Postsecondary IS Possible CONTENT & TAKEWAYS Quick facts: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fostering Systemic Change: An Innovative Case Study in Collaboration and Partnerships “Postsecondary IS Possible”

CONTENT & TAKEWAYS

 Quick facts: everything you always wanted to know about Toronto in 1 minute  Our story: insights about an innovative experiment towards a greater access to PSE  Toronto-USA: Same Community of Practice - different realities? Let’s find out…  Hands-on session: navigating the access system in Toronto  The PATH Pilot project: vision, approach & challenges  You tell us: How would you address the PATH challenges? Group discussion  Top 10 lessons learned HAND-OUT: Toolkit manual on program evaluation in the non-profit sector

YOUR NEIGHBOURS FROM THE NORTH

QUICK FACTS ABOUT TORONTO:

• Provincial capital of Ontario
• Most populous city in Canada: 2.7M
• Greater Toronto Area (GTA): 6 M
• Tallest free-standing structure in Western Hemisphere:

CN Tower (553.3 m-high (1,815.3 ft)

• 25% of Hollywood movies are actually filmed in

Toronto

• Half of Toronto's population was born outside of

Canada

• Top 5 visible minority groups : South Asians (12% of

the population), Chinese (11.4%), Black (8.4%), Filipino (4.1%) and Latin American (2.6%)

• Multicultural population (GTA): 9 M by 2036
• Over 180 languages and dialects
• 1 in 5 of Toronto's homeless youth identify as LGBTQ
• In 2005, Toronto media coined the term "Year of the

Gun", with 52, out of 80 homicides in total. Gang- related incidents have been on the rise (over 300 gang-related homicides between 1997 and 2005)

OUR STORY: THE COUNCIL OF EDUCATORS OF TORONTO

“We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us thru that darkness to a safe and sane future.” John F. Kennedy

OUR STORY: THE COUNCIL OF EDUCATORS OF TORONTO

OUR STORY: THE COUNCIL OF EDUCATORS OF TORONTO

OUR STORY: THE COUNCIL OF EDUCATORS OF TORONTO

Mandate: “Develop and implement a collaborative and coordinated approach among educational institutions to enhance access to PSE for all those who, without intervention and support, would not otherwise be able to access PSE”

Brand: “Postsecondary is possible”

WHAT ARE “ACCESS PROGRAMS”?

Academic Completion Transition Outreach & Engagement Job Training, Certification & Pre- Apprenticeship Demographic

• Ability focused
• Academic

upgrading

• Dual credit
• Retention
• Academic

bridging

• Transitional

Year Programs

• Early

awareness

• Career

exploration

• Literacy &

basic skills

• Life skills
• Tutoring &

mentorship

• Job Training &

Pre- Apprenticeship

• Certificate

Programs

• Aboriginal
• Crown Wards
• First

Generation

• Mature
• ELL/ESL

Language

• Newcomers
• Women only

4-PRONGED STRATEGY Public Education & Navigational Tools Community

• f Practice

Research & Evaluation Strategic Policy & Systemic Change

Partnerships & Systemic Change

TORONTO-USA: SAME COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE - DIFFERENT REALITIES?

MENTIMETER SURVEY: What sector do you represent:

• Secondary
• College
• University
• Community-based organization
• Other

What type of program do you provide:

• Academic completion
• Transition
• Outreach & engagement
• Job training, certification & Pre-apprenticeship
• Demographic
• Other

On a scale of 1 to 4, how would you rank the impact of these challenges/barriers on your clients’ ability to reach their PSE goals?

• Lack of knowledge re: access & support programs
• Lack of knowledge re: financial aid programs
• Complex navigation of the system (rules; requirements;

processes; etc.)

• Duplication / repetition of registration/information-sharing

sessions Which groups are most representative of your client population? You may check more than one box.

• Black
• Indigenous
• Other visible minorities
• Newcomers
• Women
• Men
• LGBTQ

TORONTO-USA: SAME COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE - DIFFERENT REALITIES?

MENTIMETER SURVEY: What age group do the majority of your clients fall into:

• Under 18
• 18-21
• 21-35
• 35 and over

In ONE WORD, how would you describe the experience of looking for programs / resources / information about access to PSE? On a scale of 1 to 3, which set of skills adds the most value to your work with vulnerable clients?

