I asked Sylvia if funding a "revolving door" literacy program is worth all the effort. "Yes,"she said without hesitation. "The John Howard Society believes that if you can be a positive role model and be a positive influence in even one persons life, no matter how short a time it is, it's worth it."

"Some of the offenders have come back and said, 'Because you stuck with me and helped me at that point in my life, it really made a difference.' These people have built a real layer of protection around themselves but they are still vulnerable human beings. They respond to someone who is honest and open and who respects them as a person (which is very different from how they are used to being treated). That's how the John Howard Society relates to their clients."

Even though Sylvia works with students who are often angry or negative or in crises, she never once complained or criticized. If she expressed some job frustrations during our interview, it was only because I asked.

When I told Sylvia how impressed I was that she manages to maintain such a positive attitude towards her work, she said, "The John Howard Society here in Edmonton really puts a lot of care and development into each of their staff members. I feel very lucky to be part of the larger agency here. The people who work here like their jobs. There are staff retreats and in-services and lots of encouragement to keep going. It's a non-profit organization, so salaries aren't great but people are here because they like the work; there's a cause, a reason to be here."

Like Alice, Sylvia has to work with all the barriers and road blocks her students face before they are able to concentrate on improving their literacy skills. It requires tremendous emotional energy to be positive when many of those around you are angry, negative or in crisis. How much can one person give before the price becomes too high? Sylvia herself said (quite cheerfully), "I'm paid to work 3 days a week but I'm so involved in my work, I usually lose track of the hours I actually work each week!" But like other dedicated literacy workers I've met, she didn't seem very concerned about it.

"This is really a healthy organization. I have a supervisor who makes me take time off when I've been working too hard. There is even a staff counsellor to talk to when things get tough at home or at work. I never feel alone; the staff is always a valuable resource."

The John Howard Society is one of the few organizations I have encountered that recognizes the value of their employees. It would be wonderful if other literacy workers could have such a strong support. A literacy worker in a rural community may not have to work with such a challenging student group but she is often the only person in her community doing similar work and doesn't often have the resources available to her that a larger centre could provide. The literacy network then becomes vital (see Reflections 2).

Sylvia has some other healthy ways to deal with the stress of her job. "It's important for me to have another life besides literacy. When I start to feel stressed or tired, I try to focus more on my inner life - reading, meditating or appreciating nature. I make sure I take time for me - to paint or bike or just to play. I also rely on the LCA and the other literacy coordinators for support and ideas. We get together here in Edmonton about once a month; we go out for dinner and it's always lots of fun. Everyone's always so generous about sharing their thoughts and ideas about literacy. They are a great bunch of women; I love discussing all kinds of issues with them."