8.0 Recommendations: Directions for Action
Based on the foregoing, it becomes possible to enumerate several areas in
which C.A.E.F.S. and/or individual Elizabeth Fry Societies can take action. The
research project did not reveal a consensus of opinion or experience, but the
interviews with staff and clients provided a mosaic of insights which bring to
light some of the issues of a formerly invisible group. Women in conflict with
the law have literacy needs which are unique among the population of
illiterates in Canada. These needs can be adequately met only through
collaboration between service providers for women in conflict with the law, and
service providers for people with literacy needs. Such a collaboration can only
be beneficial for this hard-to-reach population.
Recommendation 1:
That the literacy needs of clients be informally assessed during the intake
process into Elizabeth Fry Societies, and that appropriate referrals be made
once immediate client needs have been addressed. In addition, local societies
should draft protocols for adequate follow-up for clients who elect to
participate in literacy programs, including assessments of the suitability of
the program to the individual learner.
The researcher wishes to emphasize that this recommendation is based on an
awareness of two conditions. First is the stressful, over-capacity workload of
many Elizabeth Fry Societies, and second is the element of client initiative.
It is recognized that frequently, a worker/client contact depends on the client
making the first move. Despite these impediments, however, the intent of this
recommendation remains that of bringing to the forefront the literacy needs of
women in conflict with the law.
Recommendation 2:
That local Elizabeth Fry Societies, as well as C.A.E.F.S., examine written
materials used for client information and orientation, checking for levels of
readability, and revise these materials to a more appropriate level of
readability where necessary.
Most materials are written at a readability level between Grades 10 and 12.
Having materials written at a Grade 5 - 6 readability level would provide
clients with broader access to agency and program information.
While this recommendation does not address the remedial aspects of women's
literacy needs, it does respond to short-term needs for more accessible
materials. Such readability analyses might be done in conjunction with local
community colleges' Adult Basic Education programs.
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