Competencies Volunteers Wim Matthijsse, Stichting Lezen & Schrijven (Reading and Writing Foundation)

Background  National pilotproject Language for Life, focussing on non- formal education and working with volunteers ( ) (5 million, against big budget cuts to formal education….)  PIAAC: literacy difficulties (= level 1, A2, 0-1F): 1.3 million low literated, in total (=11.9%)

Language for life: Pillars ….

Pillar I: A Strategy ….of chaining & partnering

“…. active connection between "sites" (places where illitrated people can be found) of poor literacy and on the other side the diversity of language service providers (formal, non-formal, informal)…”

Pillar II: Trained Volunteers (= not being paid..)

Pillar III: Materials for volunteers

Pillar IV: Campaigning

Trotters ……

Soap …

Pillar V: Monitoring -- UvM

Regional approach

Language directors … “change agents”  Educational experts  Stimulating collaboration language providers  Development more consistent and coherent regional educational infrastructure, for example: start-up phase..  Recruitment and training volunteers  National tasks (developing materials, training, etc.)

Volunteers  2000 volunteers (7000 participants)  Basic training ( 4 day parts) and deepening modules  Different types, roles of volunteers  Reader (reading-groups)  Language buddy (no educational background)  Language coach (educational background, works more independently)

Roles …. A reader guides a readinggroup. A language buddy helps a participant, a small group or assists a professional. He uses already existing educational materials. A language coach helps a participant or a small group. He is able to develop new lessons or materials. Is experienced and competent as a professional (maybe acquired in practice)

Combi Volunteer & Professional How?

student sssssprofessional volunteer

Classes of a professional with volunteers working under responsibility of the professional,  in the same space (classroom), sometimes temporarily to get started.  not in the same space, with specific tasks (at “walking distance”)  not at the same time (of the prof.), with specific tasks Specific tasks: extra/special literacy needs participants, help for transfer, being a buddy,….

Professional supports volunteer(s), volunteer works independently with one student or small group.  Coördinator of a language point (focal point for low literacy often in library). Demand-oriented, not obligatory for volunteer.  Professional supports and coaches a fixed group of volunteers

Competency profiles

NrCompetencieReaderBuddyCoach 1Intake & Asessmentx 2Support & coachingxx 3Coaching & developmentx 4Stimulating readingxxx 5Empowermentxxx 6Planning, organize & communication xxx 7Collaborate & connectingxxx

Intake & Assessment  Retrieves the (learning) needs and investigates relevant (learning) characteristics  Deals adequately with social psychological aspects of low literacy (eg, shame, social exclusion, etc.)  Has an eye for cultural differences between participants and between participant and volunteer.

 Determines the participants language level using a diagnostic tool and is able to interpret the results and advise on an appropriate course based on that  Calls for help in case of problems with experts.

Support & coaching  Supports and encourages participants in working with existing and self-teaching materials, on-line and paper-based.  Supports participants in transfer  Stimulates independent work and learning among participants.  Provides simple feedback

 Acts adequately with socio-psychological aspects of low literacy (eg, shame, social exclusion, etc.)  Has an eye for cultural differences between participants and between participant and volunteer.  Calls for help in case of problems with experts.

Coaching & development  Coaches participants, also with educational materials that’s are less or not self-steering  Assesses the quality of teaching materials  Provides advice to participants how best to tackle learning tasks  Can independently gather and develop teaching materials (tailor-made)

 Acts effectively with cultural differences between participants and between participant and volunteer.  Plays flexibly to language learning issues and actions by participants, providing effective and ongoing feedback.  Differentiates within small groups

Pull out Grandma’s – Nancy Faux Competencies of succesfull volunteers:  Patient, wise & flexible  Intellectual curiosity about how participants learn  Experience in caring for others  Can detect small signals of participants  Not worried about career growth  Enthusiastic about small successes  Kind, gentle and reliable  Attention to details.

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