action research report services in estrie - quebec...action research report services in estrie 2008...

STATE OF RECEPTION, REFERRAL,COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT SERVICES

SARCA

Partnership: A Complementaryand Harmonized Approach toServices in EstrieA

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Partnership: A Complementaryand Harmonized Approach toServices in Estrie

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SARCAState of Reception, Referral,Counselling and Support Services

Direction de l'éducationdes adultes et de l'actioncommunautaire

Coordination

Lino Mastriani, coordinator Direction de l’éducation des adultes et de l’action communautaire Production

Élisabeth Mainka Text

Mirela Moldoveanu Research coordinator Estrie Update

Mirela Moldoveanu Research coordinator Estrie Contribution to the action research project

Emploi-Québec Estrie La Direction régionale de l’Estrie, de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec d’Immigration Québec (IQEMCQ) Les commissions scolaires de la région de l’Estrie Le Collège de Sherbrooke La Direction régionale de l’Estrie du ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport Page layout

Christiane Giroux English version

Direction de la production en langue anglaise Secteur des services à la communauté anglophone Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport © Gouvernement du Québec

Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, 2009 ISBN 978-2-550-54759-4 (PDF) Legal deposit – Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 2009

iii

Table of Contents

List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................................. v

Foreword ............................................................................................................................................. 1

Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Subject of the Action Research Project ............................................................................................... 3

Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Context ................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.1 Estrie: A tradition of partnership and innovation ...................................................................... 9 2.2 Informal partnerships: The cause of shortcomings in reception, referral, counselling and

support services in Estrie? .................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services ......................................... 11

Chapter 3 .......................................................................................................................................... 13

Planning the Action Research Project ............................................................................................... 13 3.1 Participants ........................................................................................................................... 15 3.2 Steps in the research project ................................................................................................ 16 3.3 Human resources .................................................................................................................. 17 3.4 Data collection tools .............................................................................................................. 18 3.5 Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 19

Chapter 4 .......................................................................................................................................... 21

Action Research Procedure .............................................................................................................. 21 4.1 Literature review ................................................................................................................... 23 4.2 Summary table of services offered by the organizations in question .................................... 23 4.3 Focus groups ........................................................................................................................ 24 4.4 Personal interviews ............................................................................................................... 27 4.5 Regional committee meetings ............................................................................................... 27

Chapter 5 .......................................................................................................................................... 29

Results .............................................................................................................................................. 29 5.1 Results of the literature review .............................................................................................. 31

5.1.1 Definition of partnership .............................................................................................. 31 5.1.2 Types of partnership ................................................................................................... 31 5.1.3 Conditions for successful partnerships ....................................................................... 33 5.1.4 Obstacles to a successful partnership ........................................................................ 33

5.2 Analysis of the data gathered from users .............................................................................. 34 5.2.1 General considerations ............................................................................................... 34 5.2.2 Training-employment paths ........................................................................................ 35 5.2.3 Users’ perceptions of reception, referral, counselling and support services ............... 36 5.2.4 Improvements suggested by users ............................................................................. 40

5.3 Analysis of the data gathered from managers and practitioners ........................................... 41

iv

5.3.1 General partnership framework .................................................................................. 42 5.3.2 Managers’ and practitioners’ comments ..................................................................... 44 5.3.3 Managers’ and practitioners’ suggestions for strengthening partnerships .................. 49

5.4 Partnership models based on participants’ suggestions ....................................................... 51 5.4.1 Centralized regional model ......................................................................................... 52 5.4.2 Local centralized model .............................................................................................. 53 5.4.3 Decentralized model without steering mechanism ..................................................... 53 5.4.4 Decentralized model with steering mechanism .......................................................... 55

Chapter 6 .......................................................................................................................................... 57

Recommendations ............................................................................................................................ 57 6.1 Reasons for choosing the decentralized model with steering mechanism ............................ 59 6.2 Recommendations for implementing the decentralized model with steering mechanism ..... 60 6.3 Organizational structures ...................................................................................................... 62 6.4 Tools 63 6.5 Agreements ........................................................................................................................... 63

Chapter 7 .......................................................................................................................................... 65

Ethical Considerations ...................................................................................................................... 65

Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 69

Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 75

Appendixes ....................................................................................................................................... 77

Appendix 1 Action Research Plan .................................................................................................... 79

Appendix 2 Protocol for Discussions With the Homogeneous Practitioners Focus Groups ............. 81

Appendix 3 Protocol for Discussions With the Heterogeneous Practitioners Focus Group .............. 83

