Below, we have included documents in electronic format dealing
with the concept of an adult training referral service.
Please note that most of these documents are in PDF format. You will therefore need the freeware “Acrobat Reader” to read them. For more information, click on the icon below.
Title: A REVIEW OF STATEWIDE LEARNER COMPETENCY AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS
Authors: Mark Kutner, Lenore Webb and Nancy Matheson
Year of publication: 1996
Format and size of document: Power Point - 158 kb
Summary: Summarizes the processes and procedures 11 states followed in developing statewide learner competencies and assessments, as well as the content of the competencies and instructional curriculum. Also examines learner assessments.
Title: Best practices in literacy for adults with developmental disabilities
Author: Ministry of Education and Training of Ontario
Year of Publication: 1998
Format and size of document: PDF - 265 Kb
Summary:
Across Ontario, successful literacy programs improve the lives of thousands of adult learners every year. Literacy programs touch upon all aspects of learners' lives, from job skills to self-esteem and community integration. Best Practices in Literacy for Adults with Developmental Disabilities reviews a sample of those successful programs. The information collected in this study helps us to better understand the components of successful literacy programs. In addition, the study data may be used as a resource for the continued improvement of all literacy programs in Ontario.
A number of barriers continue to prevent adults with developmental disabilities from attending literacy programs. Best Practices research can be a useful tool in overcoming these barriers. Historically, program personnel may have believed that they would be unable to serve the needs of adult learners with developmental disabilities. Because of that mistaken belief, many learners have not been served. Some of these common beliefs are concerned with transportation to and from the program; potential behaviour problems; pacing of the class; a lack of expertise in serving adults with developmental disabilities; funding arrangements; the perceived need for life skills classes; potential caregiver interference; different goals and goal-setting processes; and fatigue compared with other adult learners. These assumptions have hindered successful literacy programming for adults with developmental disabilities. Best Practices research demonstrates that all of these barriers not only have been faced but have been confronted and overcome in various programs across Ontario.
Through a series of interviews with a number of exemplary program personnel and their students, Best Practices in Literacy for Adults with Developmental Disabilities shines a spotlight on success. The information gathered in this study can be used as a resource and as a tool for networking.
Title: Presentation made to communities interested in examining the potential for a common assessment service as well as an adult training referral service.
Authors: Bertrand Rochon and Sylvain Lapointe
Year of publication: 2001
Format and size of document: Power Point - 1,4 Mb
Summary: This document embodies the presentation that was made to communities interested in examining the potential for a common assessment service as well as an adult training referral service.
Title: People Over Programs: Some Characteristics of More Integrated Planning and Delivery of Employment and Training Programs and Some Possible Directions and Supports for Communities
Author: Norman S. Rowen
Year of Publication: 1999
Format and size of document: PDF - 820 Kb
Summary:
This report attempts to provide some answers to three questions:
- What are the major characteristics of effective, integrated planning and delivery of employment and training programs?
- What are some practical steps that communities can take to move towards more integrated planning and service delivery that is focused on the needs of clients?
- What supports are necessary for the development of effective community service planning and how might these supports best be provided?
The answers are based on a review of the experience in other jurisdictions – mainly the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia – and the experience in two communities in Ontario, which are reviewed in detail:
- Centre d'aiguillage pour la formation des adultes (CAFA) / Referral Centre for Adult Training (RCAT) in Prescott-Russell;
- London-Middlesex employment and training community, which includes a Labour Market Planning Council and a Funders' Forum.
The title of this report, People Over Programs, is intended to call attention to the importance of developing an integrated, coherent and effective system of employment and training services in Ontario that serves the needs of people, rather than the demands of programs. The "people" who must be the main focus of efforts to develop a new system and for whom change must produce clear benefits are individual clients and employers. But no effort at system change will be successful without a second group – the people who are delivering services, managing programs, providing support, and helping to build communities. Without either of these two groups of people, there are no programs.
The report includes five parts:
Part I offers an introduction including the broad context and methodology;
Part II discusses the initiatives in other jurisdictions;
Part III reports on the CAFA project in Prescott-Russell;
Part IV describes several activities in London-Middlesex; and
Part V presents a synthesis of findings and offers some broad directions and specific projects.
