the stigma of illiteracy. By Robin Zuill The Employee Assistance Programme is launching a campaign this month to help fight illiteracy in Bermuda.

While there are no statistics on the rate of illiteracy here, EAP representative Adela Ruberry says the counselling service is seeing more and more clients who are having difficulty reading and writing. In the US, UK and Canada, the estimated rate of illiteracy is less than five percent of the population, according to statistics provided by the Social Indicators of Development 1991-92, put out by the World Bank.

The EAP, with access to some 28,000 people in Bermuda through its more than 100 member companies, their employees, and the employees' families, interviews clients, assesses their needs free of charge and refers them to the appropriate service for help.

"This applies to anyone who is having any difficulty in reading and writing to any degree,'' says Ruberry who is one of four counsellors at the EAP.

"It could be that someone is having difficulty reading and writing altogether, maybe they aren't able to read street signs. Or it might be that someone has just been promoted and needs help with report writing or with presentations. It touches all levels.

"The stigma of illiteracy carries such an emotional weight. People just don't talk about it. The important thing to understand is that illiteracy does not equal stupidity. It can create a lot of stress on the job and at home. And there can be a lot of lost enjoyment and opportunity.

People feel that if they admit they have a problem it may cost them their job.

Some people may refuse a promotion fearing that they would have added responsibility and will not be able to cope. Some people may even take more drastic measures like changing jobs altogether.

"I don't think anybody will have any argument about the pay-offs of getting help,'' she says. "We want to meet people's needs whatever those needs are.

We work with supervisors in member companies to help them identify problems or to suggest verbally to an employee that if they're having difficulty they can utilise this service.'' Janet Kemp at The Reading Clinic, which provides educational and psychological services, says people who have difficulty reading and writing often feel they are "grossly misunderstood'' as a child.

"They often have very vivid memories of being punished, of being ignored by their parents, or they remember that their parents perhaps tried to get them help but maybe it wasn't the right kind of help at home or at school.

Often they experienced frustration, and as that increased, they also felt the need to escape - to hide or drop out. "The range of age in the adults we're seeing is between 18 and 50 and the Clinic has had more referrals in the past few years. It takes a fair amount ofcourage for people to come in and get help. Most people don't want anyone else to know so they look for ways to avoid being put in a situation where they will have to read or write.'' She adds that people who have difficulty reading or writing often have some family member who is willing to help them to cover it up.

"A lot of times it is frightening for someone to get help but when they do, they are relieved because they have finally found an explanation. I think there is a real need to improve the outreach for adults and provide help.

History points to a critical need to provide better identification.'' Starting this month, and running through 1994, the EAP is focussing on illiteracy. It has already sent out letters to member companies outlining its service and that they are available to help with intervention and access to resources. It will also be sending out its monthly EAP Clips which in September will focus on illiteracy. "It will have useful information for employees with regard to seeking the help they need. It will also help supervisors recognise signs and symptoms that will help them to initiate the referral process,'' EAP executive director Deborah Carr said in the letter.

"With the assurance of confidentiality that is in place with the EAP service, we are hoping to promote intervention and access to resources.'' Ruberry says about 80 percent of the people who contact the EAP for help are self-referrals. The remaining 20 percent are referred through their employer or a family member. "If a supervisor sees someone struggling, for instance, they can suggest that that person come in to see us,'' says Ruberry. "The person may or may not acknowledge it, but at least they know they have an option.

"The important factor that we stress is confidentiality. We already have everything in place at the EAP to guarantee confidentiality. The first step is the interview and that is the most critical. That helps us determine patterns of speech and find out if the problem was simply that there was no opportunity to learn, or if it was something else, a language barrier or a learning disability. Another factor now being acknowledged is different learning styles.'' Ruberry adds that often people who have difficulty reading and writing have other skills that they might not have acknowledged. "Often they don't understand that they have some ingenious coping skills that have gotten them to where they are now.'' Once the interview and assessment is completed, and trust is established, the options for referral are The Reading Clinic, the Bermuda College, the Adult Education Programme, and the Community Education and Development Programme.

"Another critical factor at the EAP is follow-up,'' Ruberry says. "It's very important to maintain contact with the individual. It is not easy for someone to come in and face the problem of illiteracy. It can involve a lot of work and that's where our follow-up is critical. We are there to support and encourage.'' SEPTEMBER 1993 RG MAGAZINE