Midcoast Literacy, a nonprofit that provides free literacy tutoring to people of all ages, is holding two training sessions for new volunteer tutors this fall: one for volunteers who want to work with children and one for volunteer English language tutors for adults. Midcoast Literacy serves individuals in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and northern Cumberland counties, and is seeking volunteers who come from any of these communities. Demand for one-on-one tutoring is high, especially for children who are struggling to read at grade level, making the need for new volunteers to come forwardthis fall significant.  

“The beginning of the school year is a perfect time to begin volunteering for Midcoast Literacy,” says Katie Clark, Program Director. “There are lots of families coming to us in need of support for both adults and children. If you or someone you know can give two hours a week to help a neighbor read better, you can truly make a difference in your community.” 

Midcoast Literacy’s two 3-day tutor trainingswill be held at their offices at 9 Park Street in Bath. The first training is for those who want to work with school-age children. It will be heldSept. 22, 24 and 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. For more information or to signup, contact Katie Clark at k.clark@midcoastliteracy.org. 

The second training is for people who want to work with adult immigrants who are learning to read, write, and speak English. It will be held Oct. 14, 15 and 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. An online, on-demand training course is also available for people interested in working with adult learners. For more information or to signup, contact Diana Krauss at als@midcoastlit.org.  

Pre-registration and participation in all three days of the training arerequired for both programs. Volunteer tutors must be at least 18 years old and make an initial commitment to tutor once or twice a weekfor 12 months (with occasional breaks for vacations or holidays). After the first year, many volunteers continue working with their students to help them get closer to their reading goals. “When I retired, it took me a while to figure out what to do with myself,” says volunteer tutor Steve Majercik. “Now I tutor twice a weekand our meetings are one of the highlights of my week. My learner is enthusiastic, inquisitive, always ready to work. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to get to know this young person and to read and write with him.”  

Midcoast Literacy is a non-profit organization based in Bath that has been providing free literacy programs to people of all ages in Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and northern Cumberland counties for 54years. Through a wide range of Family Literacy and Adult Literacy programs, the dedicated staff and volunteers strive to help children and adults develop their literacy skills, so they can succeed through all stages of life. You can find out more about their programs at www.midcoastliteracy.org.