A Westmeath study of literacy skills has revealed a low level of reading, writing and basic written comprehension skills among the county's longterm unemployed, with 20 per cent unable to read or write at all.
The National Adult Literacy Association (NALA) says that while the findings are broadly in line with figures for literacy among the long-term unemployed throughout the State, they do confirm that the lower levels of literacy are among the long-term unemployed.
The NALA says the survey highlights the need for a new approach to return to work and retraining schemes to cover literacy.
The study, the first of its kind to be carried out on a countywide basis, was commissioned by Westmeath Territorial Employment Pact and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. It was carried out among 150 people, representing 10 per cent of the long-term unemployed. Half of those interviewed lived in the main urban centres of Athlone and Mullingar.
The surprising results revealed that one in five of those interviewed stated that they could not read or write at all; half of the respondents reported reading difficulties, half also reported writing difficulties and two-thirds admitted they had difficulties with spelling on a daily basis.
Despite the low level of literacy, the majority of the longterm unemployed were not availing of any education, training or unemployment support services.
In response, Westmeath FAS, the local Vocational Education Committee, the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs, the adult literacy organisers and other "stakeholders" in the problem have co-operated on a number of initiatives.
Locally based education services are being developed, and the Return to Education programme in Westmeath and the Adult Literacy Service are addressing the problem in an integrated fashion.
A newly established Adult Education and Employment centre in Mullingar will also help to tackle the problem. All agencies involved will work towards eliminating the difficulties faced by the unemployed, due to literacy problems.
One in 10 children still leave primary school with significant literacy problems, a situation which has not improved in almost 20 years, according to a major Government survey released last January.
In 1997, a major study undertaken in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries revealed that the Republic was the least desirable State in which to live as a long-term unemployed person with literacy difficulties, because of a shortage of work which does not require basic literacy.
The OECD survey also found that 25 per cent of all respondents in the Republic scored at the lowest level; a further 30 per cent scored at what is called Level II, while the minimum desirable level was level III. According to a spokeswoman for NALA, the survey showed that 55 per cent of adults here are falling below desired literacy levels.
"What the Westmeath survey confirms is that the lowest levels of literacy are among the unemployed and that requires a national response to alter the return to work and retraining programmes to take literacy factors into account," she said.
Contact number
Readers who wish to contact this column can do so by dialling 01-6707711, extension 6296