What is the role of literacy organizations?

1. Advocacy

Because literacy organizations are directly involved with adult learners, they can be the best advocates for clear writing. Literacy organizations can:

	Make links between learners and community organizations to help those organizations find out what learners want or need to know.
	Develop community awareness that clear writing benefits every person who doesn’t read well, not only those who take part in literacy programs.
	Help community organizations learn how to write material that is clear and easy to read, by acting as consultants or referring them to others who do training workshops.
	Encourage community organizations to look at all the places they expect people to use reading to get information, including the forms and signs they use.
	Get learners involved in assessing materials from community groups for clear writing.
	Get learners involved in developing easy to read materials.
	Work with community organizations to find funding to produce easy to read materials.
	Publicize good examples of clear writing through your own newsletter or the OLC newsletter so that other literacy groups can benefit.
	Help to establish a clear writing interest group within your community.
	Be advocates for clear writing in all public education material.
	Be advocates for clear writing within your own program.