Adult Learning Lab Helps Low-Income Adults


Advance Their Education and Job Prospects

Crystal Anderson, 29, was only two months away from finishing high school when she dropped out. She was an honors student and had scholarship to attend the University of Michigan and study engineering. A bad decision compromised her promising future.

“I was a smart dummy,” Crystal says. “I got a boyfriend and he persuaded me to leave school. I really regret it now. My life could have been much different.”

Crystal is one of the enrollees in the new Adult Learning Lab in southwest Detroit that recently opened. The lab is run by Southwest Solutions and is located across from Clark Park.

The lab has 20 computer workstations. It is a free program that serves individuals over 19 years old who are low-income and unemployed or underemployed. Eligible adults do not need to reside in Detroit to enroll in the lab. The goal of the lab is help its participants improve their employment qualifications and prospects so they can earn a sustainable wage that supports themselves and their families. The lab expects to serve about 250 a year.

“The new lab is part of a comprehensive approach to help families and the community become more economically stable and prosperous,” says Linda West, who directs the Center for Working Families at Southwest Solutions, of which the lab is a part. “Learners at the lab will be referred to other programs and services to address their other needs and improve their chances of success.”

Like many in the lab, Crystal will be working on her GED. “I want to go to college and study science,” Crystal says.

In addition to GED preparation, the lab offers:

• English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction
• Adult Basic Education (ABE) for students testing below 9th grade in reading and/or math
• Educational support for those entering college who need remedial help
• One-on-one tutoring for math, reading and writing
• Academic and career counseling
• Workplace skills preparation
• Referrals to Wraparound services
• Financial literacy monthly workshops
• Instruction and resources for Detroit GreenWorks Solutions trainees

The lab is open 40 hours a week, including several nights. The lab has an open access policy, enabling students to complete online lessons on their own time.

The lab is funded through a three-year grant of $100,000 a year from the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG). Funding is also provided through grants from Charter One Foundation and First Independence Bank.

Many partners are working with Southwest Solutions to provide services and support for the lab. These include Henry Ford Community College, The Greening of Detroit, WARM Training Center, DELEG, City of Detroit, Detroit Workforce Development Department, Detroit Public Schools, Detroit Public Library, and other community organizations and academic institutions.

To learn more about the Adult Learning Lab, please contact Tim McGorey, who manages the lab, at tmcgorey@swsol.org or 313-451-8056.