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Blue Ridge Literacy was founded in 1985 by two librarians who wanted to address a need in their community. 

 

OUR MISSION

The mission of Blue Ridge Literacy is to support the achievement of life goals by providing opportunities to strengthen literacy skills for adults in western Virginia. One of our main philosophies is to keep a learner's goals and interests in mind when working with them.

 

OUR VISION

Blue Ridge Literacy envisions a future where all adults in the Roanoke Valley have access to the literacy and language skills they need to achieve their goals, navigate daily life, access opportunities, and lead fulfilling lives.

 

For more than 40 years, BRL has evolved to meet the changing needs of adult learners and our community.  We envision a community where adult learners have the skills and information they need to navigate systems, connect with resources and opportunities, and participate fully in their communities.

 

We encourage our volunteers, teachers, and tutors to get to know their learner or classroom so that they are better able to teach. Similarly, we tell all of our learners to ask their teachers questions and to tell their instructor what they are interested in. Operating tutoring sessions and classes in this way ensures a reciprocal relationship that may differ from a traditional student/teacher dynamic. BRL has found that developing relationships in an educational setting aids the learning process when working with adult learners.

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All 1:1 tutor training and classroom training are available to adults in the Virginia counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Franklin, Alleghany, and Craig, and the cities of Roanoke and Salem.