Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester

Providing English language proficiency for Economic Security

Saba Salem

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Saba is a young woman in her mid-20’s who came to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester in 2013 looking for help with English language literacy education. She was born in Iraq and relocated
to the United States as a Syrian refugee with her family in 2008. Since 2013 she has received continuous One-to-One Tutoring from her Literacy Volunteer tutor, Nicole. Saba has not only learned
how to speak the English language but is now highly proficient-she has made incredible strides! In the past three years, Saba was able to obtain her driver’s license, complete her high school equivalency and most recently became one of the foreign-born entrepreneurs in Worcester! She is the owner of her new family restaurant Castle Pizza and More, Pleasant Street in Worcester. This is a motivated young woman who welcomed the helping hand offered to her at Literacy Volunteers with English literacy skills and is not only surviving but thriving and a contributing member in our community.

Our Winter Schedule is here!

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Our winter session will run for twelve weeks, starting on January 23.  Registration will be held January 3 – 13, 2017 at our Main Office, located on the 3rd floor of the Worcester Public Library.  Students may register for no more than two courses.  Courses are free, but we suggest a donation of $25 to attend one course, $35 to attend two courses.  Weekly attendance is expected.  Please see our Winter 2017 Schedule for more information.

New Executive Director and Board Members

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We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new executive director and three new board members.

Jolene Jennings was named permanent executive director of the nonprofit after serving in the interim role for six months. Jennings, who has a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Worcester State University, has 20 years of experience in the Greater Worcester nonprofit sector.

We also voted in three new board members for three-year terms: Melissa Depanian, a senior marketing manager at EnerNOC in Boston; Frank Callahan, director of planned giving at Worcester Academy; and Amanda Addeo, a disability benefits specialist at Unum Group.

 

Yahui K.

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My name is Yahui. Time flies, I have been in US for 10 years. I finished my Ph.D study in China and got a postdoctoral associate position in Worcester. I was taught English in China starting in middle school. But the English taught to me was mostly about grammar rules and I didn’t have chance to use it in conversation. So I found it was difficult for me to understand and communicate after I arrived here. I got lost during conversation or lectures. My spoken English was not well organized and it was a messy. I was also embarrassed and shy to speak because I felt others couldn’t understand me.

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Durga Khawas

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My name is Durga Khawas. I came to the United States on September 22 of 2009 from Bhutan. I was born there but I am ethnically a Nepali. Because of our Nepalese heritage, my family and many other Nepalese families in Bhutan were harshly discriminated against and we ended up in refugee camps in Nepal for a long time. It was wonderful to be allowed into the United States 5 years ago. There are over 250 Nepalese families living in Worcester now who originally lived in Bhutan.

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Save the Date: Holiday Bake Sale and Exchange

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Literacy Volunteers will hold their First Holiday Bake Sale and Exchange on Tuesday, December 13th, from 12:30-2:30 pm in the Banx Room of the Worcester Public Library.

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Please join us in celebrating the traditions of our diverse cultures this holiday season over coffee and baked goods. Our students, teachers, tutors and all those interested in learning more about Literacy Volunteers are invited.

The Bake Sale table, an American tradition, will also have baked goods for sale to take home. All proceeds benefit Literacy Volunteers programs.

Contact Melissa or Sheila at info@lvgw.org to register to attend, volunteer or bring a baked good.

You can donate individually wrapped baked goods with holiday recipe attached the day before event on Monday, December 12 from 10am-2pm. Drop off at Literacy Volunteers office at the library, Suite 332. 

 

 

Next Volunteer Tutor Training – January 2017

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Our next tutor training session is scheduled for January, 2017. Registration is now open!

The training consists of six sessions totaling 18-hours and will be held on January 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, and 27th, from 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. This training prepared you to start one-on-one tutoring with our ESL students.

Seating is limited-please pre-register by Friday, January 6th.

If you would like to volunteer and be considered for a tutor position please download and fill out this application and send to info@lvgw.org.

Fall Dates for Tutor Training

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Registration extension! We’ve decided to extend the deadline for our upcoming tutor training session! Our fall session will be held on September 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, and 28th, from 9 am – 12 pm. Volunteers should register for training at LVGW through email at info@lvgw.org before August 31, 2016.

If you would like to be considered for a tutor position please fill out the application below.

Tutor Application

 

Summer 2016 Tutoring Class

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Welcome and Thank You to our 17 volunteers who graduated from our June 2016 Tutor Training. They are amazing and have already started meeting with their new students. We look forward to working with you over the coming months and years.

Yours in Community, The LVGW Team
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