By Kim Haskins

Around seven million adults in the UK would struggle to read this sentence. What's more, many people over the age of 16 are unable to carry out the most basic mathematical tasks.

A lack of fundamental literacy and numeracy skills can pose a huge barrier to those who want to further their careers and develop more confidence. People with limited basic skills earn around £50,000 less over their working lives and are more likely to have health problems or to turn to crime (source: Department of Education and Skills).

As an adult learner supporter you could help people gain the essential literacy and numeracy skills they need to advance in their career and get by in daily life.

Back to the classroom

Colleges and community learning centres around the UK offer classes to adults of varying abilities to improve their basic skills, and volunteers are often needed in these classes to support the lessons. This kind of voluntary work can involve helping to explain tasks to students and assisting the teacher in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the students. It's also important to be friendly, motivating and reassuring - especially for those who may have had negative experiences of being in a classroom setting in the past.

Qualifications aren't essential to become an adult learner supporter in the classrooms, but a good standard of English and maths (equivalent of GCSE-level) is required. In taking part, you'll not only have the opportunity to help others improve their skills, but you'll also be able to gain a national qualification yourself during the training process.

Chris Dugmore, Project Manager at Basildon Adult Community College, explains more about what the training involves:"The training programme leads to a qualification called the City and Guilds 9295 in Adult Learner Support. It's an interesting course because you get to find out about how adults learn, and how it's different to the way children learn. You'll be taken through the programme by tutors who are qualified to teach adults who want to learn basic reading, writing or maths skills.

"The training lasts for 36 hours in all, and is broken down into three 12-hour units. Each unit is then divided into four three-hour modules. Unit one is usually held during weekdays and units two and three are held on two consecutive Saturdays. In the last unit, the volunteer specialises in literacy, numeracy or ESOL (English for speakers of other languages). In order to qualify, you have to do an open-book assignment, so you can have all your notes with you while you do it. You also have to complete some written work – it's not a massive amount, just a 'thin portfolio'. It's a level 2 qualification, so it's around GCSE-level. It's all very manageable - there's about a 90% pass rate."

What's it like to be an adult learner supporter?

"Through doing this I've learnt to communicate better myself and be more confident," says Christina, who's been an adult learner supporter in numeracy classes for two years. "Before, I'd spent my time bringing up children and staying at home. I'd got into a bit of a rut and felt my life wasn't going any further. I had to do maths and English classes at the college for a year to get to the level 2 standard that's required for becoming an adult learner supporter. We had volunteers in the classroom to support us, and they were a huge help to me. It made me really appreciative of the fact that they gave up their time for me. So now I can understand what it's like to be both a student and volunteer, and I enjoy being able to put something back in the community."

Christina has realised the value of having volunteers in the classroom who can identify with a student's previous bad experiences of education and reassure them that they can get all the help they need: "If you're like me and you've never been brilliant at school work, you can actually be more understanding of how the students feel," she explains. "Walking through the door on the first day can be frightening, but if you've been in that same position at one time you can show them that you know how they feel. So in that sense, you're a befriender. You do get to have a laugh and a joke, too. It's not all hard work – it really is good fun."

Linda has been supporting literacy classes at the college for 18 months, yet her desire to help others learn goes back a long way. "I had really positive experiences of school, and I've never had any difficult learning experiences," she says. "When I was in sixth form I got involved in a project whereby I helped students who had difficulties with reading. This brought it home to me that not everybody had the positive experiences of learning at school that I was lucky enough to have. That experience of helping others stayed with me in the back of my mind, and ever since then I wanted to volunteer again in a similar way. I eventually got to a point in my life when I had time available to give to others, and I looked for an opportunity via the internet. Fortunately, I found this one and I now volunteer at a time that best suits me, which is for two hours per week in the evening."

Reassurance

If you're unsure about whether you have what it takes to become an Adult Learner Supporter, Linda has some words of reassurance: "There's no need to be nervous about doing it, as the training you go through gives you all the confidence you need. It's important to remember we're not teachers; we're just there to support the students under the guidance and instruction of the tutor in the class."

Another volunteer, Jackie, supports the English for Improvers and Adults with Learning Difficulties classes. She admits that she didn't really know what to expect from the experience at first: "I joined with an open mind, and I've got a lot out of it since – mainly personal satisfaction that I might be helping other people on their way to gaining a qualification in English. For those with severe learning difficulties, you're really helping them to live an everyday life with greater ease and confidence."

The students certainly appreciate the contribution that volunteers make. "At the end of last term," Linda says, "one of the students called over to me and said, 'Oi! Miss with the red hair! I hope you're coming back here next term!' And I am."

Search the do-it.org.uk database  for adult education volunteering opportunities in your area.

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