UCLC previously supported the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kingston and Cornwall to offer this free summer camp that gave children a head start for fall. The program helped improve retention and build literacy skills while offering fun-filled activities to make the summer memorable.

Daily activities followed weekly themes and wereengaging, educational and fun. Physical activities ranged from sports, swimming, cooperative play and even structured movement like Zumba. Arts and Crafts allowed campers to get creative with a variety of craft projects and art instruction.
All children going into grades 2 – 6 in September 2013, were eligible for one 2-week session. Each session included an exciting and educational field trip. All programs operated from 9am to 4pm.

Early Years and School Readiness:
Evaluating a Scientifically-based Language Development Instructional Program

The evaluation assessed the impact of the PPIP on six outcome measures that predict future literacy competence, Name Assessment (NA), Upper Case Letter Identification (UCLI), Lower Case Letter Identification (LCLI), Lower Case Sound Identification (LCSI), Rhyming Words (RW) and Matching First Sounds (MFS). The results showed a significant pre-post interaction effect depending on whether a child was a member of the instruction or control group for five of the six outcome measures; namely, UCLI, LCLI, LCSI, RW and MFS. The instruction group scored higher than the control group on all five of the abovementioned measures. We should note that the control group also showed significant gains from the pre-test to post-test for NA, UCLI, and LCLI. Overall, the results suggest that the instructional program had a significant, positive impact in improving the pre-reading literacy skills of pre-Kindergarten children in a short period of time, compared to no instruction. This was especially true for LCSI, RW and MFS.

The findings of this evaluation lead us to conclude that the PPIP has the potential to improve school readiness by producing higher scores on school readiness measures in the knowledge areas of identifying letters of the alphabet and attaching sounds to letters and words for children aged 3+ years who are about to enter an elementary school program. Further, the program is easy to deliver and can be implemented by an instructor with little or no formal instructional training.

Given this, the program should be made available to all child care centres in Canada and to any other pre-school programs that serve children in the targeted age group.

Aknowledgements

The Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training gratefully acknowledges the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) for their support in funding this initiative.

View the Final Report

With funding from Human Resources Skills Development Canada the Computer for Kids & Community (CFK&C) project assists youth facing barriers entering/re-entering the workforce and focuses on coaching and support while on a work placement.

CFK&C staff solicits and accepts donations of used computer systems from business, industry, government and private individuals. These refurbished systems will be matched to families of low income in the area.

CFK&C participants will be challenged to reach out into the community to make the connections necessary to meet project targets and timelines. They will be required to draw upon their own prior learning to apply existing skills and knowledge within the project context. They will be trained to acquire new learning and gain work experience. Finally they will be asked to lend a helping hand to those in need of assistance to access the benefits of technology.

To request a computer, please complete and send the appropriate form below. We accept multiple requests from social agencies within Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, Russell, Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties.

Personal Request Form

Formulaire pour demande personnelle

Request Form for Non Profit Organizations

This project is to develop an eLink to allow for the immediate and efficient flow of information between school boards, MTCU Apprenticeship offices, industry and service providers.

Student and employer information are uploaded to the eLink to be used by cooperative education teachers, OYAP coordinators and MTCU Apprenticeship offices.

Workplace Education Agreements (WEAs) and pre-release authorizations for Job Connect will be electronically generated. Pre-release authorizations signed by students, parents and employers at the same time as WEAs will allow access to information by Job Connect providers prior to the end of the cooperative education placement.

Employer information will be available to coop teachers, industry and service providers. Passport to Prosperity Coordinators would be allowed bi-directional access to the employer listing. The level and type of information available to each of the stakeholders would be managed through a secure web-based link. Information will be encrypted for security.

This process will provide immediate access to information about students and employers involved in OYAP placements, streamline the OYAP application process, reduce the time required to register OYAP students as well as ensuring a smooth transition for students to the workplace. It would provide seamless transition during times of personnel changes in coop, OYAP or community agencies. The proposal includes training for cooperative education teachers, administrators and service providers to ensure the effective use of the eLink.

In April 2006, the Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training began work on the First Language/ESL Literacy 

This project’s goal is to examine the literacy issues and challenges faced by adult immigrant Canadians (newcomers or settled), living in Ontario, whose first language is not English or French, and who have limited literacy skills in their first language. This study will identify and analyze the literacy and language development needs of immigrants in the context of learning to become literate in the English language.

