Midcoast Literacy, a non-profit 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 kids, 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 very high, especially for children who are struggling to read at grade level, so the need for new volunteers to come forward this fall is significant. 

“The beginning of the school year is a great 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 trainings will 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 held September 23, 25 and 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. For more information or to sign-up, 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 speak English. It will be held October 8, 9 and 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. For more information or to sign-up, contact Diana Krauss at als@midcoastlit.org.   

Pre-registration and participation in all three days of the training is required for both programs. Volunteer tutors must be at least 18 years old and make an initial commitment to tutor once or twice a week for 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. “Being a tutor for English language learners has led me to broad cultural enrichment as well as lasting friendships with people from around the world,” says volunteer tutor Alden Sproul. “You could not pay for this experience nor expect the depth of relationships that result from it.”   

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 54 years. 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.