Illiteracy creates problems felt throughout the home, the community, and the economy. It hurts self-esteem, employment, and ones ability to grow. To help combat illiteracy in Washtenaw County, where 12 percent of its residents cannot read, is Washtenaw Literacy.
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Indeed, she adds, illiteracy is a sure-fire path to increasing poverty and decreasing employability. Statistics compiled by the group show that 43% of people with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty and that illiteracy is a major barrier to employment for 47% of people receiving public assistance. Further, illiteracy is self-perpetuating: half the children born to illiterate parents will grow up to be illiterate adults.
"Although it may appear to be an individual problem, it impacts entire communities," Roberts says. Research has shown that illiteracy is a significant economic drain, as well as a leading cause of crime and higher healthcare costs. In fact, literacy skills are a stronger predictor of an individual's health status than age, income, job, education level or ethnicity
But there is some good news. Literacy programs, such as those run by Washtenaw Literacy, do work. The National Center for Family Literacy reports that one year in a basic literacy
skills class results in a 25% increase in employment. A World Health Organization study found that the most effective way to promote children's health was to raise the literacy levels of their mothers. And a three-state study of prison recidivism found that inmates who participate in educational classes are less likely to be imprisoned again.
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