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RENFREW
COUNTY
Literacy Plus - Renfrew County Upgrading Program (RCCUP)
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I am excited
about the Trails to Literacy approach because it fits so
precisely with everything I know about principles of learning, especially
adult education. We have encouraged a type of participatory learning
in our program for a long time. Because we believe strongly that
participatory learning is an ideal approach for adult learners,
we will continue to use it, not only with Trails to Literacy
projects.
Learners in our computer-based communications classes have prepared
a class newsletter, a brochure for a local historical society, agendas
for meetings, posters, notices for the classrooms, invitations to
special events. One tight knit class in a very small community has
begun to research the Ontario
Trillium Foundation with the idea that they might submit a proposal
for a playground in their community.
Recruiting
Community Partners
- Bonnechere
River Watershed Project. Several members of the BRWP committee
have also been connected with RCCUP, both as volunteers and also
through personal friendships with RCCUP staff and board members.
Knowing each other and being acquainted with both organizations
made it easy to connect. The BRWP assigned one of its executives
the role of liaison with RCCUP.
- Similar
connections with other community projects, such as a new museum
in Eganville, have raised suggestions that RCCUP become involved
with other projects as well as the Watershed. This is an idea
we would like to explore instead of all participants supporting
one project, they could be involved in one of several.
- Ontario
Works is seeking community placements and educational experiences
that involve authentic work experience. With the Trails
project, we are able to build on our previous experience in providing
effective OW community placements. Even before we heard about
Trails to Literacy we had started working with OW’s
Community Placement program by providing placements for individuals
who met our Literacy & Basic Skills (LBS) learner criteria.
When the participation agreement is signed, we prepare a training
plan for the participant based on the learning that will take
place during the placement.
Challenges
Geography
is always a challenge for our program. We serve a rural population
sparsely distributed over an extremely large area. That means
that no community has a large enough population base to feed a
large program and lack of transportation is a barrier for many.
However, it also means that people in this region do not have
alternative programming and when we find ways of meeting the challenges,
we are likely to get a strong support from both individuals and
agents that need services.
Join a Trail
Today!
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