Native Counsellor Training Program – NCTP

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

Completion rate for the program is 98%. Key outcomes and results for participants are:

• Personal growth and development
• Self confidence
• Employment in the field of study
• Students have the Essential Skills to work in the field of study
• Students are utilizing and implementing the tools and skills they have acquired from the program in the work place
• Graduates often refer other students to the program
• Graduates often apply to work with the program

Measuring Program Goals:

• Faculty and staff prepare lesson plans and learning plans that are linked to curriculum outcomes
• Lesson and learning plans are reviewed by coordinator to ensure they meet curriculum outcomes
• Policy manuals are made available to all staff
• OSCA and the NCTP committee review the program curriculum to ensure that it is meeting the goals

Tracking program adherence by participants:

• Students are provided with a student policy manual
• Students are expected to maintain an average of 50%
• Value is assigned to each assignment
• Students are evaluated by staff
• Weekly staff meetings to identify students at risk

Tracking program adherence by staff:

• Students evaluate staff and program
• Staff are provided with policy manual which they are expected to adhere to
• Staff are evaluated by the coordinator
• Regular staff meetings
• NCTP committee review the staff evaluations and make recommendations

Measuring participant knowledge acquisition:

• Students and staff are evaluated
• Rubric is used to evaluate knowledge acquisition
• Students need to demonstrate their knowledge by producing a video, through coordination of events, ie. career fair and through group participation
• Students have an opportunity to practice their skills in Part III during their placement

Assessing changes in participant attitudes:

• Students are evaluated on participation
• Students demonstrate growth and understanding of content
• Improved skills, writing and computer use increases self-confidence

What challenges have you faced and how were these overcome?

Students often have difficulty accessing funding to participate in the program.

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

• Support services are a critical component to delivering any program
• It is important to have the language and culture embedded into the program
• Having Aboriginal faculty and elders on staff are essential and have had a huge impact on retention
• Transitions are made easier if students have support on the other end
• We need to increase the number of trained aboriginal counsellors in our communities
• Each person who participates in the program has something to offer.
• One size fits all approach does not work, we need to be prepared to expect the un-expected and meet the challenges of diversity.

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 do you assess participant Essential Skills?

• Students are evaluated on skills and knowledge through regular testing
• Students are evaluated by placement supervisors (Part  III)
• A rubric is used to assess skill attainment
• Students participate in triads to demonstrate knowledge and practice skills
• Graduate follow-up after completion to track employment rates and see if they are working in the field of study

What are the components of the initiative? Occupation-specific skills training Occupational certifications and/or licensing Work-integrated learning (i.e., internships, co-ops, work placements, etc.) Career and/or educational planning Cultural, language, and tradition awareness and/or training

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

The majority of our staff are First Nation and have the qualifications that are outlined in job descriptions.