Project Grant 17SRANY007

AN ESTIMATED 60 RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN THE FIRST YEAR. OF THIS NUMBER, 100% WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN ULSTER LITERACY ASSOCIATION'S (ULA) 18-HOUR LITERACY TUTOR TRAINING PROGRAM. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE ONE-TO-ONE BASIC LITERACY OR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TUTORING FOR ADULTS, ENGLISH CLASSES IN A SCHOOL OR WORKPLACE SETTING. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE ULA'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIORS IN ULSTER COUNTY TO SERVE ADULT STUDENTS AT THE VERY LOWEST LITERACY LEVELS. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, THE ULSTER LITERACY ASSOCIATION WILL HAVE EXPANDED ITS EXISTING PROGRAM TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND MANAGE 210 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS. THE CNCS ANNUAL FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $79037 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $7903 IN NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES DURING THE FIRST 10-MONTH PERIOD OF THE GRANT. ULA HAS A 36-YEAR TRACK RECORD AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES ADULTS WITH MULTIPLE LITERACY-RELATED ISSUES. ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE (185) VOLUNTEERS CURRENTLY WORK WITH LEARNERS THROUGHOUT ULSTER COUNTY TOWARD A VARIETY OF LITERACY-BASED EDUCATIONAL GOALS. WE RETAIN 85% OF OUR VOLUNTEERS FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF SERVICE IS THREE YEARS. THE DEMAND FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IS THRIVING IN ULSTER COUNTY. ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY, "VOLUNTEERISM IN ULSTER COUNTY", BY THE BENJAMIN CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES (2017), 45 PERCENT OF ULSTER COUNTY RESIDENTS SURVEYED SAID THAT THEY HAD VOLUNTEERED AT LEAST ONCE IN THE PAST YEAR. BY EXPANDING OUR TRAINING PROGRAM TO RURAL AREAS AND OFFERING MORE FREQUENT TRAININGS, ULA CAN CAPTURE THIS ENTHUSIASM AND PROVIDE A PATHWAY FOR MANY RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 55 TO VOLUNTEER IN THEIR OWN HOME TOWN. OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY BY KEEPING SENIORS INVOLVED, HELPING FAMILIES IMPROVE THEIR LIVES THROUGH LITERACY, AND ENABLING SELF-MOTIVATED ADULTS TO REACH THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. OUR TUTORS, MANY OF WHOM ARE RETIRED EDUCATORS, SERVE NEARLY 400 LEARNERS ANNUALLY, YET IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 16,000 IN ULSTER COUNTY STILL NEED OUR HELP (2010 CENSUS, PROLITERACY). IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT A LACK OF FUNCTIONAL LITERACY OR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PREVENTS A RUDIMENTARY UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC HEALTH, FINANCIAL, AND CONSUMER ISSUES AND IS THE COMMON THREAD OF THE INCARCERATED AND IMPOVERISHED POPULATIONS. OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES ARE RESEARCH-BASED, EMPLOY THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, AND PROVIDE REAL-LIFE, CONTEXTUALIZED LEARNING DESIGNED TO BUILD PERMANENT LANGUAGE COMPETENCIES. LITERACY LEADS TO EMPLOYMENT, OPPORTUNITIES, AND INDEPENDENCE - GIFTS EVERY ULA VOLUNTEER GIVE TO THEIR ADULT LEARNERS EVERY DAY.