Human Services Career Program May 2015
Human Services Career Program (HSCP)
General Description
May 2015
Chilliwack Society for
Human Services Career Program May 2015 HUMAN SERVICES CAREER PROGRAM (HSCP)
BACKGROUND
In Chilliwack, a significant percentage of the inner city school population consists of students from First Nations communities both on and off reserve and students from ‘working poor’ families. One of the challenges facing Chilliwack Secondary School (CSS) in 2013/14 was a relatively low grade twelve graduation rate of 84% in comparison to the same year’s provincial average of 94% (BC Ministry of Education, 2014). In addition, the graduation rate for Aboriginal students was 73% in comparison to 88% provincially1. While graduation rates were higher in the four preceding years among the general and Aboriginal population groups, these figures do not provide information about students who may not have successfully transferred into the higher grades or left school prior to graduation. In 2013, the Chilliwack Social Planning and Research Council commissioned a study (Watson, Dow & Bryce, 2013) for the purpose of examining the causes of these lower school completion rates. Following a survey
completed by 2,933 of a possible 4,844 middle and high school students in Chilliwack, an important factor determining academic outcomes correlated with the number of adults that students felt they could talk to if they had a problem. A recommendation to implement targeted programs aimed at increasing levels of connectedness using a whole school approach was made. Similar findings were noted by Chou, Kwee, Lees, Firth, Floren et al (2015) through a Youth Participatory Action study involving students who were already disengaged from mainstream education and who were attending alternative education programs. Following in depth interviews with this vulnerable cohort it was determined that being noticed and mattering to adults made a considerable difference to students’ likelihood of staying in school.
Following several years of focused planning involving Chilliwack Secondary School, Ministry for Children and Family Development, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Chilliwack social services agencies, and the University of the Fraser Valley, the Human Services Career Program proposed in this document offers a targeted strategy for increasing school connectedness and school engagement for students and their families in the Chilliwack area.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Human Services Career Program (HSCP) is a multi-faceted applied learning initiative being developed with CSS in partnership with the Ministry for Children and Family Development, the University of the Fraser Valley, and other Chilliwack social service agencies. This pilot program will enable a cohort of high school students to experience academic programming focussed on human services subject matter (psychology, leadership, mentoring, family management, social justice and law),
1
Figures based on 2013/14 “Eligible Grade 12 Graduation” category located on BC Ministry of Education website. This category refers to “[t]he proportion of eligible-to-graduate Grade 12 students who graduated in that school year. Students are eligible to graduate if they have enrolled in sufficient courses to meet the requirements to graduate during that school year.”
Human Services Career Program May 2015 along with core coursework to satisfy BC Ministry of Education standards. An outline of the program curriculum can be viewed in Appendix A.
In addition to a focus on human services, HSCP will offer ‘off time table’ extra -curricular skills training and service learning to augment classroom education. Building on the current Work Experience Program (WEX) model operating as a core BC Educational curriculum component, the HSCP will contribute specific skills training and community-based service learning experiences through engagement with social agencies and inner city feeder schools in Chilliwack. Students will be involved in tutoring and mentoring of elementary children, assisting with the delivery of psycho-educational and social
emotional learning programs in classrooms, providing community education and mental health literacy to students and parents, and engaging in youth participatory action research (See Appendix B for descriptions of service learning positions). The result is to offer an “intricate weaving of class work and community work” due to the comprehensive and integrated nature of this initiative.
Beginning September 2015, the first cohort of thirty (30) students will be identified and accepted into the HSCP as students transition from grades nine to ten. High school students continue through to grade twelve as a cohort with the first group expected to graduate in spring 2019. A major criterion for
acceptance into the HSCP program includes demonstrated promise as a ‘natural helper’ (leadership, good listening skills, helpfulness, compassion). High school students showing these qualities but perhaps discouraged by a core academic subject area such as math or writing, will receive tutoring assistance from UFV students as required.
UFV students will be integral to the program through involvement as mentors, co-facilitators, presenters, tutors, and role models. Initially, the HSCP cohort will be connected to a cohort of fifteen (15) UFV students chosen from Health Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work, Child, Youth and Family Studies, and Criminology. These students will co-train off time table (eight Saturdays a year) and join in service learning projects at inner city feeder schools and social agencies connected to CSSS (See Appendix C for Human Services Career Program Off- Time Table Training Schedule).
