Improving Literacy, Improving Lives

WINNIPEG, MB – STEP (STages Education Program) is a community-based literacy program operated by The Salvation Army consisting of two stages.  Steven Kay is 34 years old.  He entered STEP with the equivalent of a grade three reading and writing level (Stage 2). 

Steven struggled during his first days in program to balance his school workload with some emotional issues that he was facing and actually left the program several weeks after he started as he was not able to find this balance.  He was extremely eager to learn, however, and was reaccepted into program in 2014 once he had stabilized his life.  Steven has flourished over the past year into a young man who knows what he wants and the appropriate way to reach those goals.  He has learned how to work in a group and become a productive member of the community, how to manage his emotions and how to work well with others.  He has learned how to find happiness in his life today.

In short, he has not only improved his literacy skills but also his life skills.  The staff at STEP are proud of the young man that he has become and they know that they only played a very small part of that growth.  Steven certainly represents the mission of STEP to "view our students as both a person and a learner" and to "nurture the individual's self-worth, self-discipline and pride in personal achievement."

 

According to the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network, 42% of Canadian adults of employment age (16-65) have low literacy skills.  When asked about the positive effects of increased literacy beyond the individual, STEP Program Supervisor Mandy Marsland explained, "Many of our students come to us because they need to improve their literacy skills in order to find employment and become self-sufficient.  The majority of them rely on Employment and Income Assistance to survive and are here at their referral.  Improving one's literacy allows them to be able to complete application forms correctly, create resumes, present themselves confidently in an interview, read and understand hiring paperwork, safety manuals, etc.  These are the employment benefits."

But there is a very important personal gain as well.  Marsland continues, "For many of our students there is so much more that they get out of the program.  Students begin to understand written directions and information for everything from medication to apartment leases.  A good number of our students state that they want to be a good role model for their children or grandchildren so they don't drop out of school."

Standing in his mortarboard and grad gown, Steven remarks of the STEP program, "It gave me confidence in myself that I didn't have about what I could do.  When things got hard, that I could keep to it and accomplish it.  I still want to continue school."

Ten graduates were honoured this year for completion of their education stage.  For more information on STEP, please call (204) 946-9141.
 

Featured photo: Erica Petersen, STEP Stage 2 Instructor and Steven Kay, graduate.