Appendix 4 Protocol for Discussions With the User Focus Groups .................................................. 85

Appendix 5 Protocol for Personal Interviews With Practitioners ....................................................... 87

Appendix 6 Protocol for Personal Interviews With Users ................................................................. 89

Appendix 7 Consent Form ................................................................................................................ 91

Appendix 8 Summary Table of Reception, Referral, Counselling and Support Services Offered .... 93 Emploi-Québec ......................................................................................................................... 94 Ministère de l’Éducation ............................................................................................................ 95 Centre Saint-Michel ................................................................................................................... 96 Centre de formation professionnelle 24-juin .............................................................................. 97 Centre d’éducation des adultes du Haut Saint-François ........................................................... 98 Centre d’éducation des adultes de Coaticook ........................................................................... 99 Centre Le Granit ...................................................................................................................... 100 Centre d’éducation des adultes de Magog, de Windsor et d’Asbestos ................................... 101 Centre d’éducation aux adultes New Horizons ....................................................................... 102 Collège de Sherbrooke ........................................................................................................... 103 Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration ................................................ 104

v

List of Acronyms

IQEMCQ: Immigration Québec – Direction régionale de l’Estrie, de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec

MEQ: Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec1

MRC: Municipalité régionale de comté (regional county municipality)

SATI: Service d’accès au travail pour les personnes immigrantes (employment service for immigrants)

SRAR: Service régional d’accueil et d’accompagnement Estrie (regional reception and referral service, Estrie)

SANC: Service d’aide aux néo-canadiens (service for new Canadians)

1. On February 18, 2005, under Order in Council 120-2005, the Ministère de l’Éducation became the Ministère de

l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport. Given that this is a translation of the original document published in French prior to this date, the name Ministère de l’Éducation has been retained for this document.

Partnership: A Complementary and Harmonized Approach to Services in Estrie 1

Foreword

The action research report published here is one of a series of reports that present recent school board initiatives as part of the renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services for adults. The Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) is delighted with this new form of collaboration with the school boards, and with the ensuing contribution to the development of renewed services for adults. In particular, it appreciates the fact that these school boards were willing to involve practitioners in a research activity with which they were not necessarily familiar, and admires the level of commitment and professionalism shown by the practitioners during the research process. The action research projects were presented, accepted and then implemented in 2004, and completed in late February 2005. During the projects, the MELS provided “light scientific” supervision to ensure that the results generated were potentially of interest to all school boards. Each action research project was distinctive to the community in which it was carried out. It addressed a problem faced by that community, and was carried out by players from that community, all of whom had their own practical experience, expertise and cultures. Had the results been presented without sufficient information on the processes used to obtain them, they would not have been useful to readers from other school boards. Production of the final report was a difficult and time-consuming task for the teams and their authors. Several different stages, during which the MELS made numerous methodological and linguistic suggestions, were required to produce the end result, which is presented in this document. The MELS is most grateful to everyone involved in this painstaking and demanding task, and the value and quality of their work will be apparent to anyone who reads the report. Although all the reports have very similar tables of contents to facilitate comparison, the style and spirit of each individual team is nevertheless apparent, constituting a further point of interest in these documents. Enjoy! Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport Direction de l’éducation des adultes et de l’action communautaire

Chapter 1

Subject of the Action Research Project

Chapter 1 Subject of the Action Research Project


This study addresses partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services and aims to answer one basic research question: What partnership model does the regional committee recommend for reception, referral, counselling and support services? The answer to this question requires that we first consider these two questions:

• According to users, practitioners and managers, what are the current partnership practices in Estrie?

• What partnership models would users, practitioners and managers in Estrie like to see implemented?

More specifically, the aim of this action research project is to describe current collaborative practices among practitioners in the organizations involved in the project: Emploi-Québec, the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (regional office), school boards in Estrie and the Collège de Sherbrooke, and Immigration Québec – Direction régionale de l’Estrie, de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec (IQEMCQ). The project is also aimed at analyzing users’ perception of organizations providing reception, referral, counselling and support services. After analyzing and interpreting the data collected from users, practitioners and managers, we attempted to define collaborative models in order to assist and adequately meet the needs of users. These models were evaluated by the regional committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services, which established the advantages and limitations of each one. Based on this evaluation, the regional committee selected one of the models and submitted it to the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi for field-testing in Estrie.

