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PROJECT TITLE
Professional English-language training for Laval health and social services network staff members.
AGENCY
Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Laval
PARTNERS
CSSS de Laval, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, Centre jeunesse de Laval, Centre le Maillon, CRDI Normand-Laramée, Santé Courville, Manoir St-Patrice, CPIVAS (Centre de prévention et d’intervention pour victimes d’agression sexuelle), la Maison de Lina, L’Îlot, CILL (Centre d’implication libre de Laval), CAAP (Centre d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes), La Maison le Prélude, CHOC (Carrefour d’hommes en changement)
OBJECTIVES
The project aims to improve the ability of Francophone workers of the Laval healthcare network to communicate in English in order to better serve the English-speaking clientele. In this perspective, the project’s objectives are:
- To increase the number of workers able to offer services in English at intake, both in healthcare and social services;
- To increase workers’ level of comfort in intervening in English;
- To improve participants' language skills.
NEEDS AND PRIORITIES
The needs identification for 2010-2011 was done by each institution by considering the English service offering set out in the 2007-2010 access program. The needs identified exceed the budget allocated per region by the McGill Project. The priorities for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 stem from the new access program. The Agency plans to add occupational therapists and physiotherapists from CLSC home support to the list of staff concerned and to identify relevant community organizations.
The workers concerned will have to be in contact with a clientele whose language of communication is English. Priority will be given to workers who 1) have an intermediate- level knowledge of English and 2) who participated in the previous year's training.
In terms of training, the priorities adopted are:
- oral conversation adapted to the person’s area of activity;
- English communication in an Allophone context in which English is the second language of both speakers;
- intensive training formula;
- skill maintenance activities.
STAFF TARGET FOR 2010-2013
- English course:
Intake (24), Health (138), Social (127)
Total: 289 - French course:
Intake (0), Health (26), Social (13)
Total: 39
DESCRIPTION OF PLANNED ACTIVITIES
- Training activities: Face-to-face teaching in small groups of 8 to 14 people led by a trainer. Twenty-three groups are planned for the English course section and three groups are planned for the French course section. The training will be offered over two sessions: one in the fall and the other in winter, for a total of 78 hours of training per participant. The formula adopted consists of one intensive week of 30 hours for 6 hours per day, followed by a three-hour session each week for three weeks in order to maintain skills.
- Skill maintenance and development activities and knowledge transfer: Discussion groups will meet one hour per month between April and September. Groups will be inter-sector and inter-level; they will be led by a trainer and participants will sometimes be asked to complete preparatory work.
- Learner evaluation: Participants will be graded over the telephone and will take a written test at the start of training. Regular follow-up with learners will be done with the notes taken by the trainer during conversations between participants. A post-test given at the end of the session will evaluate oral expression, oral comprehension, written expression and written comprehension. The evaluation will help measure the learner’s progress between levels.
- Training materials: The training organization will not develop original materials. It will adapt and use existing materials (manuals provided by the training organization, health-specific lexicons, dictionaries (Password, Petit Larousse).
The courses will take place in rented facilities.
PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES
The Agency will reimburse the institution $100 per day of attendance during the intensive training week for a maximum of $500 per person per session. The Agency will not provide any reimbursement for attendance for the three follow-ups. All participants are affected by this measure.
TRAINING ORGANIZATION
Champlain Regional College – Saint-Lambert Campus
BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR 2010-2013: $570,000
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SPECIAL PROJECT 1 TITLE (2010-2011)
Provision of training for staff who are novice English speakers
OBJECTIVES
To provide a training session for novice English speakers so they can advance to an intermediate level and join the intermediate group by 2011-2012, as part of the training sessions within the regular annual budget.
NEEDS AND PRIORITIES
The Laval Agency, in partnership with Laval institutions, is making intermediate level English training a priority. In order to justify the rationale for this training, which is to improve services offered in English, minimal knowledge of English is a prerequisite. However, the needs of beginners must also be addressed. A dozen beginners have been identified by their institution as requiring an ability to communicate in English.
STAFF TARGET FOR 2010-2011
Intake (7), Health (4), Social (1)
Total: 12
DESCRIPTION OF PLANNED ACTIVITIES
- Training activities: Face-to-face training in two mixed groups for a total of 76 hours.
- Learner evaluation: Placement will be done by telephone and participants will have to
- take a written test at the start of training. Regular follow-up with learners will be done based on the notes taken by the trainer during conversations between participants. A final exam given at the end of the session will evaluate oral expression, oral understanding, written expression and written understanding. The evaluation will help measure the learner’s progress between levels.
- Training materials: The training organization will adapt existing materials.
PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES
The Agency will reimburse the institution $100 per day of attendance during the intensive training week for a maximum of $500 per person per session. The agency will not provide any reimbursement for attendance at the three follow-up sessions.
TRAINING ORGANIZATION
Champlain Regional College – Saint-Lambert Campus
BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR 2010-2011: $22,366
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SPECIAL PROJECT 2 TITLE (2010-2011)
Provision of skill maintenance activities in an immersion environment
OBJECTIVES
To allow advanced intermediate and advanced learners to practice and perfect their professional English skills in an immersion environment.
STAFF TARGET FOR 2010-2011
Health (10), Social (10)
Total: 20
DESCRIPTION OF PLANNED ACTIVITIES
This is a weekend activity. Participants leave by bus on Friday night for an inn in the Estrie region where they will participate in English workshops dealing with work-related (health or social services) topics. They are required to speak in English from the time they board the bus until they return on Sunday.
PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES
Participants will not be compensated for their participation. Travel and lodging expenses will be reimbursed.
TRAINING ORGANIZATION
Champlain Regional College – Saint-Lambert Campus
BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR 2010-2011: $19,080
