BUILDING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS FOR LBS COORDINATORS/MANAGERS How to make and keep communications open and working for successful programs.

Employment Service (ES) Agencies Ontario Works Supervisors & Case Workers (OW) Ontario Disability Support Services (ODSP) Local Secondary School Guidance Department Aboriginal Liaison at Local Post Secondary and Secondary Schools Contact North (Online Courses: P. Sec & Sec. Sch.) Sioux Hudson Learning (Good Learning Anywhere) Ontario Native Literacy Coalition (ONLC) Apatisiwin Employment & Training & Career Dev. WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT FOR LBS?

Employment Service (ES) Agencies:  Why are ES agencies so important? MTCU/EO has made partnering with ES agencies a deliverable and a priority to ensure smooth transitions for our learners from training/education to employment. ES agencies need us to make their targets and we need them for the same reason. LET’S TAKE ONE PIECE AT A TIME!

 ES agencies have people with expertise in areas LBS might not have and we can use this to our advantage.  We can request a FREE ES delivered workshop at our location on any number of subjects from: Resume Writing; Cover Letter Writing; Portfolios; Employment Standards; True Colours; Job Search Skills; Apprenticeship Programs, etc. Be creative!  LBS & ES can each count the attendees of these workshops as their own. EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

 We can help ES by offering their clients: Assessment; Literacy skills & training; Educational resources; Pre-G.E.D. Programs; Computer Skills Courses; Life Skills; Financial Literacy; Health Literacy; Essential Skills for the Workplace; and the so many other skills necessary to obtain employment. EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

 LBS are not allowed to charge fees for delivering MTCU funded services to our learners.  This does not mean we cannot charge fees to deliver “boutique” style programs marketed to OW/ODSP clients only.  LBS can deliver Beginner’s Driver’s Education Course; Employment Transition; Life Skills; Cultural Art/Craft Therapy; and so many more sold specifically to OW clients and charge a fee for doing so! COMMUNITY SERVICES ODSP AND OW

 Regional Supervisors: If possible, find out who the Supervisor is for your Region. Ask her/him: “Where are you sending your Aboriginal clients who require literacy training?”  Talk to the Case Workers on the phone and get to know them, invite them to your location.  Hold an Information/Outreach Session for your local OW office at your location. Offer to host OW Team Meetings.  Suggest they meet their clients/your learners at your location so you can advocate for learners and establish a good line of communication at the same time. ONTARIO WORKS (OW)

 Ask if they hold “Showcase” events and get on their invite list. OW offices hold these events to introduce Case Workers to local services. Bring promotional goodies, they love them!  Inquire who to send your own event flyers to; each OW office has a central person who will distribute information to all. This is a good way to get your program known to your local Case Workers.  Send business cards, brochures & event flyers. Send invites to cultural events. Be creative! ONTARIO WORKS (OW)

 Get to know the Guidance Teacher/Manager at the local schools. Send your flyers; brochures, etc. informing them of your services.  Students who need extra tutoring or are falling behind can use your instructor and you can charge for this service.  We have assisted students suspended from class or who have been off sick to stay current or catch-up in their studies by working with the guidance office.  Let the school know how you can help their students.  Offer cultural programs. Be Creative! SCHOOL GUIDANCE DEPARTMENTS

 Post Secondary Schools have an Aboriginal Liaison position, get to know them.  Invite them to your location, they will enjoy promoting their school to your learners and you can showcase your program to them.  You can offer a Post Secondary school transition course for learners and offer it to Secondary School students too. ABORIGINAL LIAISON

 Contact North may have an office close to you, if not you can still use their services online.  We cannot officially offer Secondary School credits to learners, so our program offers this service through Contact North’s Online Services.  Establish communication with your local office and work on a Referral Protocol that is good for both of you.  Students use our location, our computer/internet and we are available if they need any help with their assignments. CONTACT NORTH

 E-learning courses for your learners that will help your own time management. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, use this blended learning tool to help learners progress.  Learners will enjoy the interactive learning with other learners and great instructors.  Good Learning Anywhere offers a wide variety of courses to choose from and they follow the MTCU/OALCF guidelines. Establish a Referral Protocol with them and how progress is reported to you and the learner.  You both get to count the learners and their progress. Your learners get experience with digital technology while learning another subject. Bonus! SIOUX HUDSON LEARNING/GOOD LEARNING ANYWHERE

 ONLC is the Support organization for the Native Stream programs, along with your local Literacy Link Network they are funded by MTCU.  ONLC gives support if your program is having problems in any way, if you need help with programming, reaching your targets, communicating with your MTCU/ETC (Employment & Training Consultant).  ONLC’s website has training resources for new and intermediate practitioners; webinars, etc. ONTARIO NATIVE LITERACY COALITION (ONLC)

 ONLC provides training opportunities for practitioners  Provides networking opportunities for practitioners through conferences, webinars and other sources.  ONLC is an advocate for Ontario Native Literacy stream and the government policy-makers and our funders.  Be sure to contact ONLC if you are having problems, need resources or just to have that open line of communication. ONLC

 Apatisiwin & C.D. programs are a good resource for co-programming and can be a source of funding for your learners, if they qualify.  Our literacy program, C.D. & Apatisiwin often co- program and we share learners/clients.  Every learner in our literacy program works with C.D. to create a resume, go to workshops for job search skills, mock interviews and career development.  Apatisiwin can help provide funding for training and some educational choices for learners. APATISIWIN EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING/CAREER DEVELOPMENT (C.D.) PROGRAMS

These are some of the partnerships that have worked for our LBS program. I am sure you may have more suggestions to add. As I said, be creative and look at what is available in your area, things may be very different for you. Possibilities are endless!

ANY QUESTIONS AND / OR COMMENTS WELCOMED: PLEASE CONTACT MARIE : OR

Webinar Created by: Marie Belliveau LBS Program Coordinator/Instructor at Niagara Regional Native Centre for ONLC.ca April 2014