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5. More programs. This project has confirmed the need for both more programs and a wider variety of program approaches. There are parts of this province which do not have literacy programs. Isolated small towns and rural areas fall particularly into this category. People cannot participate if there is nothing for them to participate in, or they cannot get into a program because of waitlists and a limited number of sponsorships. Many Native communities are particularly isolated and in need of literacy training opportunities.
   
   
6. Different programs. Many people interviewed found the idea of one-to-one tutoring appealing. These people tended to be older, working, or had specific learning difficulties. For some, it was the flexibility of the arrangement which appealed. For others, it was the privacy, especially where someone was well-known in the community. Still others wanted it because they thought it would provide the individual attention to specific learning needs. Tutoring is also seen as a bridge to other programs.
   
   Within existing literacy classes, the importance of individual help and working at one's own pace was emphasized. In some situations, more tutors, peer help, or aides are needed to give the extra attention to students so they do not get bored or frustrated and leave the program.
   
   Many people liked the idea of a "one-stop" centre, or a “drop-in” where they could get information and counselling, assessment, and extra tutoring help if needed. The latter would supplement part-time classes at an institution or one-to-one tutoring in a matched pair. The "extra tutoring" request came from people who were impatient and frustrated with the slowness of their progress because of limited hours in instruction. Such centres are also requested by those who work irregular shifts and cannot commit themselves to regular classroom hours. In these centres, there would be other learners or ex-learners to act as peer tutors or counsellors and mediators for the potential students. These "mentors" or "buddies" would befriend potential students, tell them how the system worked, and, in these ways, impart courage and self-confidence. "We know what it's like, because we've been there," is the attitude.
   
   Such drop-in or storefront centres are particularly needed in towns where the college campus is located outside the downtown and there are problems of transportation. A storefront has the added advantage of doing its own advertising, just by being there. It is much easier to open the door of a building that one can see into and ask what they do, or ask for help. While the writer was visiting a Vancouver storefront, a huge 6-foot plus man walked in and asked whether this was the place where he could get some tutoring. (The program, unfortunately, had to close for a few weeks, until the next round of funding arrived.) For many in the downtown eastside, King Edward Campus of Vancouver Community College is “Foreign territory” according to one agency worker.
   
   The appreciative acceptance of Life Skills is a testament to their importance for many in the target population. Where such do not exist, pre-employment type programs such as Job Action courses and Employment Orientation for Women (EOW) may act in a similar way to enhance people's self-esteem and confidence.

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