Formalizing Transitions between Employment Services and LBS

Simcoe/Muskoka Literacy Network (SMLN) has completed an exciting project called Formalizing Transitions between Employment Services and LBS, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.  The project was developed in response to discussions among local Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) and Employment Services (ES) managers in Simcoe Muskoka.  They identified several areas where they see a need and opportunity to work more closely and effectively together.  Some of these are:

  • What can each service provider offer the client/learner and when is the best time in the service/learning plan of a client/learner to transition from one service to the other?
  • How can we support the client/learner to enhance his/her resilience as he/she moves through that transition, in ways that are effective for both clients and service providers?
  • How best can ES and LBS service providers work with clients/learners who access services concurrently?

The purpose of this project was to research the ways in which ES and LBS programs have been working together to promote transitions from ES to LBS and from LBS to ES.

The main products were produced as a result of this project. These include:

  • Guide to Current and Emerging Practices in Transitions, that documents current best practices related to transitioning LBS learners to ES and ES clients to LBS, along with examples of screening tools and workshops that are in use provincially and beyond, and results of any piloted best practices
  • A webinar to share the initial results of the research
  • Face-to-face training sessions for LBS and ES providers, based on the webinar

The information gathered from preliminary research, on-line surveys, discussions at roundtables and literacy service planning and co-ordination (LSPC) meetings, the webinar, face-to-face workshops were compiled into the Guide.  This Guide is a summary of best practices and tools in six categories

  • Screening and referral tools
  • Service directories
  • Joint planning and partnerships
  • Networking, workshops and information sharing
  • Co-location
  • Resources targeting employers, employees and learners

Supporting learner/client transitions links to and informs both literacy service planning and performance management.  Results and recommendations around these areas are also included in the Guide and the Project Final Report.

This project also linked with QUILL Learning Network’s project, Teaching Practitioners to Fish (Build Tasks) – Integrating OALCF Task Development.  This project created more tasks for the Task-based Activities for LBS Portal and taught practitioners how to create and level tasks.  QUILL has developed tasks around the transition points identified in SMLN’s project, and these will be posted to the Portal.

View the Guide to Current and Emerging Practices in Transitions.

View final report  Transitions Projects Final Report January 27 2014.