At the annual Virginia Association for Adult and Continuing Education (VAACE) conference, United Community’s Cristina Schoendorf joined fellow community-based literacy leaders to share how collaboration strengthens their work and benefits the adults they serve.

Cristina has presented at VAACE before. This time, she participated on a panel representing a network of more than 20 community-based literacy organizations across Virginia. The group began meeting during COVID and continues to share resources, training opportunities, and approaches to funding, teacher recruitment, and data collection.

United Community’s Progreso Center for Literacy and Citizenship is classified by the state as a community-based literacy organization, or CBLO. These organizations operate differently from public school adult education programs, community colleges, and trade schools. Each brings its own strengths, resources, and perspective. Working together helps providers learn from one another and make better use of what they have.

Partnerships and funding have also expanded staff training opportunities at no cost to United Community.

Progreso team member Melanie is participating in a 12-week career coaching certification course. Nearly the entire team has completed language assessment training and is now certified to assess students before and after instruction, helping staff understand their starting points and measure progress.

One part of United Community’s approach draws particular interest from other organizations: how Progreso connects with our other programs.

Our English language and citizenship services are part of a broader organization that offers food assistance, family support, early education, and workforce development. These connections matter because students’ lives outside the classroom affect their ability to learn.

An adult working toward an education or employment goal may also be worried about groceries, childcare, or family finances. Connecting learning with broader support helps us respond to the whole person and the challenges they face.

VAACE brings together educators, community organizations, workforce partners, and other adult education professionals. Participating gives United Community a chance to share this approach and bring new ideas back to Progreso.

For our adult students, the value of these partnerships is practical: more learning materials, better-trained staff, and stronger connections to support. By sharing what works and learning from others, United Community is helping advance adult education that connects classroom progress with greater stability and opportunity.