ABOUT CAROLE MCCABE:
"I’ve been the Executive Director of Washtenaw Literacy since spring of 2022, prior to that I was the founding Exec. Director of Avalon Housing for 25 years, and also taught Social Work at the University of Toledo."
RESOURCES:
Washtenaw Literacy on Facebook
Washtenaw Literacy on Instagram
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: You are listening to 89 one WEMU, and we are in the season of giving thanks. Those thanks are much easier to give if you feel as though you've been given equitable opportunity to build a life to share with those you love and out in the community. Unfortunately, there are a good number of folks who don't feel like they've had that opportunity. I'm David Fair, and welcome to this week's edition of Washtenaw United on WEMU. It is a notion that serves as one of the driving forces behind Washtenaw Literacy. As the organization says, "Washtenaw Literacy's purpose is straightforward. We help adults change their lives through literacy." Joining us today is Carole McCabe. She serves as executive director of Washtenaw Literacy. Thank you for talking with us today, Carole! I'm grateful!
Carole McCabe: Well, thanks, David! It's great to be here!
David Fair: When I think of literacy, the first thing that came to mind is reading and writing. But from your perspective, the definition of literacy is changing and evolving. How do you define literacy today?
Carole McCabe: Yeah, great question to start with! You know, we've been around over 50 years, and our definition and conception of literacy has evolved constantly over time. And right now, when we talk about it, we really help people build skills and realize their goals. And so, the skills that folks are working on with us are reading, writing, math, computers or digital literacy, and then English as a second language is a good chunk of what we do as well, whatever folks need to move their lives forward. And it's very highly individualized. That's one of the beautiful things about Washtenaw Literacy's model is that it's very learner-centered, so the goals are totally determined by each learner. They control their educational journey, if you will. And we work with them on whatever skills that are most immediately needed by them.
David Fair: And under that expanded definition, how many of the adults in Washtenaw County may be in need of some components of the literacy services you offer?
Carole McCabe: Yeah, it's always more than people think. There's approximately just about over 30,000 folks who experience low literacy in Washtenaw County, which we have a lot of education and universities here. And so, that's always surprising to folks. But really, people who are have not been served well in our educational system in terms of just needing more individualized attention are sort of basic literacy learners--folks who may be having learning disabilities, like dyslexia or learning disorder or other kinds of behavioral health stuff, but also English as a second language learners. It's a broad group, and we have served about a thousand people in the last year. We serve, just to be clear, adults 16 and over all through highly trained volunteer tutors. We have about 400 tutors right now. But prior to the pandemic ,and we're still trying to build back up those numbers, they were almost double that. It's a very vast network of folks in our community learners, tutors, and it's a real special community.
David Fair: Well, you have said that literacy is a human right. There are many who believe that, in America today, education continues more toward being seen as a privilege. As you work with your clients and members of the community, do you see that playing out based on what zip code a person might live in?
Carole McCabe: Absolutely! As we know, Washtenaw County is, I think, the eighth most segregated by income?
David Fair: The famous U.S. 23 divide. Right.
Carole McCabe: Yes, exactly. And so, we're very mindful of that. I mean, there's a lot of talk about equity these days, which is good. But we really believe that literacy is kind of the cornerstone, the foundation, for equity, if you will, because you gain these skills, and it really provides opportunities and enables people to realize their goals in so many different parts of their lives. So, we're always doing engagement, trying to get word out. Folks who struggle with basic literacy, there's a lot of shame involved. And it's not always easy to ask for help. And so, we work with a lot of community partners and a lot of other nonprofits and service providers who help reach folks. Our services are available. You can either get a personal tutor or you can drop in to community groups all around town. So, we try to make it maximally accessible. We have in-person and online options for all of our programs. And so, we're really trying to just engage everyone we can to help them sort of build their skills and realize their potential.
David Fair: Washtenaw United and our conversation with Washtenaw Literacy Executive Director Carole McCabe continues on 89 one WEMU. And you just touched on it, but I want to follow up a little further. There are any number of social and developmental factors that might lead someone to your door, and I imagine the single greatest factor in keeping someone from knocking is stigma. How do you help someone in need overcome perhaps some low self-esteem and to shrug off that sense of being judged?
