Administrative Office

15 Bank Row, Suite C

Greenfield MA 01301

Phone: 413-774-3934

Fax: 413-774-3946

www.literacyproject.org

Five Classroom Sites:

Amherst Adult

Learning Center

401 Main Street

Ground Floor

Amherst MA 01002

Phone: 413-259-1663

Fax: 413-253-9628

Charboneau Learning Center/Greenfield

15 Bank Row, Suite D

Greenfield MA 01301

Phone: 413-774-3935

Fax: 413-774-3946

Greenfield Even Start

Phone: 413-773-9309

North Quabbin

Adult Education

Center/Orange

34 North Main Street

Orange MA 01364

Phone/Fax: 978-544-8917

Orange Even Start

Phone: 978-544-6235

Pioneer Valley

Adult Education Center/Northampton

1 Brewster Court #1

Northampton MA 01060

Phone: 413-584-6755

Fax: 413-584-1560

Northampton Even Start

Phone: 413-584-6755

Ware Adult

Education Center

49 Main Street

Ware MA 01082

Phone/Fax: 413-967-9902

Learning on the Go! With The Literacy Project

Mission Statement

The Literacy Project provides Adult Basic Education programs and opportunities that support participants to engage meaningfully and equitably

in the economic, social, cultural, and political life of their communities.

Guiding Principles

The Literacy Project understands literacy in the context of poverty, opportunity, and inequality; therefore, we are committed to creating positive social change by strengthening communities through educational programs and actions on the issues that affect learners’ lives.

The Literacy Project places literacy in the context of learners’ lives and endeavors to create with them a curriculum based on their goals and the issues that affect their lives and communities.

The Literacy Project is committed to the development and use of teaching-learning methods that build upon learners’ strengths and abilities.

The Literacy Project supports learners in mastering the tools necessary to obtain, evaluate, and use information to improve their quality of life and that of their families and communities.

Both the classroom and the organization aim to create a community of mutual respect in which everyone is encouraged to take risks and express their hopes, needs, and concerns without fear.

The Literacy Project is committed to understanding and honoring social and cultural diversity as reflected in curriculum, classroom, and agency norms, and in the active inclusion of a diversity of people within the life of the agency.

The Literacy Project is committed to the development of opportunities for learners, staff, and volunteers to offer their perspectives on decisions that directly impact them.

The Literacy Project is committed to fundraising and community relations efforts both as a way to generate financial, material, and volunteer resources and as a way to engage the community in advancing our mission.

The Board of Directors sets direction and goals congruent with the Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles. It sets the stage for effective management and accountability by clearly defining expectations and by appropriate long-term planning and oversight.

Vision

The Literacy Project strives to enhance the lives of learners by creating connections within the agency and between the agency and the wider community.

· The Literacy Project offers a learning environment where people can come together to learn and better their lives through personal development and new opportunities. The Literacy Project facilitates a full range of high-quality Adult Basic Education (ABE) programming to learners from a broad range of locales including the more remote, rural areas of Franklin and Hampshire Counties.

· The Literacy Project views learning as a life-long process. Benefits of life-long learning are revealed in all facets of our learners’ lives—homes, education centers, workplaces, and the community at large. We recognize that critical thinking is an essential element of learning. Since enhanced critical thinking skills puts learners in a better position to contribute their opinions as family members, friends, workers, community members, and citizens, we infuse critical thinking analysis into our classroom curriculum.

· The Literacy Project works to co-create strong communities where all residents can access housing, a living wage, health care, sufficient nutrition, and the opportunity for meaningful work. By working with other social service agencies, government agencies, community groups, and businesses, each of The Literacy Project's sites provides learners with information about community services as well as supports learners’ access to these services.

· The Literacy Project works to educate our communities-at-large so they better understand the educational, social, and economic dimensions of literacy. As a result, since less stigma is attached to the participation of the Literacy Project’s services and classes, there is increased acceptability in being an adult learner.

· The Literacy Project is a healthy, vibrant, and diverse community. All members of the agency's community—learners, staff, volunteers, and board members—work together for its common good. In their varied roles as educators of diverse, complex populations, staff members receive support and collaboration for their continued professional development. The organization’s management methodologies are just and include fair, open, and inclusive processes.

· The Literacy Project is overseen by an informed and engaged Board of Directors. The Board of Directors sets direction and is accountable for the effectiveness and well-being of the agency.

· The Literacy Project sustains a diverse funding base that promotes fiscal stability within the agency. While fiscal stability allows greater focus on our educational mission, funding from various sources allows programming freedom.

The Literacy Project recognizes the input and effort of everyone in our community toward the realization of this vision.

Approved by the Board of Directors 4/26/04

Learning on the Go! With The Literacy Project