Individuals in need of a GED are invited to learn more about the Even Start Family Literacy Center at Project Self-Sufficiency. The program offers meal stipends, free transportation and childcare to eligible participants. Assisting adults with obtaining a general equivalency diploma or with passing the college placement exam are the goals of the program, but literacy is promoted within the entire family as a result. The Even Start Family Literacy Program is housed in the former Pettit House on Project Self-Sufficiency’s campus in Newton. The home has been converted into areas for study, reading and counseling. There is even a separate Children’s Library on the premises, so that children can read to themselves while their parents work in an adjacent room.
A certified instructor who is affiliated with the Sussex County Community College Learning Center guides participants through the process of obtaining their GED or with passing the college placement exam. At home, participants are required to read to their children, and to keep a log of their reading time. A Book Club was initiated recently which requires parents to read a book at home and gather together as a group to discuss it as they progress through the story.
“Parent and Child Together Time” is a component that encourages parents to play games with their children and participate in field trips with other Project Self-Sufficiency families. Once a month, all of the participating families troop over to the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center to participate in the Celebrity Reader program, an event which features an invited guest reading a book aloud to the entire group. Past Celebrity Readers have included municipal officials, state and local lawmakers, members of the agency’s Board of Directors and other friends of Project Self-Sufficiency.
Project Self-Sufficiency counselors visit participating families at home twice a month, bringing along books that are developmentally appropriate for the age of the children in the household. If the children are old enough, parents and children create a craft project to accompany the story they read together. If infants are involved, the counselor plays games with the child and parent which encourage language development.
The Even Start Family Literacy Program at Project Self-Sufficiency is funded in part by the New Jersey Department of Education Office of Language Arts Literacy Education. For information about participating in the Even Start Family Literacy Program, or to find out more about the other programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency, call the agency at 973-940-3500.
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