At a time when Washington, D.C., is experiencing unprecedented economic disruption, the nonprofit Washington Literacy Center (WLC) is offering leaders a dynamic message: It’s time to invest in literacy and workforce training programs, as other cities have done when faced with similar challenges.
WLC’s new report, “Bridging the Literacy Divide: Addressing the Urgent Literacy Crisis and Promoting Workforce Readiness in Wards 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8,” highlights that there are over 119,000 D.C. adults with low literacy skills that serve as a barrier to completing their education, securing and keeping a decent job, and staying out of poverty.
As the District faces an expected revenue decline of over $1 billion during the next three years because of federal government cutbacks, WLC supporters say investing in D.C.’s existing human resources is a way out of the crisis.
WLC CEO Jimmie Williams says, “The solution to our economic pain is to upskill the people we have right here, right now — adults who are eager to improve their reading skills, especially in Southeast D.C. Maybe this was a ‘nice thing to do’ before, but now it’s absolutely critical. We urge the D.C. Council, philanthropists, business leaders, and community advocates to increase funding for literacy and workforce training programs.”
WLC says its programs equip learners with the tools to secure stable employment, achieve financial independence, and contribute to D.C.’s long-term economic vitality. The WLC report examines how Wards 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 have the potential to become hubs of literacy and workforce innovation.
Williams points to other cities that have successfully invested in workforce literacy initiatives and employment readiness, such Boston’s Adult Literacy Initiative which includes job skills training; Detroit’s Beyond Basics, which receives funds from public, private, business, and philanthropic organizations; and Philadelphia’s Beyond Literacy (BeLit), which receives significant corporate and community support.
WLC’s report presents its actionable strategies to transform literacy from a barrier into an opportunity through the following initiatives:
- JumpStart 2 Success focuses on foundational literacy and numeracy while incorporating practical career-building skills, such as resume crafting, interview preparation, and financial literacy.
- Learning Skills for Life equips learners with essential technical and interpersonal skills to thrive in service industries and other high-demand fields.
The report recommends the following:
- Expand Programs that Integrate Foundational Literacy, Numeracy, and Job-Readiness Skills
- Ensure Wraparound Services Such as Childcare, Career Counseling, and Transportation Support
- Prioritize Reading, Writing, Numeracy, and Workforce Development to Align with D.C.’s Employment Demands
- Innovate Private Workforce Training Programs with WLC in Partnership with Leading Employers
- Implement Cross-Ward Partnerships
- Support Programmatic Innovation