As the program will be implemented to its full capacity over three years, resulting in participation from 90 high school and 45 university students, a positive impact on school culture (reduced bullying, fewer students “falling through the cracks”, more engaged learning experiences, greater connectedness) is anticipated. UFV students will be supported through skills development training, along with supervision and mentorship from professionals in the field. They will also be able to obtain reference letters and certificates in one or more areas including peer counselling, mental health and substance use literacy, and specific prevention programs to be offered in the inner city schools. These learning experiences will provide a chance for UFV students to clarify career goals, contribute to community development, and make valuable contacts in a network of community services.
Given the integrated nature of this initiative, among recipients to benefit from this program are also the students and families of area elementary and middle schools identified as ‘inner city’. This includes students of aboriginal background who will be integrated at all levels of the program – elementary, high school, and university. It is also hoped that CSSS students will have an increased capacity to view
Human Services Career Program May 2015 themselves as post-secondary students, viewing UFV as their school of choice due to the support and exposure they received through the HSCP.
HSCP PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES For the High School Student:
Enhance Student Engagement at School
- Create a safe and supported learning community
- Increase concentration in course work and studies related to Human Services - Involve students in related work experience
- Provide off timetable activities Increase School Completion Rates
- Provide tutoring and mentoring
- Expose students to university opportunities at a younger age
- Integrate university student role models and expand academic program offerings Promote Social Responsibility among K-2 and University Students
- Increase cultural and social awareness among students - Raise awareness of careers in the human service field - Offer psycho-social /social emotional skills training
- Coordinate service learning opportunities in the community Community Improvement
- increased sense of community connectedness and place attachment2 - enhanced sense of community safety
- improved mental health and substance use literacy
ANTICIPATED AGENCY INTEGRATION
The HSCP will promote increased coordination of Community Health and Welfare Agencies, First Nations community programs and the school system. Working alongside and as part of the HSCP, a recently opened Youth Health Clinic located in a wing of the CSS, the Neighborhood Learning Centre, will be offering free integrated health and wellness services to youth, young adults, and emerging adults on a drop in basis.
2
Place attachment refers to “the extent to which an individual senses that he or she is affiliated with and dependent on a place (or similar places). Place identity appears to be integral to place dependence, both in terms of the functional utility of place features themselves and the individual’s sense of identification with the place” (Codington-Lacerte, 2013, p.1). In other words, when someone has a high sense of place attachment, they have an increase in sense of responsibility, ownership of the surrounding environment, and a loyalty and desire to preserve and improve it. When place attachment is low, the common spaces are more likely to fall into dis-repair, are neglected, and abused. It is also conceivable that place attachment can contribute to the reduction of transiency rates among vulnerable families.
Human Services Career Program May 2015 Under the auspices of Big Brothers Big Sisters, UFV university school students will be screened and validated to mentor high school students and participate in off timetable training with a high school student cohort.
Area principals from CSSS feeder schools have been consulted and welcome UFV and high school student engagement and area community agencies to support vulnerable students.
The University of the Fraser Valley will facilitate the recruiting of university students for key volunteer opportunities related to the HSCP, facilitate engage of high school students on campus, deliver one or more dual credit courses to the high school cohort, facilitate faculty engagement in community educational opportunities, and provide access to its facilities.
FUNDING AND START UP NEEDS
The HSCP advisory committee is seeking funding sources and program partners to obtain start-up costs to ensure stable funding is in place. It is also seeking funding to cover ‘off time-table’ activities that will involve recruiting, screening, training, supervising and evaluating university students who are involved as volunteers in the program. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley have the skills and knowledge for this work and have submitted a grant to the Vancouver Foundation for coordinating this program component. In addition, a funding request has been made to Chilliwack’s Social Research and Planning Council to establish an evaluation framework. Various in-kind donations are being set in place through the provision of space, human resources and other forms of instrumental support.