As of March 25, 2006, the First Language/ESL in Ontario project achieved its first milestone. With the help of the OLC and its advisory committee, the Research Team from the Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training defined the research questions and began charting the course for next 18 months.

The Research Questions for this study are summarized as follows:

1. Questions about the target audience

• What are the target audience’s demographics?
• What are the target audience’s first language literacy/ESL literacy needs, issues, and/or challenges?

2. Questions about services

• What are the current first language literacy/ESL literacy services available to immigrants?
• How accessible are services and how do immigrants access them?

3. Questions about program delivery and practitioners

• Who are the people that provide first language instruction/ESL Literacy in Ontario?
• What are best practices in program delivery here and abroad?
• What are the training needs of first language literacy/ESL literacy practitioners?

4. Questions about policy

• What are the relationships between policy and effective second language (L2) literacy learning?

In the months that followed the project team conducted a literature review in published research to find answers to these questions. Interviews were conducted with key people in the areas of delivery of instruction, researchers, scholars, assessors, and government policy makers at the federal and provincial government levels. Information was also sought from these people through an on-line discussion forum. An environmental scan will reach out to the broader ESL community and provide us with valuable knowledge to some of these questions as well.

In 2007, our findings will be presented to a group of individuals in the field of literacy from Ontario. The objective is to create awareness of the issues we will raise and nurture the development of a community, setting the stage for a response.

For further information visit http://www.on.literacy.ca/action/first-esl.htm

 Project Goals:

1. To implement the “Home Alone” program in Cornwall elementary schools.
2. To promote home and community safety with Cornwall children.
3. To provide children with the skills they need to be home alone safely for a brief period of time.
4. To increase children’s awareness of potentially dangerous situations.
5. To increase partnership between the Cornwall Community Police, St. John Ambulance & local schools.
6. To increase children’s awareness of their role in preventing crime.

Design: 

This project implemented the St. John Ambulance “Home Alone” program in the elementary schools of the Upper Canada District School Board in Cornwall, ON. Home Alone is a program new to the

The project was a partnership between the Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education Training (UCLCET), St. John Ambulance (SJA) and the Cornwall Community Police Service (CCP). Each agency had a specific role. UCLC was the lead agency handling administrative duties, scheduling, communication between partners, communication with the schools, financial documentation, grant reporting, project evaluation, and promotional events. SJA was the training body providing the teaching curriculum, materials, and instructor for the ‘Home Alone’ program. CCP was the supporting body providing instructional support and an authoritative presence to the program specifically in the areas of 911 use and abuse as well as internet safety.

The program was offered to students in grades four, five, and six as this is the age range that SJA targeted in developing and testing the curriculum. The program was offered at no cost to the participating schools or their students. This allowed us to present the program inclusive to all students in the participating classrooms without excluding students who do not have the additional funds needed to pay a registration fee for the program. It also allowed us to reach a broader range of students and therefore increase the potential impact of the program and the learning it includes.

Background:

The need for this project was determined by reviewing statistics, community profiles, surveying the community, and through discussions with community professionals in crime prevention and education.

Results indicated that:

• 19.5% of parents are single parents with average income is $22,399 below the median Cornwall average
• the number of stay at home moms is declining
• Cornwall residents have a higher than average percentage of low academic achievement
• there is a high level of blue collar jobs and a higher than average level of ‘working poor’ in the city
• there is a high level of people commuting out of the city to work
• community residents are concerned with ‘lack of parental supervision’ and the high level of youth crime
• false 911 calls are frequent and take valuable policing time away from the community
• the cohort for accidental death of young children is 2 to 3 times the national average
• egging houses and other ‘pranks’ by ‘tweens’ are frequent – community & Police want this to stop
• children who are home alone can give in to peer pressure and poor judgment and end up involved in ‘innocent pranks’

These results show a trend towards an increasing number of children who spend time home alone due to parents who are working shifts or out of town as well as indicating that many parents would not have the extra time or funds to take their child to a special class. The results also revealed a community concern for the lack of parental supervision and the increasing level of youth crime. Chief of Police, Dan Parkinson, expressed a high level of concern regarding the frequency of false 911 calls in the area and the impact this has on the provision of police services. He also expressed concern regarding egging of houses and other pranks. This situation has escalated to the point he has considered a by law against selling eggs to young children. The Cornwall Police consider the issue of home safety for young children to be one of high importance in preventing crime. This includes crime inflicted on a child who is home alone as well as crime involving a child home alone who succumbs to peer pressure and poor judgment and joins in ‘innocent’ pranks with other children. Increasing safety skills, awareness of the results of false 911 calls, the seriousness of ‘pranks’, and how to keep yourself and your neighbourhood safe when you are home alone are skills parents, the local police, and the community value and consider important for children to learn.

