Celebrating Here 2 Help adult literacy hub in Adult Learners Week

Bega Valley Shire Library will celebrate the Here 2 Help service during Adult Learners Week with a free afternoon tea at Bega Library between 3 pm and 5 pm on Thursday, 5 September.

“Here 2 Help is a literacy and numeracy support service that started at the Bega Library in May 2022 as a collaboration between TAFE NSW and the library,” Library Services Coordinator, Yvette Parker said.

“Volunteer tutors provide one-on-one tuition sessions at this drop-in service, working to reach an identified goal. There is no enrolment or assessments; just education in whatever the client needs.

“Here 2 Help tutors have helped people pass driver knowledge and citizenship tests, understand workplace and government documents and improve mathematical skills.

“They have assisted people to understand vocational course materials and helped people to learn how to use assistive technology for literacy skills.

“We have many people learning English as a second language in the shire and we recently opened another Here 2 Help hub at Tura Marrang Library, which operates on Wednesday afternoons from 3pm to 4.30pm.”

Former course graduates, Svitlana and Pinit are prime examples of how improved English language, literacy and numeracy can lead to further training and employment.

When Svitlana moved to Merimbula from the Ukraine, she was quick to enrol in English language courses at TAFE NSW Bega. She bolstered her formal training with the Here 2 Help program and now hopes to restart her previous career in hairdressing and gain new skills in beauty therapy.

By combining English language courses with the Here 2 Help program, Pinit was able to enrol in a Certificate III in Individual Support Disability and started her own business supporting clients.

“Here 2 Help is a vital and popular service, helping people from all backgrounds in the Bega Valley with their learning needs,” Ms Parker said.

“We invite the broader community to come along to our afternoon tea and help us celebrate the dedicated volunteers making such a difference in our community and the generous work of the organisation.

“It’s also an opportunity for people who might need to use the service to find out more about it by chatting with the tutors and clients about their journey in learning.”