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| I think the first thing that happened was when
the adult learning council and the literacy offices moved into our
building, and our office was next door to theirs. …I think that
these types of people should be housed in one physical setting. It's
much easier to go next door and say, "Are you doing this?"
If I had to phone, and do whatever, it wouldn't happen. Plus the
informal contact over a cup of coffee…. She was talking one day
about literacy, and I was talking about how I had to get to some of
these parents, it's the ones that really need it that I can't reach,
and she's saying, well, that's really exciting, our literacy group
could have a story (where) the content could be what you're….
And I'm thinking, right on, that's what we need. They could be
reading this story to their child, but it could be about health
care. Like the Berenstein Bears Go To The Doctor. |
Prenatal educator
FLAG interviews 1995 |
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Try to get a definite time and date during this phone call for you
to visit the agency. It is possible that the person you speak to will
not be the appropriate contact person. If this is the case, get a name
and telephone number to call, and make the call again. Above all, be
persistent, positive, and emphasize the potential benefits for all
partners.
Agency visits
Visiting each potential partner has three primary objectives: 1) to
learn more about the organization and who it serves, 2) to interest
them in being a partner in the proposed family literacy program, and
3) to obtain permission and the opportunity to discuss the proposed
program with a small group of their clients.
The first few moments of your agency visit should be used to briefly
restate who you are and why you are there. Indicate that their
agency's perspective and expertise will be important in establishing
directions and goals for the proposed family literacy program.
To learn more about the organization and who it serves, consider the
following list of questions adapted from Isserlis et al (1994b: 39):
- What is your mandate or mission statement?
- What services do you offer and to whom?
- How do clients come to you? How are they referred and by whom?
- If you can't help clients, who do you refer them to? What are
some problems your agency doesn't address?
- What have you observed about the literacy needs of your clients?
What about their parenting needs?
To interest agency staff in being a partner in the proposed program,
you need to make the connection between family literacy and what they
have stated their agency objectives and client needs to be. As stated
before, partnerships must be seen as in some way mutually beneficial,
or the chances of success are minimal.
If the organization you're visiting works to support children and
families through health promotion and community health services, you
need to emphasize the importance of literacy in accessing health
information and services. Talk about the challenge and importance of
reaching at-risk families as being a concern of both organizations. |