Resources included:

• Bilingual team with established record in project management, marketing, promotions, and research. Staff background in education, social services, counselling, health and safety.
• Involvement in community based projects as well as provincial and national level projects
• Designated Project Coordinator familiar with the community and community needs
• Established partnership and working relationship with the Upper Canada District School Board
• Strong partnership with St. John Ambulance and the Cornwall Community Police Service
• Agency Web page, IT support, and high level of computer proficiency for promotion of project and sharing of information
• Established working relationships with public and community service agencies throughout Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott-Russell and Akwesasne
• An incorporated Non Profit organization with Charitable Status – independent corporation entirely funded by project activities
• Established office with meeting facilities in the east end of the city

 Evaluation:

1. Verbal test / assessment of student learning (Objectives 2,3,4,6)
   1. Included as part of the SJA “Home Alone” program and Assesses learning of all content
   2. Assesses student’s perception of their personal Home Alone safety pre and post the “Home Alone” program
   3. Notes on testing results will be recorded by instructors
   4. Certificates of completion will be given to all students who successfully demonstrate mastery of content of the course through Verbal responses to questions and Role play of proper actions in mock situations
2. Tracking of schools in which Home Alone project is implemented (objective 1)
   1. Program implemented in minimum of four Cornwall elementary schools to a maximum of fifteen classrooms (grades 4,5,6)
3. Visible presence/addition of Cornwall Community Police in the SJA Home Alone curriculum as evidenced by their instruction of the sections on Proper use of the 911 system; Internet safety (cyber bullying) (Objectives 5, 2, 4)
4. Student assignments on content (Objectives 1,2,3,4,6)
   1. Classrooms will be asked to complete an assignment on the content of the Home Alone project
   2. Project Coordinator will create and implement a rubric to assess level of learning of curriculum based on student assignments and reflection from classroom teacher and/or Home Alone Instructors
   3. Project Coordinator will create and implement a brief ‘Project Survey’ to be completed by classroom teacher to determine success of project and considerations for future development of the curriculum
5. Project partners will complete a survey to assess their perception of impact of the project on children and the community.

The Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training employed a PLAR coordinator and a researcher for the PLAR Young at risk Adults Project.

This project involved planning, developing and researching the impact of PLAR tools and resources for young adults who are at risk of disengaging from education, training, and/or employment. Training, and on-going support was provided to young at risk adult service agencies in the delivery and evaluation of the new tools and resources.

What is Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition?

A process that gives individuals an opportunity to identify and get credit for learning acquired through education, life or work experiences. It involves the identification, documentation, assessment, and recognition of competencies (skills, knowledge and abilities) that have been acquired through formal or informal learning. Prior learning assessment may be applied toward academic credit for a diploma/certificate or admission to secondary or post-secondary schools.

Our PLAR Project helped develop and test Prior Learning Assessment packages and assessment tools designed for young at risk adults. These assessment tools are used by PLA practitioners to help the PLA candidate identify his/her transferable skills in comparison to previously established standards, job criteria, or learning outcomes.

PLAR Project for Young At-Risk Adults

Background

In December 2005, the Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training (UCLCET) received funding from the Learning and Literacy Directorate of Human Resources Skills Development Canada for the development of a three-part Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) package for Young Adults (YA). The main purpose of the project was to design, develop and pilot materials that support PLAR practices for young at risk adults addressing the distinct needs of identified national delivery venue sites. This project was national in scope and targeted YAs 18 to 29 years of age. Completion date was November 13, 2008.

Previous Research

This project was preceded by the paper “It really gets you thinking…” Prior Learning Assessment for young at-risk adults 18-29.” (Darville, Coombs, & Baker-McDonald, 2004) which sought to address two main research questions…

• Does PLA hold potential for young at-risk adults in their search for employment?
• What characteristics would PLA require to effectively engage young adults at risk?

The paper targeted young at-risk adults and found that Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) presents a potential pathway for self-development and increased employability. The study identified that young at-risk adults, by sheer fact of their age, face chronic difficulties in their early employable years: low pay, frequent short-term jobs, part-time and seasonal jobs, lack of credibility compared to more mature workers, and generation gap issues. Furthermore, current job market evolutions are no less problematic: globalization of markets and opening trade environments has yielded an increase in part-time employment. Young adults face typical difficulties inherent in establishing themselves in life. Those with notable vulnerabilities and a difficult job market endure a heightened degree of difficulty. Key to the role of PLA is its ability to provide interface between the life reality of the individual and the cultural reality of the institution or organization.

