Auto Skills literacy software instructor, Rushell Graham (left), assists a Maxfield Park Primary School student and Rose Town Benevolent Society member, at the Rose Town Community Centre, at the launch yesterday of the 'Learning for Life' programme, in that community. The society is one of several community-based organisations in Kingston, and Flankers, St. James, particpating in the programme. - Norman Grindley/ Deputy Chief Photographer

Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

Increases in students' reading ability by one grade for every eleven hours of study. That's the outcome being claimed by a community-based computer literacy programme targeting crime-prone young men in some marginalised urban communities.

The 'Learning for Life' programme uses the Canadian 'Auto Skills' software to improve literacy and vocabulary skills, while simultaneously teaching computer skills. This is intended to improve the mental outlook of young inner city men, although other community members have been allowed to join.

The programme is being run by the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), consisting of non-governmental organisations and state agencies coordinated by the Ministry of Health.

High-speed Internet access

There are currently 125 persons enrolled in the programme, which operates from a server provided by Cable & Wireless Jamaica Foundation, with one-year high-speed Internet access - both cost-free.

Launched officially, yesterday, at the Rose Town Community Centre, downtown Kingston, Auto Skills has been operating in that community since January, as well as in Flankers, St. James, and at other community organisations in Kingston. All were selected because they are violence-prone communities.

Deon Richards, a 22-year-old resident of Rema was one of several students invited to give testimonials at the event, having jumped from from grade one to grade nine.

Without Auto Skills "I would never leave grade one," affirmed Mr. Richards, who hopes his new reading skills will advance his chosen career as a musician. "It gives me the pleasure to read anything I want, to read anything without a stop."

According to VPA technical officer, Julia Manderson, the strength of the software is that it begins with the alphabet and covers areas such as phonetics, comprehension and grammar. Furthermore, Ms. Manderson added, the programme monitors a student's progress with an alert sent if he or she remains stuck on an exercise for five minutes.

"I, as a teacher, can see everything that they are doing, their reports and their areas of strengths and weaknesses ... also there isn't the stigma attached to purely learning to read since they are coming to use the computers and at the same time learn to read. We find that even some of the most difficult young men don't want to leave at the end of a class," she explained.

Vince Walter, of Auto Link Canada, has confirmed, in the meantime, that his company would be willing to enter into a bulk purchase agreement with the Ministry of Education, if asked to do so.

The VPA head disclosed that other community centres are also on a waiting list to join the programme, while Kingston High School has already joined.

ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com