ARCHIVED – Enhanced Language Training Initiative: Formative Evaluation

Interview Guide

Service Provider Organizations

This interview is being undertaken as part of the evaluation of the Enhanced Language Training (ELT) Initiative. Goss Gilroy Inc. has been hired to carry out the evaluation over the period of January to April 2007. Several methodologies are being used for the evaluation including a survey of service providers, focus groups with clients, case studies of funded projects, and interviews with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), provincial representatives, service providers, employers and other stakeholder representatives. It is as part of the case studies that you are being asked to participate. Please note that anything you say will be kept confidential. Your comments will not be associated to you but rather reported in aggregate. This interview will take about 60 minutes to complete.

Introduction

1. Please describe your role in the development and or delivery of ELT projects.

Questions Related to ELT Projects

2. From the background documentation we have reviewed, we understand that the project was a [development/delivery] project that started on [date] and ended on [date]. [Repeat, as necessary for multiple projects.] For this (these) project(s), could you please describe, in overall terms, the following:

1. Objective
2. Focus
3. Approach
4. If you carried out more than one project, were they related? How?

3. How did you identify/assess the need for ELT services in your city and, if applicable, for your target group?

4. Please describe how your project(s) engage(s) employers? At what stages are they involved?

1. How does the engagement of employers have an impact on the delivery of the project?

5. Beyond the support provided through ELT, to what extent and how does your organization support the ELT project(s)? (Probe for financial support, access to other resources, access to other programs etc.)

(For development projects)

6. How did you identify the need for the tools/materials developed? What, if anything was unique about these tools/materials?

7. What, if any, have been the challenges in developing the tools/materials? (Probe for available of resources/experts, time frames etc.)

8. How are the results used in your organization and/or distributed to, and used by, others?

1. To what extent are the tools you developed generalizable to other contents?

9. In your opinion, did the development projects result in useful tools and/or information that support and improve the delivery projects?

(For delivery projects)

10. How have you promoted the project? Has this approach been effective in attracting participants from your target group?

11. What, if any, were/are the barriers to participation encountered by ELT clients (e.g., waiting lists, transportation, profession not represented)?

1. To what extent were/are you able to address these barriers?
2. What more could be done?

12. I would like to present you with a list of expected outcomes and ask you to comment on the extent to which (a) each was expected to be achieved by the project, and (b) you believe each was/is being achieved, or is on track to being achieved. Where possible, please discuss how this is occurring and how you know it is occurring.

1. Have clients improved their language skills?
2. Do clients have more experience in the Canadian work environment?
3. Have clients increased their knowledge related to the Canadian work environment?
4. Have clients increased their job search skills?
5. Do clients have established networks/contacts/mentors?
6. Do clients have better job opportunities?

13. What, if any, have been the challenges in implementing the ELT projects(s)?

1. Recruitment, retention, attendance
2. Participants’ commitment to part/full time program
3. Staffing issues
4. Funding issues

Questions Related to ELT Overall

The next set of questions pertain to ELT overall.

14. Thinking of the application process, how could it be improved (e.g., in terms of clarity of instructions, requirements for submissions, etc.)?

15. (Where applicable) Do you have communications with someone at CIC? Who/which office? How effective and/or appropriate are your communications with CIC?

1. To what extent is information shared openly between parties? Is this information sharing timely?

16. (Where applicable) How effective and/or appropriate are your communications with the province?

1. To your knowledge, how effective and/or appropriate are the communications between CIC and the province?

17. Thinking now about the reporting process, how could the reporting and data collection processes be improved?

18. To your knowledge, is any model (of development or delivery) more successful than others? Why do you think this model is more successful? Can you provide some examples?

19. To what extent is labor market integration a challenge for immigrants?

1. What are the challenges?
2. Is the challenge greater for particular occupations, regions/cities?
3. To what extent does ELT address these challenges?

20. Are there other workforce integration programs available to immigrants?

1. Can you briefly describe them?
2. Who delivers that program/those programs?

21. Do you have any other comments you would like to make at this time?

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