Learner Support Services - A Case Study
Transcript
00:04The purpose of the project was to engage
00:06the post secondary systems in working
00:09with the Community Adult Learning Programs
00:11and in providing learner support services
00:15and having a better working relationship with each other.
00:18So five pilots were selected from the south to work in the project.
00:23They each then formed a team
00:25that met to define the learner support services,
00:28what they were and what they meant in their areas.
00:33Our council was going through a lot of changes at that time,
00:36and I felt it would be important to apply for this
00:39to help direct us and guide us
00:41as we are facing a lot of changes
00:43through staffing changes, board changes,
00:46and then mandate changes
00:47that were coming down with our grant.
00:49And so I thought this would provide us
00:50with some much needed direction.
00:53Initially, I think everyone in the group wondered
00:56what is learner support services.
01:00And so our first step was to define what those services are.
01:05We realized we were providing some of them already,
01:08but to be able to expand on that
01:10we were able to better serve the learners that were coming in.
01:15The first step we did was conduct a needs assessment.
01:20The needs assessment
01:21is probably the crucial and the most important part
01:24to the learner support services
01:27because you're defining what are the needs in your community,
01:29and they're individually based upon the community
01:32and the demographics and the location of the community.
01:35From this needs assessment then
01:36we derived what we would deliver
01:39for services in each community.
01:42And then we looked at what can you drop?
01:44You've got five balls going in the air.
01:47Three of them are going to be effective,
01:48so what two do you want to get rid of?
01:50And that's the first thing that each coordinator looked at
01:53in their area is what programs
01:55weren't maybe meeting the needs in their community?
01:58Could they pass on to somebody else,
02:00or could they get rid of?
02:02And, in every case, the community took those programs on.
02:06So they weren't lost in the community.
02:09They were just delivered in a different manner.
02:14Learners come in, and they just don't know where to go.
02:17Whether it was that they needed a referral on
02:20how to get their driver's license,
02:21they were a new Canadian,
02:23they needed to take a CELPIP class,
02:25they wanted to get into Lethbridge College
02:27but they weren't sure how to do that,
02:30or they want to apply for a job online
02:31but had no computer skills to apply online,
02:34it's making those connecting dots for them
02:37and helping them get where they need to go.
02:40One simple example of working
02:41with your post-secondary institution is answering the phone.
02:46"Good morning, Community Adult Learning
02:48"and your college connection."
02:50And, right away on the other end, people would pause and say, "What?"
02:53"We're connected to Lethbridge and Medicine Hat College,
02:55"can we help you?"
02:57"Oh, you are?
02:58"Well, yeah.
02:59"Can I do this course, or could I do that?"
03:01And then we would do all the setup,
03:03but it's just letting the public know
03:05that we are connected to the post secondaries.
03:09Another idea came out of Taber was their idea of a brew crew.
03:12So that's where you identify those community agencies and partners
03:16and go to them, bring them coffee, bring them donuts,
03:18explain who you are and what you can do for their clients as well.
03:22Pick up the phone,
03:24look at your newcomer's brochures,
03:26look at your agency list, talk to the mayor,
03:29make a face-to-face communication with them where you can say,
03:33"Hi, I'm Jane Brenner, and I'm new to adult learning.
03:36"I would like your perspective on what you think
03:38"the adult learning needs are in your community."
03:44One of the things we tried to do
03:46is really make our offices more welcoming and inviting
03:49for foundational learners.
03:51Well, we wanted it to be bright.
03:53We wanted to have comfortable furniture.
03:57We wanted the main street access
04:00and the front of the building to be inviting too.
04:03The sign is colourful for a reason.
04:06Like, "Here we are.
04:08"Come in. Let us help you on your learning journey."
04:15Sometimes people even hear about us in the bar.
04:17They'll be sitting in there having a beer with their last three bucks.
04:22And they'll say, "I really need to get a new job,"
04:25and the bartender will say,
04:27"Well you know, Jackie down at Newell Further Ed.
04:30"does resumes, she can help you."
04:36The biggest things to establish trust are confidentiality,
04:42being positive, being encouraging,
04:45letting them know that you have an open door.
04:47They can come back at any time.
04:54I believe the mentorship developed naturally.
04:56I don't think anyone anticipated that as being a benefit
04:58from this learner support services project.
05:01And the mentorship came about in just various ways.
05:04There was a Facebook group created
05:06for all the members of the project.
05:08And it was a great way for us to just ask quick questions.
05:11"Oh, what did you do about this?"
05:12And, "What was your answer?"
05:13And, "what do you think about this?"
05:15It provided a forum for us to be able to speak to one another,
05:17given that we're all spread out so far away.
05:20Just knowing that Jane and Connie were around
05:22and the other members of the pilot project
05:25was always nice to know
05:26that there was someone I could ask that question
05:28because it was uncharted territory for a lot of us.