Based on its findings, the study’s authors recommended guidelines for successful formatting, language usage, and conceptual hooks such as the need for immediate short-term benefit and no lengthy tracking mechanisms. Key to the notion of engaging effective PLA for job-seeking young adults is a shift in the way we as a society traditionally view knowledge as demonstrated by credentials.

Project Phases

The findings from the 2004 study provided the knowledge base through which the PLAR youth project piloting evolved. Phase one included the completion of a gap analysis to cross-reference the previous study’s findings with current adult PLAR tools and YA resources, creating a reference and resource base for the design and development phase. This was then followed by the design, development and piloting of “pre PLAR” preparation materials, prior learning assessment tools and PLAR promotional materials that supported PLAR practices for the YAs, and tailored for the distinct characteristics of identified national delivery venues.

Eight potential venue types have been identified and included:

• Young adults incarcerated or in correctional facilities
• Young adults living on the street
• Disabled or handicapped young adults
• New Canadian young adults
• Young adults in residential settings
• Young adults dropping out or exiting schools before graduation
• First nation and aboriginal young adults
• Young adults actively seeking employment

The Research Framework posed four questions:

1. Who is the target audience?
   • What are their characteristics?
   • Where are they located?
   • How can they be accessed?
   • What are their needs in relation to PLAR?
2. Who are the PLAR practitioners for the target audience?
   • What are their characteristics?
   • Where are they located?
   • How can they be accessed?
   • What are their training needs in relation to PLAR and what is the best format for meeting those needs?
3. What is the best method for implementing PLAR with Young Adults?
   • What form or structure would be the most appealing to them?
   • What format would be the most effective with this population?
4. What are the terms and phrases that are unique to or needed for PLAR with Young Adults?
   • What effect, if any, will the creation of a vernacular unique to PLAR with Young Adults have on the world of PLAR within the professional community as it exists today?
5. What effect, if any, does PLAR have on young at risk adults?
   • Are the promotional tools created effective with this population?
   • Are the pre-PLAR tools created effective for:
     1. Introducing PLAR to young at risk adults?
     2. Motivating young at risk adults to enter in to the PLAR assessment process?
   • Is the PLAR assessment tool created effective in allowing young at risk adults within the venues to:
     1. Identify their prior learning skills?
     2. Relate these skills to their future goals?

Venue site selection was based on relevance in terms of accessibility to YAs.

Read the Project Final Report

Employer Breakfast:
Smith Falls Golf and Country Club, Smiths Falls ON
Wednesday March 22, 2006 – 7:30am – 9:30am

Skills Competition:
Notre Dame Catholic High School, Carleton Place ON
Monday March 27, 2006 – 9:00am Start Time

Career and Skilled Trades Learning Experience[CASTLE]:
P2P supported & participated
Service Canada and St. Lawrence College
North Grenville Municipal Centre, Kemptville ON
Wednesday April 19, 2006 – 9:00am – 5:00pm

OYAP Boat Races:
P2P participated
Smiths Falls Rideau Regional, Smiths Falls ON
Wednesday April 26, 2006 – 9:00am Start Time

Rideau District High School Career Fair:
P2P attended & supported
Elgin, ON Wednesday April 26, 2006 – 9:00am-1:00pm

Employer Breakfast: P2P organized
WB George Centre[Kemptville College], Kemptville ON
Friday April 28, 2006 – 7:30am – 9:30am

REALS10, UCDSB & OYAP:
P2P attended & supported
Kemptville College
Wednesday, May 3, 2006-8:30am-3:30pm

Trading Up:
Partners include: P2P, OYAP, Kemptville College &
1000 Islands Region Workforce Development Board
Kemptville College, Kemptville ON
Monday & Tuesday May 8 & May 12, 2006 -8:30 am-4:00
Grade 7 & 8 Girls (St. Michael-Kemptville, St. Joseph-Prescott,
Boundary and Central Public School-Prescott, Maynard Public &
Westminster Public School-Brockville

Career and Skilled Trades Learning Experience[CASTLE]:
P2P supported & participated
Service Canada and St. Lawrence College
Smith Falls Curling & Squash Club, Smith Falls ON
Thursday May 11, 2006 – 9:00am – 5:00pm

