Robert Cook says going back into the classroom as an adult gave him a second chance. He had struggled with reading and writing through his school years. “The teachers did their best, but they couldn’t really help me.”
He’d settled into a job collecting shopping carts at a grocery store when he decided to give learning another shot.
He saw a notice in a newspaper about classes run by the Western Halifax Community Learning Network.
“They’ve really helped me. I got new skills, I met new people, I got to open up more, and I got more confident. There are still things I want to learn. I’m still moving forward.”
In our photograph, Robert is sitting with his instructor, Rose-Anne Smeltzer. Rose-Anne says she enjoys seeing learners like Robert grow in confidence: “A learner’s reaction when they realize they are good at something they always thought they couldn’t do, is priceless.”
Now Robert is an enthusiast advocate of the community learning network’s program. “I would encourage anyone who is struggling with reading, writing or other skills to sign up for a course.”