Queenstown's new adult literacy service has been formally launched.
Southern Adult Literacy Inc, formerly known as The Southland Adult Learning Programme, has opened a new office on Glenda Dr and is offering free tuition to adults who have difficulty with reading, writing and mathematics.
Programme manager Nellie M Garthwaite said the programme had been providing literacy assistance to adults for 31 years in the Southland region.
In the beginning, 24 tutors taught 65 students.
"In 2009 we had 45 tutors and over 200 students through the programme, accessing the wide variety of tuition options available in either one-to-one or small group situations," she said.
The service was expanding with the new office.
Five tutors would cover the Queenstown Lakes district and two Alexandra and Cromwell.
The tutors were trained to provide free lessons for adults, including apprentices having trouble with the theory side of their study.
They would also be giving government-funded Train to Gain Workplace literacy tuition.
Ms Garthwaite said the programme had advantages to both employers and employees.
She said one in five New Zealand adults could not read and write to a reasonable standard.
The number of adults coming forward for help was expected to increase with the Government's policy to upskill the workforce and enhance productivity by funding programmes in adult literacy and numeracy.
These programmes also included maths, speaking, listening and critical thinking as well as reading, writing, and spelling.
Tutors could provide workplace training, along with classes in computing, texting, drivers licences and general literacy.
She said the Southland service was the first Literacy Aotearoa programme to become regionalised.
Invercargill, Eastern, Western and Northern Southland, Te Anau, Queenstown and parts of Central Otago were now all part of Southern Adult Literacy Inc.
It is co-ordinated from Invercargill and has offices in Gore and Queenstown.
To contact Southern Adult Literacy Inc call 0800 778-826.
