I almost didn't come in

More than 30 million adults in the United States have such low literacy skills that pursuing higher education or obtaining a good job that adequately supports a family are out of reach. The need for ongoing adult literacy programs now, and in the future, is great. This book details research that examined the identities, beliefs, attitudes and experiences of four youth and young adults, ages 17-32, attending a community literacy program (CLP) located in southwest. The research examined how these youth and young adults identify themselves with regard to literacy, learning and life, their values, beliefs and attitudes about literacy in and outside the community program. Additionally, the study explored how these learners experienced the community literacy program and how literacy figured in their daily work and home activities. When developing programs to help adults increase their literacy skills it's vital to understand the relationship between the learner's experiences with literacy and the learning environment in the community literacy center. Creating a caring, safe environment is key to facilitating success.