REFERENCES
BC Ministry of Education (2014). Six Year Completion and Graduation Rates. Retrieved from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/reports/pdfs/graduation/prov.pdf
Chou, F., Kwee, J., Lees, R., Firth, K., Florence, J., Harms, J., Raber, M., Stevens, T., Tatomir, R., Weaver, C. and Wilson, S. (2015). Nothing about us without us! Youth-led solutions to improve high
school completion rates. Educational Action Research (23). DOI
10.1080/09650792.2015.1013047
Codington-Lacerte, Céleste, Placement Attachment. Salem Press Encyclopedia, January, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2015 from Research Starters database.
Watson, K, Dow, M, Bryce, V (2013). Chilliwack High School engagement and completion study Chilliwack Social Research and Planning Council.
Human Services Career Program May 2015 APPENDIX A – HSCP CURRICULUM (School District 33-Chwk)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Over three years
Courses English 10 Social Studies 10 Science 10 _____ Math 10 Planning 10 (Psychology) English 11 SS 11 or Civ 11 Fns 12 ____ Science 11 ____ Math 11 English 12 Grad Transitions ____ 12 ____ 12 ____ 12 Post-Secondary requirements met here Must include PE 10
Plus five of the following: Family Mgt 11
Family Mgt 12 Social Justice 12 Law 12
First Nation Studies 12 Psychology 11 Psychology 12 Leadership 11 or 12 PE Leadership 11 or 12 Co-curricular Independent Directed Studies (sem 2 only) IDS Working with School Mentor from Year 3 cohort Connecting with Mentor from Community Agency Independent Directed Studies IDS Research Techniques Continue working with Mentor from Community
Independent Directed Studies IDS Research Inquiry Mentoring Year 1 student
Continue working with Mentor from Community
Option to take UFV Dual Credit Course
(Psychology 102 or HSER 120)
Work Experience
Begin WEX 1 Complete WEX 1 Offsite neighbourhood schools Complete WEX 2 Focus “Learning About Learning”
Human Services Career Program May 2015 APPENDIX B - Opportunities for Mentorship, Tutoring and Practicums in Chilliwack
1. Mentor in the Human Services Career Program, Chilliwack Secondary School
This is an opportunity to receive extra training and certificates in peer counselling, while volunteering to help high school students learn more about human services careers and university opportunities. Over the course of the fall/ winter/ spring semesters you would be entitled to eight free Saturday training sessions (one per month). The first three would provide you a certificate program in peer counselling. The last five would develop skills in cognitive behavioural psychology and mindfulness/self-regulation training. You will be provided with funding to take the students and yourself to lunch that day.
The expectation will be to attend the eight Saturday trainings (October 2015 to May 2016) and on one occasion during the academic year, have two high school students shadow you at University.
2. Tutor in the Human Services Career Program at Chilliwack Secondary School
This is an opportunity to provide tutoring to high school students in Writing, Math or Humanities. You would work with students in small groups or in pairs. This could occur in combination with the above noted mentoring opportunity. In exchange, you would be provided with a certificate acknowledging your work as a tutor. A letter of reference is required from your high school or university professor in the relevant subject matter.
The expectation will be to volunteer for a three hour block, once a week for one academic term, September – December 2015 or January to April 2016.
3. Associate Facilitator of the Youth as Gatekeepers, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health & Substance Use Literacy program.
Working with professional staff from the Youth as Gatekeepers program, you would make presentations to high school students, and then recruit and train a cohort of high school students as suicide awareness and mental health and substance use literacy educators. This would expose you to opportunities to improve your public speaking, presentation, and coaching skills while gaining a strong knowledge base on mental health and substance use prevention strategies.
The expectation will be to volunteer once a week for three hours to twelve hours (negotiable) September 2015 to May 2016.
4. Community Development and Education Facilitator
Working with grade 12 Independent Directed Studies students from the psychology program at Chilliwack Secondary School you would design, research, develop, market and implement a series of community education events on a range of topics related to parent education, suicide awareness, mental health and substance use, sexual health, online safety and other issues identified through collaborations with community partners and high school students.
Human Services Career Program May 2015 5. Youth Participatory Action Research Assistant
Working with psychology students at Chilliwack Secondary School from the Independent Directed Studies (Gr 12) program, you would develop research questions, study relevant methods and implement a research project. Through this experience you would have the opportunity to develop skills in
Participatory Action Research and youth engagement.