• Trust: Being able to create a personal connection of trust and

understanding

• Expertise: being knowledgeable about how to navigate the

system

• Connections: Being able to tap into a network outside my own
• rganization

ANSWERS FROM THE TORONTO COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

(CET SYMPOSIUM DECEMBER 2018)

What sector do you represent? % Secondary 9 College 29 University 34 Community-based organization 14 Other 14 What type of program/support do you provide? % Academic Completion 17 Transition 23 Outreach & Engagement 29 Job Training, Certification & Pre-Appreciation 10 Demographic 10 Other 10 On a scale of 1 to 4, how would you rank the impact

• f these challenges/barriers on your clients’ ability

to reach their PSE goals Lack of knowledge re: access & support programs 3.5 Lack of knowledge re: financial aid programs 3.2

• Complex navigation of the system (rules; requirements;

processes; etc.) 3.4 Duplication / repetition of registration/information-sharing sessions 2

Which groups are most representative of your client population? You may check more than one box. % Black 19 Indigenous 12 Other Visible Minorities 20 Newcomers 14 Women 14 Men 11 LGBTQ 9 Francophones 1 What age group do the majority of your clients fall into? % Under 18 25 18-21 29 21-35 27 35 and over 19 On a scale of 1 to 3, which set of skills adds the most value to your work with vulnerable clients? Trust: Being able to create a personal connection of trust and understanding 2.9 Expertise: Being knowledgeable about how to navigate the system 2.6

• Connections: Being able to tap into a network outside

my own organization 2.2

HANDS-ON SESSION: councilofeducators.ca

HANDS-ON SESSION: councilofeducators.ca

HANDS-ON SESSION: councilofeducators.ca

THE PATH PILOT PROJECT

Access is not a “one size fits all” job… The Law of the Tool

THE PATH PILOT PROJECT: VISION

THE PATH PILOT PROJECT: APPROACH

Improved navigation ֎ Mobile friendly ֎ Interactive ֎ Interconnected

THE PATH PILOT PROJECT: APPROACH

Improved navigation ֎ Mobile friendly ֎ Interactive ֎ Interconnected Wrap-around Approach ֎ Client-centred ֎ Cross-referrals ֎ Partnerships ֎ Continuity

THE PATH PILOT PROJECT: APPROACH

Improved navigation ֎ Mobile friendly ֎ Interactive ֎ Interconnected Wrap-around Approach ֎ Client-centred ֎ Cross-referrals ֎ Partnerships ֎ Continuity Data Collection ֎ Information ֎ Intelligence ֎ Options ֎ Action ֎ Evaluation ֎ Change ֎ More data…

GROUP DISCUSSION

The Beta version of the PATH digital platform is ready to be launched as a pilot project in Toronto. Beyond the technical / IT adjustments, we anticipate to face – at least – two main challenges:

• Concerns about confidentiality – privacy re: personal client information
• Resistance to change from some practitioners (re: duplication of existing processes)

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

• As practitioners, how likely would you be to adopt a tool such as the PATH? Why?
• What approach / strategy would you recommend to mitigate the challenges to implementation?

LESSON #1: A network needs champions to come to life, to survive and to strive. Champions are leaders with a long-term vision. They create opportunities. They take risks. They show the way.

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #2: There is no formula to leading a network Intelligence, funding and structure are necessary…They are not enough. There are no shortcut. There are no guarantees. Leading a network is an art as much as it is a skill, and the only constant is change.

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #3: Leadership First – Structure Next. Funding and opportunities follow leadership, members’ commitment, partnerships, and the demonstrated value proposition of the network.

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #4: Of Networking and Juggling…

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #5: “Piggy-backing” can be a good thing…

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #6: Making sure that funders ask the right questions… “Success” or “Performance” cannot be captured, measured and evaluated as if the network was a PSE institution.

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #7: About Pilot Projects… Use them to manage expectations and deliver results faster Make sure the project is adaptable and scalable

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #8: Data, Data…And More Data

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #9: “I think I can…” “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the

• nly thing that ever

has.” Margaret Mead

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

LESSON #10: The work is never done…

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

TOP 10 LESSONS LEARNED

• 1. A network needs champions
• 2. There is no formula
• 3. Leadership First – Structure Next
• 4. Of networking and juggling…
• 5. “Piggy-backing” can be a good thing
• 6. Making sure that funders ask the right questions…
• 7. About Pilot Projects…
• 8. Data, Data…And More Data
• 9. I think I can…
• 10. The Work is Never Done

Thank you Eric Mezin Executive Director, Council of Educators of Toronto eric.mezin@toronto.ca Leisha Sladden-Atkinson Project Manager, Council of Educators of Toronto Leisha.sladden-atkinson@toronto.ca www.councilofeducators.ca