VOICE was developed to assist facilitators working in employment preparation. The hands-on activities can be used to gain knowledge and empower participants to make transitions to the world of work by helping them to identify their interests, skills, and most importantly their own voice. While the activities were designed to be used in conjunction with employment preparation programs, they can also be used in general adult literacy programs to guide participants to make more informed decisions, expand their perceptions, find a suitable working life, manage time, interact and communicate effectively, access or create opportunities, and take action to move towards their goals.
Developing an understanding of one’s role as an employee may involve changing perceptions and learning to be confident, self-managing, and to listen to and speak for oneself, i.e. finding our voice. The following units were developed to actively engage participants in a holistic learning environment. The activities were compiled and adapted from various sources and have proven to be an inspiration for both facilitators and participants.
The five units include reflecting and clarifying values, enhancing abilities needed to organize time and overcome barriers, finding new or renewed interests, viewing and communicating personal and societal changes, and discovering ways to empower and engage in life. At the end of each unit, a self-evaluation checklist is included to document discoveries and priorities.
Keeping a journal and/or using a participant VOICE workbook is strongly recommended. To create a workbook, facilitators can print and photocopy the handouts as needed from the accompanying CD. In addition, there is a blank journal page that can also be printed and copied for inclusion in the workbook. All of the handouts can be adapted by the facilitator to fit the particular needs of a group.
VOICE became a larger, more organized package of a workshop I delivered entitled Vision Quest. The workshop was well-received by various literacy groups, which prompted me to do a more thorough search for arts-based activities and holistic learning approaches. While searching, I noticed the prevalence of similar approaches and activities for highly skilled and educated employees and wondered why these could not be extended to our learners. I was also greatly inspired by Katrina Grieve’s work in self-management and self-direction for literacy learners. There seemed to be an obvious need for our learners to engage in non-academic activities that encouraged self-reflection opportunities, and provided tools for learners to connect to themselves as well as to the larger whole (social and work environment). Although the literacy program that I work in offers our learners work-related classes in retail, child care, and health care, we were not always reaching the learners who were unsure about how they fit into the work world. In other words, learners were not always sure of their own direction or comfortable using their own voice.