Connecting Research on Women's Literacy and Social Justice

How does research affect policy? How do we make research applicable to our practice?
How can we all be involved in conducting it? It should not be something just done by researchers and removed from every day life.

People introduced themselves.

Presenter #1: Reading Course for Farmer's Wives

Cornell University Farmer's Wives Reading Course. Introduced home ec into rural communities in upstate New York (e.g, sanitary practices, etc.). In addition to education research, it served to bring women together. In this area people were very isolated. There was limited electricity, technology, and materials of interest (such as magazines) to women. Women were asked to prioritize what they wanted to learn about saving time and doing housework more productively. They got a publication called "Saving Steps." In the process of sharing this information (collected via postcards), women had a chance to connect. Over time, these developed into study clubs that had the bulletins as the central text and larger events.

Key quote: Gathering in community is crucial to one's lives, especially those who are isolated in rural areas.

Presenter #2: Youth Aging out of Foster Care

There is a need for comprehensive services for youth that are aging out. Link between aging out unprepared and negative outcomes. Homelessness, literacy, incarceration, etc. Foster children are less likely to finish high school. Comprehensive services will help with transition. This can be done using existing resources - we have to change the paradigm in how we use it. One program is very successful and they are notable for having 40% of their staff being former foster students. In general, it is more expensive to care for homeless people, due to things like medical care for things that should be routine.

Kids need unconditional commitments from adults that foster parents won't give up on them. They are treated different, but they are just like us. We have to think of them as people.

Key Quote: The new face of homelessness is youth aging out of foster care.

Presenter #3: Literacy Among Ecuadorian Women Weavers

Women's cooperatives in this area of Ecuador has offered transformative potential, in addition to organizing for fair prices. They encourage literacy. This research project focuses on interviewing women in these cooperatives about their understanding of literacy and their work. (Ann Berthof (sp?) - the meaning beyond money).

One cooperative: Sweater weavers. Had workshops for workers, techniques, but self-esteem, domestic violence, etc. were the most noted. Second: Straw weavers.
Third: Embroiderers. All struggling with changes in the world marketplace.

Results of the study: Limited access to materials (book, internet, etc.) but have cell phones. Limited need for reading. But literacy had become important. Needed it for redesign. Surprised or hesitant about using social services.

Key Quote: How might these women connect the strengths they demonstrate daily, and in their cooperatives, with larger social justice issues?

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Question: How does research or interventions add to the complexity of the problem? Like women's shelters not addressing women's safety. How do we make sure we don't make things worse?

* Who has the whole picture? People might not know to call it patriarchy, or what the issue is.
- Response: Nobody has the whole picture

* Biggest problem (in Canada) is for people to understand that they must be inclusive. Learners must be there, since they have experiences and expertise that professionals don't have. It is a matter of respect. Big problem - non-inclusivity.

* Students feel isolated within own communities and families because they are getting an education. There is a tension between wanting to maintaining a connection to their families and wanting to do something different. Do we pay enough attention to how difficult taking this step is. (Note: Like the movie Educating Rita).

* Discourses about how we talk about groups of people.

* As a learner, waiting for someone to invite me is a lack of power. Instead of waiting for them to change, I want to give other literacy students the skills I have developed.
Advocate for themselves.

* Topic: How do people learn to work with social services, get over the hurdles or their hesitancy, and work with the resources that are already there? Or not - because not all people do get over it (e.g., refugees).

* What are the issues we should be doing research about to change policy?
- Example: Both parties need more awareness. Sometime staff at homeless shelters need more awareness, not just family being more aware of regulations. Staff who have not been in that situation don't understand. Or Foster Parents need training about resources, so it is not just about the kids not doing the right thing.

Question: What does research mean to you?
- It is common sense. This is way we should use to redirect things.

* We'd like to look at creating best practices about agencies informing people about how to utilize the resources. What would be the best practices to makes sure the employees are equally informed? Increase access to funding.
- How to help other countries as well.
- We need to educate the first line responders. And that has to be done via the people who have lived it and it know it.

MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW