A homeless man who teaches other rough sleepers how to read said society should be ashamed at the number of people with literacy problems.
Really? And why is that? Are there not enough opportunities to learn? Are schools not
free?
Matt Holgate, 41, has taught nine people under a new scheme run by Westminster council which pairs up illiterate people in hostels with a reading coach - either a fellow resident, a hostel worker or a volunteer.
The council, which wants to roll out the project across London, said 40 per cent of rough sleepers have literacy problems, making it harder for them to access benefits, housing, employment and training services.
Which came
first, though, the homeless chicken or the illiterate egg? Which contributes to which?
Mr Holgate, who stays at the Salvation Army's Edward Alsop Court hostel in Westminster, said: "We are one of the top five developed countries in the world and it's pretty damn sad we are in this situation."
Yes, indeed it is. But the solution is entirely in
their hands. There’s nothing for me or anyone else to feel ‘shame’ over, is there?
The council today urged more homeless people to take advantage of the reading scheme and called for more volunteers to join up, as Mayor Boris Johnson encouraged other London local authorities to adopt the programme.
Adopting the programme is all very well. But if homeless people aren’t taking advantage of it, that’s to
their shame, isn’t it?
Julia, we ARE guilty.
ReplyDeleteAs a society that blandly tolerates it when 'teachers' paid out of taxation have produced a population of which over one fifth is functionally illiterate without using hot sticky hydrocarbons and the former contents of eiderdowns, how can we hold ourselves innocent of this man’s pain?
"Which came first, though, the homeless chicken or the illiterate egg? Which contributes to which?"
ReplyDeleteThis a first I would never credit you with ever stating something that appears daft. That sort of thing is the preserve of the likes of me. I can see that being illiterate can contribute to homelessness but I cannot see homelessness can cause illiteracy.
"40 per cent of rough sleepers have literacy problems"
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to 50 per cent of students at college and 100 per cent of people who come here and can't be arsed to learn English.
"Mayor Boris Johnson encouraged other London local authorities to adopt the programme" ...
ReplyDeleteWell, so long as Barmy Boris is funding his idea from his own pocket, fair do's ..
Otherwise, he can poke it up the tunnel where the dossers don't kip .. ;)
"As a society that blandly tolerates it when 'teachers' paid out of taxation have produced a population of which over one fifth is functionally illiterate without using hot sticky hydrocarbons and the former contents of eiderdowns, how can we hold ourselves innocent of this man’s pain?"
ReplyDeleteI suspect we might only be 'guilty' of that in the younger homeless.
Frankly, a lot I see are my age or older, so no excuse there!
"This a first I would never credit you with ever stating something that appears daft. "
I think my phrasing was too clumsy there - I wasn't suggesting that homelessness causes illiteracy!
More wondering if they were homeless because they are illiterate and so unemployable.
"Well, so long as Barmy Boris is funding his idea from his own pocket, fair do's .."
I've no problem with a REAL charity doing it, so long as it's purely donation-funded.