Bridge Program Overview

Transcription

1 Bridge Program Overview

2 The Need for Bridge Projections show that by 2020, eighty five per cent of jobs will require some level of post-high school education (Bottoms, 2002); something impossible for an adult with low literacy to successfully achieve. It is also important to remember that those who fail to attain a literacy level that allows them to function in and successfully contribute to society do not just fade away ; they are amongst those most likely to rely on social assistance programs, become involved with crime and violence, and be inclined towards alcoholism and suicide (Van Ngo, 2001).

3 Bridge Overview The award winning* Bridge Program supports an underserved demographic, young adult immigrants with interrupted formal education. * The Bridge Program is the proud recipient of the Mayors Excellence Award. An innovative partnership with the Calgary Separate School District (CSSD) which successfully addresses barriers to learning. A proven track record. Program statistics demonstrate an increase in literacy rates and successful transitions into further education studies or workplace training. Contributes to Alberta s prosperity by creating educational pathways for ESL literacy learners who, in turn, enter the Alberta workforce prepared to support a competitive labour market.

4 Program History The Bridge Program has an impressive track record : BVC began a project called Post High School ESL Literacy Research and Development Project funded by Alberta Learning. The purpose of this project was to investigate the educational needs and employment goals of young adult ESL literacy learners in order to design and deliver a bridging program that tailored to their needs : Based on the research findings, a responsive program was developed to help these learners improve their language, literacy and life skills and assist them in creating a educational plan to reach their career goals. Bow Valley College ran a two year pilot course called Young Adult ESL Literacy Program.

5 : BVC partnered with the CSSD and renamed the program, Bridge. The partnership addresses the needs of young adult immigrants leaving high school without the necessary skills to link them to the labour market or post secondary programs. The initial two-year pilot was funded through the Community Learning Branch of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. During this time period, BVC began collaborating with NorQuest College in the delivery of responsive programming for immigrant youth throughout Alberta : AE&I funded BVC to develop a program framework, Bridging the Gap: A Framework for Teaching and Transitioning Low Literacy Immigrant Youth, that encapsulated the necessary elements of a bridging program for learners in need of focused ESL literacy training in order to transition to further educational studies &/or workplace training. BVC partnered with Lethbridge College to utilize the framework in Southern Alberta, resulting in the development of a program called Youth in Transition.

6 2007: The Bridge Program won the Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation Mayors of Excellence Award for Excellence in Literacy Support and Enhancement Program : Bridge is currently co-funded by Community Learning Branch of Alberta Advanced Education as well as through the Immigration Policy & Programs Branch of Alberta Employment and Immigration. Bow Valley College is currently seeking sustained program funding.

7 Bridge Creates Educational Pathways High School Program Bridge St Anne and/or Bridge To Bridge BVC Academic Preparation and/or Upgrading Career Programs Other Referrals Other Programs

8 Bridge: Accessible Gateway to Further Education Bridge support learners to: Transition to further education Identify educational pathways Set realistic and achievable goals Meet prerequisites for further education Access Community supports Identify and address barriers to learning Identify strategies to make positive choices and access support systems Adapt to the adult context Become independent learners Balance the demands of work, school and life Navigate systems such as health and education

9 Program Objectives improve learners English language proficiency, literacy skills, Essential Skills and strategic competence bridge learners transition from high school to postsecondary programs help learners set educational goals and access community resources build learner awareness of and independence in navigating a network of community supports address multiple barriers to learning develop innovative resources for ESL literacy

10 Bridge Learners The needs of Bridge learners are unique and multi-faceted. They require basic foundational learning that is dual streamed: language acquisition and literacy skill development. Additionally, they require the academic content of the Alberta Program of Studies, specifically Language Arts and Math. Finally, many need to develop a variety of competencies that fall under the umbrellas of Essential, interpersonal, study and intercultural skills. 100% of Bridge learners indicated they would be unable to attend the Bridge Program without support from the Alberta government

11 Responsive Program Design Language Acquisition and Foundational Learning Academic Preparation and College Readiness Essential Skills and Life Skills

12 An instructor commented: The Bridge Program, I have learned, is a vital intermediary in acclimatizing and encouraging this high risk population of learners who are too old for high school, don t have the knowledge background or skills for college and are unlikely to find adequate, long-term employment. I suspect that The Bridge Program is the only major, positive force for change that some students have.

13 Barriers to Learning The multitude of issues Bridge learners face often hinder entrance to, participation in and eventual success within educational programs. Interrupted schooling make the academic challenges and expectations of mainstream programs impossible A lack of extended family can mean limited emotional and social support Survivor Guilt leads to learners sacrificing their own advancement in the long-term to help others in the short term. They are forced to drop out of school in order to send money home

14 Bridge Addresses Barriers to Learning Psychological Barriers includes lack of support systems, emotional or personal issues, and fear of the unknown. Physical Barriers includes financial issues, housing issues, and transportation issues. Social Barriers Includes employment issues, scheduling issues, legal issues, health and childcare issues. Bridge strives to create inclusive learning environments that feel safe. Referrals are made to community services. Bridge considers the holistic needs of the learners, offering flexibility and build in supports. Bridge is proactive in helping learners recognize issues, access resources, manage processes, understand conditions of support, anticipate issues, and plan for independent navigation of the services they need in the future.

