Americorps*VISTA Literacy Project

Through the Coalition's Americorps*VISTA Literacy project, full-time trained volunteers are placed in literacy provider agencies across Tennessee to serve as developers of literacy initiatives or otherwise increase the capacity of those agencies to better meet the local demand for services.  VISTA members have organized and produced literacy-themed fundraising events, written grants, produced agency operations and policy manuals, written and tested new curriculums, created database tracking systems for a variety of uses, organized and managed local volunteers - the list goes on and on. VISTA members begin service with an agency-driven work plan which outlines a series of targets towards which they work during the year.  In the most recently completed project year, our VISTA members collectively met or exceeded 90% of their targeted goals.  

If you are an agency providing adult literacy services in Tennessee and would like know more about the Coalition's VISTA Literacy Project, click here.  If you have an interest in becoming a VISTA literacy volunteer in a Tennessee community, click here to learn more.

Adult Literacy Information Clearinghouse

The Tennessee Literacy Coalition is a resource for information about adult literacy in our state - for referral of adult learners to local programs, for referral of volunteers to programs recruiting for assistance, and for provider agencies seeking to expand their capacity to serve the local demand for literacy services.  Our toll free number (800-323-6986) provides easy access to information and assistance.  In addition, this website now includes pages identifying Providers of adult literacy services organized by county, and Resources for teachers, tutors, researchers, and non-profit staff..  The content of these pages is always being updated, so please visit them frequently.  

The Coalition newsletter, Tennessee Literacy, is mailed quarterly to members and supporters, and covers news and issues of interest in the adult literacy community in Tennessee.  If you would like to receive a complimentary copy of the current issue, please contact us with your request.  Or, become a member and you'll be added as a subscriber.  

Award For Excellence in Adult Literacy Service

The Coalition wishes to recognize adult literacy provider organizations in Tennessee for the outstanding work they do to help adult learners achieve their goals, so we created the Award For Excellence in Adult Literacy Service in 2005.  The Award is presented annually to the applicant organization submitting the program or initiative that best demonstrates achievement in serving adult learners through a significant classroom or tutoring success,  a resource development success, an effective volunteer mobilization or learner outreach, and the Award is accompanied by a cash prize of $500.  

2006 Award Winner:  Read To Succeed (Murfreesboro) for their Adult Literacy Program

2007 Award Winner:  Memphis Literacy Council for their ESL Program.

2008 Award Winner:  DeNeuville Learning Center (Memphis) for their GED program.

The 2009 Award application and guidelines will not be posted until Winter 2009, but anyone interested in applying next year can access the 2008 guidelines and application form below for planning purposes.

2008 Application Guidelines  (MS Word doc)                              2008 Application Form  (MS Word doc)

Regional Networking Forums

These informal half-day gatherings of adult literacy/education programs provide a regular opportunity for staff and volunteers to meet together to share ideas and resources.  Discussion among participants typically covers a broad range of topics and issues, including student recruiting and retention, volunteer management, fundraising, board development, teaching materials and curricula, learning disabilities, and more.  We send notices of each Forum to those programs within about an hour's drive of the location, but any Tennessee provider is welcome at any Forum - just let us know you are coming so that we can count you in for lunch.  Funding for Regional Networking Forums is provided in part by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. 

2008 Forum Schedule:

Camden, January 18, 2008 - hosted by Benton County Adult Education

Chattanooga, February 13, 2008 - hosted by READ Chattanooga

Knoxville, March 5, 2008 - hosted by Friends of Literacy

Collierville, May 13, 2008 - hosted by Collierville Literacy Council

Nashville, June 12, 2008 - hosted by the TN Literacy Coalition at the Green Hills Public Library

Jackson - tentative for September