For over 30 years Read Write Now has played a vital role in the West Australian community by providing literacy support to adults wishing to improve their reading and writing skills.  

Hundreds of people have been involved,  paid staff and  volunteers - committed, dedicated and patient people, interested in helping others to get more out their lives. 

Approximately 7 million or 46% of the Australian adult population lack the literacy skills to cope with the demands of modern life and work and understand, for example, a newspaper article or read a bus timetable (ABS 2007). 

Read Write Now is a community based volunteer organisation which provides a free adult literacy service.  Students come from all walks of life and want to overcome the literacy obstacles that have been a barrier to them in the past.

There should be no shame attached to problems with literacy - it is a skill to be learned or improved upon.  A Read Write Now tutor can help. 

Local area Coordinators conduct very informal interviews with students to determine a starting point for lessons, to discuss short term and long term goals and to find the best possible tutor to assist.  Tutors are also interviewed.  All Read Write Now tutors complete a nationally accredited training program which gives them skills and strategies for working with adult students.  All Read Write Now tutors have a Police Check carried out on them.

Once a student is matched with a tutor, the two agree upon a time and place for weekly lessons, and the individually designed learning program begins. 

Lessons are for approximately one to one and a half hours a week.  A student and tutor meet in an informal and neutral meeting place.  This could be the local library, TAFE campus, community or learning centre.