CANADA
Faculty members from Nipissing University’s Schulich School of Education are part of a collaborative team working to enhance educational opportunities for Youth in Care.
Nipissing’s Dr. Mike Parr and Dr. Warnie Richardson are working with stakeholders, agencies and institutions, including representatives from school boards, the Children’s Aid Society, colleges, universities and other child advocacy agencies, to form the Northern Ontario Championship Team. Together, the team is working to study and advance initiatives geared to enhancing the prospects for educational success and general life trajectories of youth at risk, specifically those under the care of the Crown, or Crown Wards.
The team recently received a $150,000 grant from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for seed money based on their proposal to increase participation of Crown Wards in intermediate schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities through self-advocacy skills, awareness and support; and to increase awareness of how partners can be more responsive to the needs of youth with Crown Ward status in the communities of Nipissing, Parry Sound and Muskoka.
Phase one of the team’s initiative is complete. It included creating a website for students, parents and service providers that provides links to all contributing agencies offering services and programs to support Youth in Care (Crown Wards). The site can be accessed at: www.clickforsuccess.ca.
Future phases include plans for a symposium for all stakeholders to investigate current initiatives, concentrating on identifying best practices; and launching and measuring strategic initiatives designed to enhance the overall life trajectories, particularly related to schooling experiences of at-risk, marginalized and Youth in Care.
As representatives from the university sector, Parr and Richardson will be working from a research perspective to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of the team’s initiatives.
“The program is aimed at Crown Wards, youth who have been removed from their homes and placed in the care of the government, many of who are at risk of being marginalized and dropping out of school” said Parr. “All of these kids have great potentials yet to be harnessed, and we hope that though collaboration within the Championship Team we can help these youth not only in their schooling endeavours but with their overall development as individuals as well.”
Nipissing University News Release
5 December 2010
http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/details.asp?c=39856
