Volunteers needed for Contra Costa County’s Project Second Chance
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (August 26, 2024) — Contra Costa County Library has a wealth of free resources and programs that help improve the lives of residents throughout our County. A trip to the library is no longer simply borrowing a book. Our libraries are community centers where there’s something for everyone – kids on summer break can receive a free lunch and watch a movie, numerous cultural festivals, a secondary classroom where everyone can learn new skills, or where community members can learn to read.
One of the primary strategic goals of the County Library is to champion personal and community engagement in literacy, learning, and reading to enrich lives. Project Second Chance (PSC), our adult literacy program, is one program that helps achieve this goal. Founded in 1984, PSC has helped more than 6,500 community members accomplish their personal literacy goals related to family, career, community, and self-development.
PSC provides free, confidential, one-on-one basic English reading, writing, spelling, and conversation instruction to adults who are 16 and older and are not in high school. PSC is designed for adults who read or write below a 6th-grade level in English.
People from various backgrounds and age groups have joined PSC for reasons such as never having the opportunity to learn to read, self-improvement, wanting to read to their grandchildren, and overcoming dyslexia. The program allows students to set their own specific goals, such as passing the General Educational Development Exam (GED), taking the California Driver’s License Exam or furthering their economic growth.
Project Second Chance provides a fulfilling learning and teaching environment. Learners and their tutor meet for 90-minute lessons, twice a week, for at least six months. The one-on-one sessions provide a comfortable atmosphere where learners have the privacy to express their reading skills without embarrassment and, over time, increase their confidence. And tutors have an opportunity to directly impact our community, develop their professional skills and work with their learner to find material that resonates. Both tutors and learners have described PSC as fun, inspirational, a cultural exchange, and a way to form friendships. It is a win for everyone who participates in the program; a true second chance.
PSC serves adults in all communities represented by the Contra Costa County Library system and is currently looking for volunteers tutors. No teaching experience is necessary, and tutors should feel comfortable with their own English reading, writing, and spelling. PSC staff provides a comprehensive training program and ongoing support for tutors.
If you or someone you know is struggling with reading or writing, or you’d like to explore becoming a tutor with Project Second Chance, please visit https://ccclib.org/psc/.
Ken Carlson is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to SupervisorCarlson@bos.cccounty.us or call his office at 925-655-2350.