15 Barriers learners face: The Bridge Program addresses barriers by : Fear of the unknown Difficulty navigating post secondary system Time to develop language, literacy and college readiness skills simultaneously to successfully transition to further education Costly program fees, meeting program funding requirements and the funding barrier for learners who have not been out of high school for one year Collaborating with the Calgary Separate School District to create a pathway that begins in high school and offers a seamless transition to BVC Providing one-on-one support to set learning goals, develop educational plans and understand admission requirements for other programs Offering a two-year program which allows learners to ensure learners success and articulating with high schools and other BVC programs to provide seamless transition and access points for learners Offering a funded post-high school program which acts as an accessible gateway to further education through adult ESL literacy

16 Bridge Supports Independent Access to Resources A teacher noted: This learner has found a new place for her mom and herself to live.the rent is $700/month. Much, much cheaper than the rent she pays now. She said that she looked for an apartment in the newspaper all by herself and called about the apartment and spoke to the landlord all by herself. She is really proud of what she has done! As well, she went to Calgary Housing last week on her own to find out when she and her mom would get an apartment. Her confidence and ability to negotiate all of this is a testament to the work that she does in the program. It is a tremendous success.

17 Meet Khamis Go through the Bridge to get to your dreams Khamis started Bridge in September In 2009, he transitioned to Academic Preparation and he is currently registered in Academic Upgrading: English 10-1, Pure Math 10 and Social Studies Khamis is a strong advocate of the Bridge Program and visits Bridge classes to speak with current learners about the value of the program. He tells learners that they must "go through the Bridge in order to get to their dreams".

18 Learner Profile 2004/ learners

19 Learner Profile 2005/ Learners

20 Learner Profile 2007/ Learners

23 Bridge Meets Program Outcomes A learner commented: Being in Bridge has really help me in terms of my writing, reading and maths. I have learnt so many new things in Bridge classes and among my fellow students. I have also learn things about education and things about real life. Bridge has made me proud of myself and through the nice and wonderful teaching I have really achieve my goals.

24 Bridge Outcomes and Statistics Outcomes 1 and 2: 50% of the learners will demonstrate an increase in reading proficiency by one grade level 50% of the learners will increase reading or writing proficiency by one literacy benchmark

25 Bridge Outcomes and Statistics Outcome 3: 100% of the learners will have a detailed action plan for further studies that will map their educational/vocational pathway. BVC Awards 100% of Bridge learners have created an education action plan and many learners have been recognized with for personal and academic achievement. Awards include: Trico Homes ESL Transition Award Premier s Scholarship Award BVC Academic Scholarship Achievement Awards Margaret King ESL Scholarship Hoey Chetty Award Bridge Recognition Award

26 Bridge Outcomes and Statistics Outcome 4: 70% of the Year One completers will transition to Year Two of Bridge or into further education Program Statistics Learners Current Bridge Registrants Transitioned from Bridge Incompleters 37% 26% 37%

27 Impact of Bridge The Bridge Alumni program allows BVC to not only stay connected with current learners, but it also allows us to reconnect with previous learners and help us to track their success stories. Between September 2009 and May 2010, we collected data regarding educational pathways for one hundred nineteen Bridge learners (63% of the learner population, 119/190 ). An instructor comment: A Bridge alumnus visited my class today. She stopped by to tell me that she received 86% in her final reading test in level 5 of Academic Preparation. Now, she can enter high school upgrading.

28 Transition Statistics

29 Bridge Alumni 70 Learners

30 Meet Mahwish... Navigating Pathways: Mahwish is highly committed to her learning and focused on her educational pathway. After completing the Bridge in 2008, Mahwish transitioned to Academic Foundations at Bow Valley College. She was very successful in both Academic Preparation (level 5) & High School upgrading (10, 20, 30). In 2010, Mahwish entered SAIT's Business Administration program. She recently reflected that the language & essential life skills and strategies she learned in the Bridge program contributed to her overwhelming success in Academic Foundations.

31 Bridge Prepares Learners for the Alberta Workforce According to Alberta Labour Market Trends, in January 2010 the biggest employment gains occurred in the Educational Services and Health Care and Social Assistance industries. We are proud to celebrate the Bridge alumni whose pathways through BVC have led to their being granted certificates in the following programs: Health Care Aide, Medical Office Assistant, Unit Clerk, Early Learning and Childcare, Accounting and Financial Management, Administrative Professional Certificate I ran into a Bridge learner this morning and she was full of joy. She is currently thriving in her work placement. In August, she will write her diploma exam.

32 Five priorities are identified in the Government of Alberta Strategic Plan: Creating opportunity Enhance value-added activity, increase innovation, and build a skilled workforce to improve the longrun competitiveness and sustainability of Alberta s economy. A Healthy Approach Increase access to quality health care and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care service delivery. Building Tomorrow Provide the roads, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing economy and population. Resourceful. Responsible Ensure Alberta s energy resources are developed in an environmentally sustainable way. Strong Communities Promote strong and vibrant communities and reduce crime so Albertans feel safe.

33 Bridge Addresses Alberta Priorities: Creating opportunity Bridge provides a return-oninvestment. Learners exit the program with skills that improve the long-run competitiveness and sustainability of Alberta s economy. A Healthy Approach Bridge is a holistic program that addresses intellectual and social development. Building Tomorrow Bridge is an investment in Alberta s human infrastructure. Resourceful. Responsible. Bridge values environmental sustainability and embeds this topic throughout its curriculum. Strong Communities Bridge fosters civic engagement.