Getting Ready for Employment and Training (G.R.E.A.T.)

What is the overall impact of the initiative and how is this measured?

Key learning outcomes for participants:
• Develop and/or improve the essential skills of reading text, document use, working with numbers, computer use and writing, which are required for most jobs.
• Reflect upon personal and career goals, and identify learning and career opportunities.
• Create an up-to-date résumé and cover letter, and practice interview skills.
• Create a prior learning portfolio that identifies and provides documentation of personal strengths, skills, knowledge and attitudes.
• Know more about employment opportunities by participating in and reflecting upon a mentored on-the-job work experience.
• Conduct effective job searches.

No. of Participants: 287
Completion rate: 186 or 64.80%
Placements: 14%

Learners are moving off Income Assistance and entering the workforce; they are pursuing further training and/or education; their self-esteem and self-confidence are increasing.

The G.R.E.A.T. program is motivating people to identify what interests them, and what skills they would like to develop to lead them to fulfilling employment.

What challenges have you faced and how were these overcome?

Program challenges:
• Withdrawal from the program because of personal issues and lack of interest in the program
• Attendance issue

We addressed these issues by implementing cash Incentive for the 90% attendance requirement

Participant challenges:
• Learning challenges – low ES levels
• Poor self-esteem

What are 3 key lessons you learned from developing or delivering your initiative? What advice from those lessons would you share with others?

What advice from those lessons would you share with others?
1- This initiative is not simply to enable the learners to gain experience through a work placement for 10 days but to learn and grow from that experience.

2- This initiative is an opportunity for learners to share their work experiences, identify challenges and to identify strategies for job retention. We want them to find solutions for job retention issues they may be experiencing.

3- Flexibility and creativity from the Instructors who must find ways to help learners who are not ready for a formal work placement at a company (for example, setting up simulation of a job position and work environment at the College)

Which Essential Skills are covered by the initiative? Reading Text Document Use Numeracy Writing Oral Communications Working with Others Thinking Skills Computer Use Continuous Learning

How are the Essential Skills integrated into your initiative?

While there is a focus on reading, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others and computer use participants are exposed to all the ES through various components of the program.

The program consists of

ES Communications (100 hrs.) – Curriculum takes an Essential Skills approach to literacy development-It familiarizes learners with a variety of documents and texts and help them apply their skills to real-life tasks. Learners will develop their abilities to communicate in writing, with an emphasis on applying writing skills to functional tasks such as completing forms and writing emails.

ES Numeracy (70 hrs) – draws on authentic tasks learners are likely to encounter at work and in the community. Math operations taught in the context of completing authentic activities. Learners develop abilities to work with data, money and measurement in authentic ways.

Portfolio Development (45 hrs) – learners work to create a prior learning portfolio that identifies and provides evidence of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that they have learned from all areas of their lives.

Introduction to Computers (45 hrs) – a focus on word processing and using the Internet

Career College (60 hrs.) -primary focus is on career exploration and job preparation skills. This includes
skill building in the area of teamwork, the development of an educational action plan, and the identification of strategies for overcoming barriers which may be encountered in a work or higher education setting

Job Experience 90 hours -Participants explore the nature of work, both paid and unpaid. 60 hours spent in gaining experience working in both the paid and unpaid labour markets.

How do you assess participant Essential Skills?

Placement test
• NAC instructor implements an English Assessment Testing| Inuktitut Testing| Math Assessment Testing prior to entry in the program.
 Nunavut Adult Placement Assessment (NAPA) assesses individual’s ability to read and write in English.
 NAPA and Math assessments take up to 2 hours
• Instructor observation and marking throughout the program

To graduate from the program learners must complete all five curriculum components and the job experience practicum. Learners must obtain at least 60% in each course, except Portfolio Development in which students must obtain at least 50%.

Final Grading is based on the following:
• Classroom Assignment: 30%
• Assessments: 25%
• End-of-term assessment: 25%
• Student Self-Assessment: 10%
• Participation: 10%

What are the components of the initiative? Academic upgrading Work-integrated learning (i.e., internships, co-ops, work placements, etc.) Life skills Career and/or educational planning Job search services Cultural, language, and tradition awareness and/or training

How do you support participant success in the program? Attendance allowance Transportation allowance Child care support Individualized counselling Individualized tutoring Food allowance and/or on-site meals Housing Job placements Access to other in-house services After program follow-up support Other

How was Indigenous culture integrated into the program content or delivery?

Inuit knowledge is integrated into this program in the following ways:

This program explores the idea of work within the frame of Inuit traditional values and practices. The program includes the concept, development, and practice of Inuruqsainiq (creating an able human being). It also enables learners to explore different ways of knowing and being—traditional, local and oral tradition – through the ethics and practices of working with elders.

The program explores the idea of the history of work in what is now Nunavut including Inuit history, experiences, historical gender roles, traditional teaching and mentoring practices, traditional and modern parenting skills, as well as self-care then and now. Learners engage as active members of the learning experience. Opportunities for practice, application and reflection are provided.

Skills are developed using a task-based approach, the Inuit principle of ilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq
(Development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort) is used with
learners. Skills development takes a spiral approach, enabling learners to come back to practice and master concepts. Rather than focusing on the one way to solve problems, students will be encouraged to use their resourcefulness to do so. This is possible with a focus on functional, purposeful tasks, enabling learners to practise.

What do you think are the most important competencies and attributes for staff involved in this initiative to have?

Instructors need to be flexible, creative and resourceful. They need to have strong interpersonal skills and communicate well with participants, elders, community members and other staff. They need to be able to provide participants with feedback in a constructive and caring way.

Who are your partners, and what is their involvement in the initiative?

Students’ Sponsors
• Department of Family Services
• Career Development Officers
• Income Assistance Workers
Program Funder
• CanNor
• Department of Family Services (funds the G.R.E.A.T. program)
Community Members
• Local Elders
• Traditional Knowledge Experts
• Subject Matter Experts (Guest Speakers)
Employers
• Government (local and territorial)
• Companies
Project Contractors
• Inhabit Education
• Atiigo Media