Literacy and Basic Skills Program (LBS); Native Stream

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

Generally, the main purposes for our evaluation are:

• assessing needs and planning effective programs
• monitoring program implementation and progress to ensure efficiency and effectiveness
• assessing program results, measuring success and improving program services and operations

Key results, outcomes, and impact:

• LBS Program evaluation outcomes – assessing needs and planning effective programs; monitoring program implementation and progress to ensure efficiency and effectiveness; assessing program results, measuring success and improving program services and operations
• LBS Program Performance Management – emphasizes the management of outcomes or results via careful monitoring of key performance indicators or measurements. By monitoring progress in the three domains of effectiveness, efficiency and customer service, LBS agencies can adjust/modify their program delivery to achieve more productive results
• LBS Programs constantly participate in program development – is a positive evolution of practice; some areas of current development: Professionalization of Practitioners; Family Literacy; Workplace Literacy; Literacy and Technology; Links between Literacy and Essential Skills
• LBS Program outcomes – explores transition-oriented, task-based, goal-directed, and learner-centred program planning; describes an approach to program planning for individual learners and for learners in groups; recommends some key resources and supports for program planning
• LBS Program results – provides academic upgrading for students in reading, writing, mathematics and computers; caters to adults who wish to improve their literacy and numeracy skills in order to obtain GED certification, obtain employment, enter apprenticeship, move towards Post-Secondary College or University, achieve personal growth and/or independence

What challenges have you faced and how were these overcome?

The main challenges are negative-effect issues that learners bring along with them and stem from a wide range of possibilities.

They may come from:

• Past experiences – from external or internal influences absorbed and learned in the experiences of life. They can be the results of the influences of other people during formative years, or past events or situations that have shaped the learner’s beliefs and values.
• Present conditions in the learner’s physical, mental and emotional health resulting from choices the learner has made (or continues to make) along the way. Other negative-effect conditions such as FAS, ADD or LD are present from birth, and still others, such as aphasia, can come as a result of trauma or injury. Present conditions also include the learner’s sense of self.
• Life circumstances that seem to conspire against, and overwhelm the learner. They can include: conflicting roles and responsibilities, cultural expectations, socio-economic status, family demands, and the logistics of managing daily life.

Difficulties arising from any one of these possibilities can be enough to create significant barriers to learning. Many of our learners are affected by all three.

Most common barriers:

• transportation
• child care
• learning disabilities/challenges
• addictions
• minimal public education (little educational foundation)
• food
• transient home life
• no organizational and/or time management skills
• abusive relationships
• lack of social skills
• lack of supports (home/family)
• lack of Aboriginal self-identity
• lack of self-confidence
• medical issues
• legal issues

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

Managing and administering a LBS Program – Administrators, managers, program coordinators, instructors and staff need become very familiar with LBS Ministry documents (LBS contracts, LBS Guidelines, LBS Service Provider Guidelines, Audits, Monitoring Visits and Program management/improvement strategies).  This is critical to the function­ing of an LBS agency. The documents provide Program and Information Management System information and guidelines which will need to be referenced in order to comply with requirements.

Also, it’s important to become very familiar with EOPG Website to retrieve documents and updates. There is a “Reports” section which posts the most recent agency and site reports. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities asks all agencies to compare the reports generated here with the reports you generate at your own site when completing your monthly statistics. Consequently, it is necessary to visit this website at least once a month.  The website also contains the Business Plan guidelines and Audit guidelines. It is where documents are posted to help with the Information Management System (IMS), and where the statistics posted each month will appear.

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?

The program incorporates Essential Skills in all curricula, including:

• Aboriginal Essential Skills Journey
• Essential Skills for Personal Success
• Skills at Work (Workplace Literacy)
• Essential Skills for Job Search Success
• Connect Essential Skills From Home to Work
• Essential Skills for Trades

How do you assess participant Essential Skills?

Assessment Tools:

• Initial: Basic Skills Testing (ICTS)
• Ongoing: learning tasks and activities (LBS Centralized Task-based Activities Portal) and OALCF Milestones
• Exit: OALCF Culminating Tasks and GED Certificate/Diploma

What are the components of the initiative? Occupation-specific skills training Academic upgrading 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? Individualized counselling

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

Aboriginal Teachings in the program include:

• Drums and shakers for learners for singing and dancing
• Daily smudging ceremonies
• Stone carving workshops
• Drum making workshops
• Dream catcher making workshops
• Moccasin making workshops
• Elder services
• Field trips to local reservations for ceremonies, feast and traditional teachings
• Aboriginal community guest speakers

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

LBS Manager/Practitioner: Master’s degree in Education; Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology, Education and Aboriginal Education; Ongoing professional development in literacy education, cultural teachings, financial management, database management  (CaMS); leadership & program management skills; financial management skills; experience in R&D proposals to implementation and evaluation; and qualified Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) for instruction and curriculum development.

Part time LBS Administration Assistant: CaMS data input training, assessment training (initial, ongoing and exit), excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Presenter for newsletters) and files/ record keeping.

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

Partner name	Role	Responsibilities
London Municipal Government (Ontario Works)	Access to their Aboriginal client base, payment for educational assessments and referral source	Referral source
Employment Ontario Service Agency (Career Directions at Nokee Kwe)	Access to employment services, payment for educational assessments and referral source	Services include: personalized vocational assessments, career planning and training, access to a resource centre, labour market info, resume/cover letter/interviewing workshops, access to employers, Apprenticeship Specialist, Second Career Applications and in-house referral service source
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition (ONLC)	Provides information, support and training to Native literacy practitioners in Ontario; enhancing ability and awareness of literacy issues	Keeps abreast of research and developments in Literacy and ES curricula; Source of service providers support and training
Independent Learning Centre (ILC)	Provides GED certification and Grade 12 High School Equivalency diploma; provides curriculum for Grade 12 Math and English high school credits	GED exam scheduled through ILC and they provide accreditation (eg. they conduct the exam and provide the diploma); same with the Grade 12 Math and English high school credits
Frontier College	Provides tutor training and tutor volunteers at Nokee Kwe Native Education Centre	Volunteer tutors provide support to learners at Nokee Kwe