will take place in the Literacy Office (MSCC Reynolds Building) and will typically last 60-90 minutes.
• During the first appointment, the staff will gather basic information about the potential student and administer 1-2 reading assessments to determine the candidate's current reading level.
• Those who qualify for tutoring services will be placed on a waiting list until a tutor becomes available.  He or she may make appointments to come to the literacy office for audio, video, or computer-assisted instruction while waiting to be placed with a tutor.

"Job Description" for a Volunteer Tutor

A volunteer tutor meets regularly with an adult with low literacy skills, and works closely with that student, using materials provided by the Literacy Council, to help him or her become a stronger, more confident reader and learner.  Most volunteers work with one adult student, although some may work with a small group of 2 or 3.  The Literacy Coordinator will assign you a student whose schedule fits you own.  Because students rely heavily upon their tutors, and because students are more likely to leave the program if their tutor quits, we ask that new tutors give a minimum 12-month commitment.

Volunteer Qualifications

There are no educational qualifications, except that the tutor have good basic reading skills.  The tutor also need not have previous teaching experience-we'll teach you how to help your student.  The tutor should meet these requirements: should be dependable, prompt, interested in others, willing to relate to someone from a different background, compassionate, respectful of confidentiality, flexible, patient, loyal, and optimistic.