Winnebago Area Literacy Council asks Oshkosh DEI committee for more language access, transport and community support

Yolanda, the new executive director of the Winnebago Area Literacy Council, told the Oshkosh City Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee on Aug. 25 that the council provides weekly English classes and one-on-one tutoring for newcomer populations and is seeking more city support for language access, transit and community awareness.

"We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization actively serving in Oshkosh since 1989," Yolanda said, summarizing the organization's mission and services. She said English-as-a-second-language instruction remains the council's primary offering and that the organization has recently expanded into workplace and family-focused programming.

The council reported three primary class sites: a lending center downtown in the US Bank building, on-site classes for Amcor Oshkosh North employees, and a women-and-children program at Saint Andrew's Church. Yolanda said the Amcor worksite classes — where the employer pays employees to attend class — served roughly 150 learners per week after launching last year and that the program won a workforce-literacy award from Wisconsin Literacy.

Yolanda described other programs including summer arts integration for refugee youth in partnership with UW-Oshkosh Arts Corps and a one-on-one "book to work" job-readiness program that helps newcomers with resumes and mock interviews. She also described a monthly public "immigration learning circle" series that brings scholars and community members together to explain migration-related topics to the broader public.

Committee members and staff raised logistics and outreach issues. Yolanda said the council now works with at least seven "working languages" for translation needs and is developing a financial-literacy curriculum with Community First Credit Union. She identified transportation, childcare and public awareness as recurring barriers to regular attendance: many learners rely on the city bus, have limited child-care options, or work multiple low-wage jobs that keep them from attending classes consistently.

"Our mission is to strengthen communities by eliminating literacy barriers through learner-centered programs, advocacy, and career development support," Yolanda said, adding that many learners are employed but still face structural barriers to upward mobility because of language and credential-recognition issues.

Carl Guillo, the city council liaison to the DEI committee, called the learning-circle events "highly recommended" and described them as opportunities to connect longtime residents with newcomers and reduce misconceptions. A committee member offered to repost the council's materials on the DEI social channels and asked that Yolanda send materials to staff for distribution.

Yolanda shared high-level budget and impact figures: an operating budget of about $503,000 for the year, seven paid teachers plus volunteer tutors, over 100 new learners enrolled in the last year and roughly 50–60 people placed into jobs through a program funded by the Oshkosh Area United Way. She also said enrollment dipped after the federal pause on refugee resettlement.

Yolanda recommended several steps the city and committee could consider, including expanded language access for essential services, review of transit routes and hours to better serve newcomer neighborhoods, and small in-kind supports (diapers, childcare assistance, classroom supplies). She asked the committee to help raise public awareness that Oshkosh is a refugee resettlement location and to consider infrastructure or policy changes that could reduce barriers for learners.

The presentation concluded with an invitation to upcoming events — including an immigration learning circle and a community "Know Your Rights" workshop — and with instructions for residents who want to volunteer or support the organization to sign up via its newsletter (www.winlet.org). Committee members thanked the presenter and encouraged follow-up via staff (send materials to Crystal Miller, as noted during the meeting).

At the start of the meeting the committee approved minutes from its July 28 meeting by roll call. The minutes-approval motion passed with a majority of votes recorded as "aye," one "no" vote and at least one member recorded as "present" without a specific yes/no vote on the transcript. No other formal actions were taken related to the literacy council presentation.