Certification Day:
St. Lawrence College, Brockville
(Partners include: TISS, BCI, South Grenville, EEC, 3M, P2P & St. Lawrence College)
Thursday May 25, 2006 – 8:00am-2:30pm

Ultimate Skills Challenge:
OYAP event-P2P supported & participated
North Grenville Municipal Building, Kemptville ON
Wednesday June 7, 2006 – 9:00am Start Time

WANTED

More Interested Employers

More Work Experience for High School Students

The Passport to Prosperity Program for the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville counties is managed by the Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education & Training, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. We are also connected provincially through the Ontario Business Education Partnership.

Passport to Prosperity is a campaign to increase employer involvement with school-to-work programs. Experiential learning programs (learn by doing) are encouraged for secondary students to learn new skills. Students benefit from employer involvement that is short term (i.e. career talks), medium term (i.e. work experience/job shadowing for several days) and long term (i.e. cooperative education courses, apprenticeship and school-work transition programs for students). The duration of the placement for long-term activities averages between 110 to 440 hours for several months or on alternate days throughout the year.

Employerregistry.ca – Is a provincial database of employers involved or interested in experiential learning and is managed by Passport to Prosperity coordinators and educators in our community. The goal is to connect employers across Ontario with the educators who can help thme find or strengthen their involvement in new or existing experiential learning programs.

As your local Passport to Prosperity coordinator, I am excited to bring you news of a new online community dedicated to bringing employers and educators together and facilitating further experiential learning opportunities across the province. EmployerRegistry.ca is the result of extensive provincial consultation and collaboration and operates as a no-cost, revolutionary Web 2.0 gateway, connecting educators and their students to new local employers.EmployerRegsitry.ca is monitored by local Passport to Prosperity Coordinators, extremely easy to use and registration takes less than a minute!

EmployerRegistry.ca makes it easier than ever before for employers to provide life shaping experiences for students and help them make informed career decisions. Log on today and find out more about how Employers, Educators and Passport to Prosperity Coordinators are coming together to support students as they make the transition from School to Career.

As the second semester of academic year is quickly approaching, now is an excellent time to register on EmployerRegsitry.ca. In the coming weeks educators from across the province will be using the system to search for workplace co-op opportunities for their students. Approximately 15% of our student population explores the world of work through cooperative education, so we encourage you to log on now so you will be well positioned for a new semester of students looking for new experiential learning opportunities!If you have never been involved in co-op, using this technology will make it easier than ever for you to start your involvement with experiential learning. If you are already involved, EmployerRegsitry.ca will simplify the process of connecting with local schools and students.

If you have any questions about the site or the registration process, please do not hesitate to contact me.We look forward to working with you to help shape our future workforce.

What kind of support do employers receive?
The Passport to Prosperity Coordinator may be the initial contact person between the employer and the schools. We keep records of employers interested in cooperative education for future reference and referral. The school co-operative education teachers will assist with the recruiting, screening, matching and ongoing support for the placement.

Is there a cost associated with participation?
No, there is no obligation for employers to pay students but the cost of personal protective equipment may be covered by the employer.

Do employers have to pay for insurance and workers’ compensation?
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage is paid by the Ministry of Education for students on work experience, co-operative education, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship and school-work transition programs.

This project is to develop an eLink to allow for the immediate and efficient flow of information between school boards, MTCU Apprenticeship offices, industry and service providers.

Student and employer information are uploaded to the eLink to be used by cooperative education teachers, OYAP coordinators and MTCU Apprenticeship offices.

Workplace Education Agreements (WEAs) and pre-release authorizations for Job Connect will be electronically generated. Pre-release authorizations signed by students, parents and employers at the same time as WEAs will allow access to information by Job Connect providers prior to the end of the cooperative education placement.

Employer information will be available to coop teachers, industry and service providers. Passport to Prosperity Coordinators would be allowed bi-directional access to the employer listing. The level and type of information available to each of the stakeholders would be managed through a secure web-based link. Information will be encrypted for security.

This process will provide immediate access to information about students and employers involved in OYAP placements, streamline the OYAP application process, reduce the time required to register OYAP students as well as ensuring a smooth transition for students to the workplace. It would provide seamless transition during times of personnel changes in coop, OYAP or community agencies. The proposal includes training for cooperative education teachers, administrators and service providers to ensure the effective use of the eLink.