Ticket to Read & HiSET student Shirl studying at home.
Literacy KC, along with our neighbors, community members, and the world, is facing uncharted waters. Five weeks ago, as we looked into the unknown, we had a choice to make: We could fold into ourselves, move into preservation mode, and hope for minimal collateral damage. Or we could dive in, tap into the energy of our team, use the tenacity of our students as fuel, the dedication of our volunteers as fire, and view the uncertainty of the unknown as opportunity rather than threat. Our response: a trinity of program, development, and advocacy strategies rooted in people-centric innovation.
First, as an area of educational systems that has not yet conquered the world of distance learning, Literacy KC’s adult basic education programming, in the form of our Ticket to Read, English Language Learning, and High School Equivalency classes, has pivoted to an online format. It is not difficult to understand that our students are those who already struggle with navigating digital platforms, and in many cases do not have the devices, internet access, or skills to even have the opportunity to do so. Our team of instructors who are on the front lines of keeping our learners engaged, has risen to the challenge and their creativity and solutions have become assets we can carry forward to become part of the fiber of our program offerings now and in the future.
Second, like all of us, those invaluable individuals who support Literacy KC financially and otherwise might be feeling a bit like my four year old – overwhelmed by change, looking for guidance, craving an outlet, in need of reassurance and direction. From additional opportunities to engage on a personal level and connect with Literacy KC staff, to low-cost, low-stress, simple fun and games, our fund development team is addressing this universal sense of isolation and offering easy distractions that still provide a sense of purpose, community, and joy.
Finally, as the government responds to the immediate needs of a country filled with people whose lives have been rocked by loss, change, and, grief, Literacy KC has embraced the “advocacy” listed right in our mission statement, and rallied to participate in the Coalition for Adult Basic Education’s virtual day on Capitol Hill in order to highlight the need for funding to be allocated to critical adult basic education programming. We learned so much, including how valuable this work is, so I hope you can join us in this continued effort.
We know the pandemic is disproportionately affecting many of Literacy KC’s current and future students, who may reside in areas hit hardest by COVID-19 and its economic repercussions. As history has taught us, in times of economic uncertainty and high unemployment, enrollment in adult education surges as people look for opportunities to further their education, gain new vocational skills, and improve their competitiveness in the job market. So as we survive this first phase and ensure our community’s immediate and basic needs are met, we are also thinking about the upcoming recovery phase. If we are not well positioned to meet the increased demand, many of our friends and neighbors will go unserved.
As I continue to check in individually with our team members, I am impressed and encouraged at the common theme running through each conversation: recognizing opportunity in change . Each seems to be thinking about what we can learn from our current situation, what innovation and invention this uncertainty and necessity has prompted, and the new systems and capabilities we now have that we can carry forward to better serve more and different students in the future. Many even say our team is stronger than ever. And I tend to agree.
–Gillian Helm, Executive Director
To read more in our innovation series, click here to hear from J.P. Deckert on creative fundraising, here to hear from Lindsay Vaughn on advocacy on a state and federal level, or here to hear from Autumn Burton on distance learning.