Literacy Program The YWCA Westmoreland County Literacy Program is dedicated to giving adults and their families the opportunity to acquire the literacy skills needed in order to be effective in their roles as members of their families, communities and workplaces.  The YWCA Literacy Program offers free, confidential tutoring in Basic Literacy or English as a Second Language (ESL) taught by volunteer tutors.  Volunteer tutors are trained and work one-on-one with non-reading adults. Click HERE to send an email to the Literacy Director. Basic Literacy - teaches basic literacy  skills to non-reading, english speaking adults.  Students are paired up and work one-on-one with a trained, volunteer literacy tutor.  The tutor and student work out a schedule as to when, where and how often they would like to meet.  English as a Second Language (ESL) - is the teaching of English to foreign speaking adults for use in a setting where English is the primary language.  ESL classes are free and open to women and men from all countries.  Beginning ESL Classes meet on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 - 11:30 AM here at the YWCA Building. Intermediate Classes are offered on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:30 - 11:30 am from September, 2009 to May, 2010. Advanced Classes are held at the Westmoreland County Community College on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 12 noon, September through May.  Call 724-834-9390 to register for classes. Summer, 2009  ESL Schedule How Can I Help Support the Literacy Program? Volunteer Literacy Tutor:  Free tutor training sessions are offered at different times throughout the year for people interested in becoming literacy tutors.  Tutor training requires approximately 9 hours of training.    After the training is complete, the tutor is paired up with a student to work one-on-one.  The next tutor training will be held on May 5, 6, & 7, 2009  from 6:00 - 9:00 PM each evening at the YWCA.  Please call Maggie to register.   Donate Books:  The YWCA collects gently used books year round and sells them at the annual used book sale.  Book donations may be dropped off in the book shed at the YWCA office anytime.  Tax donation slips are available at the YWCA office.  Acceptable book donations include paperback and hardback books, children's books, cookbooks, audio books and puzzles.  We DO NOT accept encyclopedias, magazines and/or textbooks. Work at the Annual Used Book Sale:  Every September the Literacy Program has the Annual Used Book at Westmoreland Mall.  Volunteers are needed to work at the sale checking people out, restocking books and straightening books.  The sale takes place Thursday through Sunday during regular mall hours.  Volunteer shifts are scheduled for three hours at a time. Book Sorter:  Volunteers are needed to sort through the book donations that are collected throughout the year.  Book sorters meet every Wednesday from 1:00 - 3:00 PM behind the little strip mall by Agway (call for specific directions).