The expectation will be to work once a week for three hours September 2015 to May 2016. 6. Mental Health Literacy Educator
The student would deliver the FRIENDS Anxiety Management program to inner city elementary schools in Chilliwack. FRIENDS is an empirically validated, primary prevention strategy for students in Grade 4/5. Using a well-established curriculum, students would provide classroom support teaching cognitive behavioural strategies to children during class time. You would work with a partner, be trained in the FRIENDS Curriculum (one day training) and then deliver the program.
The expectation will be to work 1.5 hours a week over an eight week period. 7. Mental Health Promotion Educator
The student would deliver a school-based social emotional curriculum based on mindfulness and self-regulation skills to inner city elementary students. This would be similar to the MindUp Curriculum and may also involve working on implementation of Challenge Day and the annual Balancing Our Minds forum at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
This will involve one day of skills training followed by 10 weeks of delivery, 1.5 hours a week, within elementary schools.
8. Counsellor at the Chilliwack Youth Health Centre, Walk in Single Session Counselling Model Following training in brief, solution focussed counselling, you would work under the close supervision of professional staff as you engage with emerging adults, ages 12 to 26, who present at either of the health centres sites in Chilliwack; Stolo Nation and Chilliwack Secondary Neighbourhood of Learning. The Chilliwack Youth Health Centre provides integrated psycho-social, medical and sexual health counselling. This opportunity is usually reserved for students in social work or child and youth care as part of their practicum experience. It is, however, also available to graduate students in social work and
criminology/criminal justice.
Students will be required to make a minimum commitment of one day a week, Tuesdays 1 pm to 9 pm over an academic term.
9. Group Facilitator and Trainer
Working with the Human Services Career Program and Chilliwack Youth Health Centre, you would work as an associate leader in a variety of group programs, including Parenting Anxious Kids, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for ages 8 to 12, 23 – 15 , 16- 19 , Wellness Group for Middle School Students, Wellness Group for High School Students, Mindfulness Skills for ages 6- 8, 9- 12, 13- 15, 16- 19, and
Human Services Career Program May 2015 Kids in Control, a program for children whose parent(s) has mental illness. Working with a practicum student from social work, counselling psychology or child and youth care, you would review and learn a curriculum, screen and orient group members, implement the group program and evaluate it. Some groups would be delivered at the Ministry for Children and Family Development Office (Child and Youth Mental Health Services) and some at the Chilliwack Secondary School, Neighbourhood of Learning. This will require three hours per week for 10 to 12 weeks.
Human Services Career Program May 2015 APPENDIX C - Human Services Career Program Off- Time Table Training Schedule
Fall 2015
This will consist of three Saturday of training in the basics of peer counselling. Students from both high school and university will receive 18 instructional hours for a “Certificate in Peer Counselling-
“Introductory Level”. Winter/Spring 2016
This will consist of five Saturdays of training in cognitive behavioural theory, mindfulness/self regulation and teaching these skills through the FRIENDS Anxiety Management and MindUp Curriculum. Students will receive certification to be co-presenters of FRIENDS and Mind-up in the fall, 2016 which will include training in presentation skills.
Fall 2016
Grade 10 students repeat the training above with new University Mentors. Grade 11 students and returning mentors or practicum students present FRIENDS and MindUp in the inner city schools that request them.
Grade 11 students and their mentors receive 18 hours of instruction (3 Saturdays) in peer counselling, intermediate level, receiving a certificate of completion at the end.
Winter/Spring 2017
Grade 10 students and new mentors repeat the initial training in cognitive behavioural theory and mindfulness/self regulation, FRIENDS and MindUp.
Grade 11 students and their returning mentors receiving training on five (5) Saturdays or a variety of topics; 1) positive psychology, 2) post-trauma growth, 3) solution focussed counselling, 4) human rights
(Declaration of Human Rights, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, UN Charter on the Rights of the Child) , and 5) leadership in
groups. Fall 2017
Grade 10 students and new mentors repeat the first year curriculum, above. Grade 11 students and continuing mentors repeat the first year curriculum, above.
Grade 12 students, continuing and new mentors receive18 hours of advanced peer counsellor training. Winter/Spring 2018
Grade 10 and 11 students and their mentors repeat the processes noted above
Grade 12 students and their mentors receive training on; systems of human and health care, aboriginal culture training, research in human services – asking and answering questions.
