About HRSDC | Our Offices | Programs & Services | A-Z Index December 20, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TORONTO, ONTARIO—The Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced funding of more than $1.3 million for two Learner Support Centre pilot projects at St. Christopher House and Seneca College. These learner support centres will strengthen access and retention in post-secondary education, promote mobility and help participants to overcome non-financial barriers to adult learning. The goal of the St. Christopher House project is to develop a replicable lifelong learning centre that supports individuals with low literacy levels and/or low income, and/or experiencing multiple barriers with different learning and training needs. Such a learner support centre will have a seamless source of entry for individuals, no matter what their personal learning and training objectives may be or what skill level they have achieved. “This funding will to develop a lifelong learning centre that helps individuals overcome obstacles to being an active participant in Canada’s work force,” said Minister Volpe. “This centre will cater to a range of individual requirements, whether people have low literacy levels or are experiencing multiple barriers and have different learning or training needs.” The goal of Seneca College’s project is to have an integrated hub working with selected programs to identify at-risk students. This project will help to direct and support students in participating voluntarily in appropriate existing or new intervention strategies, and to follow up and work with students “required” to participate in intervention activities. It will also liaise with program and learning resource centre staff, and with participating students, and will track these students and collect the data required to evaluate the impact of voluntary and required participation in specified supporting services in terms of student outcomes and success. “Innovative approaches are needed to support learners in overcoming non-financial barriers to accessing and completing a post-secondary education, especially if we are to succeed in improving the post-secondary education attainment record of Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canadians have the skills needed to acquire meaningful and productive jobs,” added Minister Tony Ianno, Minister of State (Families and Caregivers), who joined Minister Volpe in making the announcement. Literacy upgrading, financial literacy, prior learning assessment, online learning opportunities, information and guidance, and social supports are some of the measures that can encourage excluded individuals and communities to take part in lifelong learning. Under Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s Learning Initiatives program, these projects will demonstrate the impact of holistic supports for learners on both individuals and the communities and test a full range of supports intended to encourage the engagement of potentially excluded individuals and communities in further learning opportunities Funding for these projects was provided for in the 2004 federal Budget. The projects have been reviewed to ensure compliance with the Department’s administration of its grant and contribution programs, and are subject to review under the Financial Administration Act. SUMMARY OF PROJECT FUNDING Objectives: strengthen access and retention in post-secondary education; promote mobility; and help overcome non-financial barriers to adult learning. Seneca College : $644,674 St. Christopher House: $675,000 Total Government of Canada funding through the Learning Initiatives Program: $1,319,674 - 30 - For more information: Stephen Heckbert Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development (819) 994-2482 Media Relations Office Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (819) 994-5559
