Brian Cameron speaking at the Mission Australia tenth anniversay celebrations
Last June I wore my hat of literacy and numeracy teacher as well as that of journalist to attend the Mission Australia tenth anniversary celebrations.
Mawson’s Place was the venue for the celebrations of Mission Australia’s involvement with LLNP, the Language Literacy and Numeracy Program that aims to equip people with the skills in literacy to survive and function, be a productive member of, and enjoy the benefits of being in a community. Perhaps it was a fitting place for the celebrations because Mawson evokes images of exploration and the undiscovered.
Becoming literate can be just as daunting, for many it is an undiscovered place in which they must place tentative but brave steps just as an explorer like Mawson did. Sometimes too, setbacks will occur, and it is the brave and committed that persist in the face of adversity.
Mission Australia’s manager Brian Redman, State Director Noel Munday and parliamentarian Dick Adams were in attendance on the day, as well as dignitaries, the teaching staff of Mission Australia, other community organisation representatives and students of the program.
Several speakers opened our eyes to the extent of the problem of low levels of literacy in Australia. State director Noel Munday addressed the audience with the surprising information that something like 46 per cent of Australians have some trouble with basic literacy skills, whether it be because of missing out on formal education during school years for whatever reason or the difficulty faced by non-English speaking new arrivals to Australia.
Parliamentarian Dick Adams spoke from a very personal experience. Mr Adams was very compassionate in his address and also in his pre address, where he had to employ some of that compassion in calming this reporter when she accidentally broke the ice and the glass!
Parliamentarian Dick Adams addressing the audience at the Mission Australia celebrations
Mr Adams spoke of growing up in rural Cressy with at least one grandparent illiterate and the fact that reading was not a natural pastime of his parents. It was necessity, the fact Dick continued being elected for union activity and later to parliament, that required him to build a solid background in literacy. Dick was a very fitting ambassador of last year’s national year of reading and sat on the board of the national library. Nowadays with reading an important part of his work and leisure, he tells me the latter sees him enjoy crime stories, travel and intrigue, all of which help fuel him for the former,informed debate in Canberra!
Another young gentleman at the presentation was Brian Cameron, a product of the Mission Australia LLNP classes. Brian is now studying for his diploma in children’s services and aims to provide a good male role model for children. Brian spent a couple of years with the Mission program and spoke of the support the LLNP staff gave him and how the teachers made the lessons fun and interesting, thus engaging him and encouraging his continued participation.
Brian spoke of the importance of having dreams but also having the tools to achieve them. Hopefully in many ways the dream of becoming an active participant in our very literal society can be achieved through the great work of Mission Australia and other organisations that value the dreams of their students and want to help them achieve them.
If you are interested in improving your literacy ad numeracy in Mission Australia’s LLNP classes please get in touch with Mission Australia on 1300 676 937.
