Survey of Women Rabbittown Learners Program St. John's, Newfoundland

The Rabbittown Learners Program was organized and sponsored by the Rabbittown Community Association. This group is made up of tenants with the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC). The program began in 1988 and operates out of a community centre which is owned and maintained by NLHC. The centre, located in St. John's North, provides a variety of recreation, social, and educational programs for all age groups in the area. There are 284 housing units with 133 single parent households. A majority of the residents live on some form of government assistance.

The program provides irregular employment for six women: a coordinator, an administrative assistant, and four tutors. The group organizes small fund-raising activities but for the most part the program is financed through Job Development Grants from the Canada Employment Commission (CEC). Core funding is not available to community-based programs in this province and for several months each year the Rabbittown Learners Program staff work on voluntary status.

On October 16,1992, the program closed due to lack of funds. In the previous twelve months the staff had worked on voluntary status for nine months. Activities are now underway to secure a commitment of long-term funding through a partnership with the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Literacy Coalition.

Involvement in the CCLOW research project

Through Frances Ennis, a member of the Rabbittown advisory committee, the program heard that CCLOW was beginning a research project on women and literacy. Frances discovered that Rabbittown was interested in participating. The first phase of this project involved a group meeting with Betty-Ann Lloyd, the contract researcher. Although anxious to get started, women at Rabbittown were also a little apprehensive. What sorts of questions would she ask? How open would staff be in talking about themselves and their experiences in literacy? What difference would this make to them and the women in the program?