Carole McCabe: Yeah, that's a big challenge for adults who are struggling with building some of these skills. And, partly our one-on-one or individualized model of serving folks and allowing learners to determine sort of their immediate needs and then working with them on, it's a very broad array what people come with. They might want to read to their kids or fill out a health form or get a GED. So, there's just a broad array of possibilities. And I think, having folks having choice, a lot of times people have never even identified goals for themselves or dreams. And so, we're working with folks to figure that out.
David Fair: I have a question in regards to some of the factors that keep people from achieving the kinds of successes they may be capable of. The prices of everything in our community and around the country have gone up a great deal. There is more housing and food insecurity than we've had before. When you have to think about eating or finding a place to sleep, how does literacy become an important part of the future?
Carole McCabe: That is a really terrific point because we talk all the time. I mean, it's a commitment. It's not easy learning English as an adult. And people have so many competing priorities, as you just said. And also, we have transportation and child barriers, which we're always trying to figure out--all of our stuff on bus lines and we try to have two things at different times and accessibility to folks. But it's hard for people to make that commitment. And that's why we we really maintain flexibility. Our tutors and learners partner together. They develop relationships. And so, part of it is building community that's so important for so many people who have not been able to have sort of civic engagement in that kind of way or in other community systems. So, it's something we're always thinking about-- how to reach folks, how to break down, as you said, the stigma and how to be accessible to as many people as possible.
David Fair: We're talking with Carole McCabe on 89 one WEMU. She is executive director of Washtenaw Literacy and our guest on Washtenaw United. Now, you mentioned that you have a great number of volunteers, that the services are free. It's a matter of getting someone to walk in the door and get that individualized plan. How do you go about vetting those who will be working for those who do walk through the doors of Washtenaw Literacy?
Carole McCabe: Yeah. As I said, we have this vast network of amazing volunteers, and no experience is necessary. We provide a very high quality training research base. That's something we're known for. We train folks all around the country. And so, we ask folks to come and attend a one-hour session: the ABCs of Washtenaw Literacy. You can either do that in person or online with a couple of dates coming up, which I can give. And that's the first step. We outline all the different options for volunteering. You know, we have lots of different programs. Just to mention, we mentioned community partners. We have a sort of GED prep program we do with Washtenaw Community College. We've been tutoring in Washtenaw County Jail for over 20 years, and we do a lot of work increasingly for returning citizens. So, it's an incredible model, and it enables us to have a lot of impact in the community.
David Fair: And as you mentioned, oftentimes, the volunteers and those they're helping create real and lasting relationships. So, coming back to the mission and bringing our conversation full circle, the concept of changing adult lives through literacy, give me one such success story in your time in Washtenaw Literacy.
Carole McCabe: Oh gosh! There's so many folks who have made changes over long periods and short periods with us. We have a learner team that we work with who were trying to sort of hold ourselves accountable to the people we're serving. And one of those members is a former learner who is actually on staff for us and who reached there and made his decision about sort of stepping up as an adult when his workplace changed. He lost his job, and he realized that he needed to attend to it at this moment. And also, it was his kids. A lot of people talk about what motivates them--their children. We know that low literacy is a generational impact. So, household literacy--we work closely with youth literacy providers, too. But so, in this case, this person was motivated by, at that moment, as a crisis when they lost a job and then made that commitment on behalf of his kids. He talks about it so eloquently, much more than I can. But I think that's often the case for folks that they want their children to have the skills that they may have not.
David Fair: Well, I'd like to thank you for sharing the story and taking time to talk with me today. Carole! I greatly appreciate it!
Carole McCabe: Thank you so much! I really appreciate your time today! And as I said, you can go to our website, washtenawliteracy.org. There's a calendar....well, we're actually about to unroll a brand new website in a few weeks. But we do have our calendar on there right now . We have the ways to get involved or donate. And we appreciate everyone's support and hope to continue to expand our work in the county!
David Fair: That is Carole McCabe, the executive director of Washtenaw Literacy. And if you need any connections or links to their website and their information, all you have to do is stop by our website at wemu.org. Washtenaw United is produced in partnership with United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and you hear it every Monday. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU FM Ypsilanti.
WEMU has partnered with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to explore the people, organizations, and institutions creating opportunity and equity in our area. And, as part of this ongoing series, you’ll also hear from the people benefiting and growing from the investments being made in the areas of our community where there are gaps in available services. It is a community voice. It is 'Washtenaw United.'


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