Booklet #1 :
Why do women need a women's group?

The Toronto ALFA Centre is a program that helps adults learn to read and to write. There are about 60 students who work one-to-one with volunteer tutors.

ALFA also has group tutoring sessions for men and women. Eighteen people come to these sessions, but only five of them are women. Since half of the students at ALFA are women, we wanted to find out why more women were not coming to the group sessions.

We asked the women and this is what they said:

• "Some of the men talk too much and we don't get a chance to say things during the group sessions. This makes us feel that our views are worthless."

• "We are not comfortable with the loudness of the men. They often get into endless arguments, so we don't come back."

• "We complained that one of the men in the group sexually harassed some of the women. When we asked him, he said he did not do it. Some of us don't feel safe around the Centre, we are afraid we might be assaulted."

• "Some of our husbands don't want us to be around other men. If we go to a group where there are men, we are afraid of what our husbands might do if they find out."

ALFA used to have a women-only group, but it had to stop because there was not enough staff to run it. However, we felt that this was not fair and it was important to provide a space for the women to do group work. So we decided to start a women's group again.

We called the women who came to the previous women's group. We sent a flyer to all women in the program inviting them to join the group. The women were delighted to hear we were starting a women's group. Six women joined and we meet every Tuesday afternoon. Some said they would like to come but they work during the day.

The women wrote about the group and this is what they said:

"I think that the ALFA women group is done me a lot of good since I am come for about a month now. It is help me lot. It help to meet other people. I enjoy the women group."
by Elaine

"I think the group is very interested. I liked the group. I enjoy coming to the women's group to eat and to talk and to listen to Davie (a member of the group)."
by Moisley

"I started the group and it is great and I enjoy it. I look forward to come to it. The lady group is good and it is very friendly and I hope it continue. I find myself improvement. I wish there is more day."
by Doreen

"I think the women group was very good. I hope to continue because I like to come to read and write. Also the teacher is very nice so that she bring food and she kind."
by Davie