Faces of Collaboration A Northern Interior Approach

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Faces of CollaborationA Northern Interior
Approach
School District No. 57 Prince George
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Faces of Collaboration
Integrated Program Offerings SD 91 CNC Lakes
Nechako
Working Together
Community Based Linkages SD 57 CNC Prince
George MacKenzie Community Groups
North Cariboo Post Secondary Education Council
SD 28 CNC Quesnel
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Underlying Principles

• Institutions adapt to meet individual student
  need rather than student adapting to meet
  institutional need
• Shared decision making
• Learner/community centred approach
• - equal emphasis on personal and academic needs
  of ABE students
• Creative and flexible practice
• Pool resources to meet student and community
  needs
• Culturally inclusive and responsive
• Commitment to collaboration

Practice and approaches result in educational
synergy.
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Demographic Context(Nechako Lakes)

• Large geographic area - 67,101 Sq Km
• 30.3 Aboriginal students in SD 91
• Low Dogwood completion rates 63 (BC 79)
• Poor post-secondary attainment 8 attain
  university degree (BC 18)
• Average family income is significantly lower than
  provincial average (6,665 less)
• Rate of spousal assault is 2.8 times (180)
  higher than BC average
• Rate of child abuse is 1.9 times (93) higher
  than BC average
• Teen pregnancy rate is nearly 1.8 times (80)
  higher than BC average
• Life expectancy is 2.3 years less than BC average

Rural and remote population with significant
social, health and educational needs
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• Student Intake Profile
• - Average age 35 yrs
• - Majority (over 60) have
• Aboriginal ancestry
• Come from modified/adapted K-12 programs
• Literacy levels of Grade 10 or less
• Mental and physical health issues
• Behaviours and characteristics consistent with
  FASD
• Income at or below poverty level (income
  assistance)
• Cultural and community responsibilities
• Involvement with justice and social systems

Just because they are older doesnt mean their
special needs have disappeared.
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Established history (over 10 yrs) of partnership
between SD 91 and CNC Lakes Nechako which has
resulted in

• Complex, integrated programming that makes the
  two systems look like one for the student
• Interwoven/interconnected offerings which
  maximize outcomes and provide seamless
  transitions to post-secondary
• Innovative program development/integration that
  seeks to maximize the wrap-around supports
  needed for student success
• Unique approaches at each community level
• Significant expansion of programming available to
  communities
• Taking the service to the learner

Reaching out to meet the students where they are
at.
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Model of Partnership
Shared facilities
CTC vocational courses
Dual credentials
Shared supports

CNC SD 91
Shared services

FASD expertise programs
Diverse educational options
Increased teaching options linkages
Professional collaboration increases options.
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Learning Options
Online Learning
Storefront Multilevel
Foundational Literacy

CNC SD 91
Within Aboriginal Communities
Applied/Vocational

Outreach
Focus
Comprehensive Instructor Lead
A variety of learning environments and structures
to meet student needs. Programs designed to allow
and encourage students to concurrently pursue
post-secondary and vocational training options.
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Student Wrap-Around Supports
Proactive Retention Team
Transportation, Food Housing Support
Community Links
Family Children Support Programs
Personal Academic Counselling
STUDENT
Library Resource Support
Systems Support

Tutorial Support
Daycare After School Program
Integrated Intake Plan (Registration )
A learning community that cares, serves and leads.
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Faces of Collaboration
Integrated Program Offerings SD 91 CNC Lakes
Nechako
Working Together
Community Based Linkages SD 57 CNC Prince
George MacKenzie Community Groups
North Cariboo Post Secondary Education Council
SD 28 CNC Quesnel
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Common Challenges

• Accountability and funding frameworks
• Current outcomes primarily academically focused
• Nonacademic outcomes not considered
• Current funding and processes do not meet lower
  literacy needs
• Expectations do not align with a student
  population that has multiple barriers to
  education
• Funding does not account for rural and/or
  Aboriginal student demographics

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Ideas for Enhanced Collaboration and Pilots

• Pilot community based adult CTC options (expand
  ACE-IT to over 18s)
• Pilot cross-centre electronic learning options
• Extend and research wrap-around support or hub
  model approach to ABE
• Demonstration/research project on strategies that
  work for Aboriginal and/or rural and remote
  learners
• Research FASD educational strategies for adults
• Create opportunities for early literacy
• Build a common meter stick (applicable for both
  systems)

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Collaboration breeds successful innovations that
benefit the learner