Chapter 2

Context

Chapter 2 Context


2.1 Estrie: A tradition of partnership and innovation

In recent decades, Estrie has been a pioneer in the establishment of partnerships. Consider, for example, Fer de Lance, a 1970s initiative in which every secondary school, college and university in the region joined forces. The experiment was a success and Fer de Lance gave birth in the early 1980s to Service régional d’accueil et référence de l’Estrie, in which the Commission scolaire régionale de l’Estrie, the Commission de formation professionnelle, the regional office of the Ministère de la Main-d’œuvre et de la Sécurité du revenu, the Collège de Sherbrooke, Champlain Regional College (Lennoxville campus) and the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships joined together to offer integrated reception and referral services to the population of Estrie.

Since then, partnership initiatives have been taken to serve a variety of clienteles, including a reception and integration activity for immigrants called Communication et société, a joint initiative of the Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke (Centre Saint-Michel), Emploi-Québec Estrie and the IQEMCQ. Emploi-Québec and the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships are also collaborating on a project (Job Links) offering reception and referral services to anglophones in the region in order to help them enter the work force.

The IQEMCQ is part of a one-of-a-kind partnership initiative in Québec: Service d’accès au travail pour les personnes immigrantes (SATI). Aimed at helping newly arrived immigrants enter the work force, the SATI is the result of a partnership between the Centre Saint-Michel, the IQEMCQ, the Service d’aide aux néo-Canadiens (SANC) and Emploi-Québec. The team is made up of employees at the Centre Saint-Michel and the SANC working together under the same roof and managed by a coordinating committee made up of representatives of each of the organizations involved.

Following the adoption of the government policy on adult education and continuing education and training, the Table éducation–main-d’œuvre broadened its mission and joined other government and economic partners to form the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi. Chaired by the assistant director-general of the Commission scolaire des Sommets, the Table is responsible for implementing the government policy on adult education and continuing education and training in the region. To carry out its mandate, the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi set up six working committees, including the working committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services.

This committee is made up of 12 members, two from the Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke, one from the Commission scolaire des Sommets, one from the Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons, one from the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships, two from Emploi-Québec Estrie, two from Conseil régional des partenaires du marché du travail, one from the Collège de Sherbrooke, one from the IQEMCQ and one from the regional office of the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec.

Chapter 2 Context

10 Partnership: A Complementary and Harmonized Approach to Services in Estrie

The committee met six times in 2003-2004. Representatives developed an action plan and presented it for validation to the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi. The committee’s efforts focused mainly on the sharing of information about reception, referral, counselling and support practices in each of the organizations. This action research project is the result of an initiative taken by the partners to the regional committee.

2.2 Informal partnerships: The cause of shortcomings in reception, referral, counselling and support services in Estrie?

As can be seen in the minutes of the meetings of the working committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services, discussions took place in 2003-2004 on the different practices and approaches of each of the partners. The exchange of information that took place at the meetings of the regional committee revealed:

• a lack of familiarity with the services offered by the different organizations, as well as of their mandates and constraints

• a wide range of clients requiring services: immigrants, anglophones, employment assistance beneficiaries, Employment Insurance beneficiaries, people without public income support

• the preponderance of clients from urban rather than rural areas

• the different age groups of those requesting services

• a lack of cooperation in support services and the absence of such services in certain organizations

• clients referred to other organizations without being told why

So there are different forms of partnerships in Estrie. However, these partnerships are often improvised, informal and dependent on the goodwill of practitioners. This regularly causes problems such as the duplication of services, the encroachment of some services on others, embarrassing situations and repercussions for services to clients.

In order to better identify the issues at stake, this action research project analyzes the problem from two angles: the point of view of practitioners and that of users. First, we attempted to find out how reception, referral, counselling and support staff perceive their relationships with partners in the organizations in question. This perspective was enhanced by the point of view of the managers of those organizations. Then, we wanted to verify users’ perception of reception services, the continuity of services and their own progress.

An analysis of these two situations should provide information about current partnership practices in Estrie. The final objective of the action research project was to develop a partnership model to improve practices in order to better assist clients. This project should

Chapter 2 Context


provide information about existing practices and the importance of developing coherent partnership models.

The objectives of the action research project can be summarized as follows:

• to define partnership

• to analyze partnership practices in reception, referral, counselling and support services from the point of view of users

• to analyze partnership practices in reception, referral, counselling and support services from the point of view of managers and practitioners

• to define a functional partnership model for reception, referral, counselling and support services and submit it to the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi for field- testing in Estrie

Following the implementation of the partnership model, the renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services should benefit all clients of Emploi-Québec, educational institutions and the IQEMCQ.

The partners involved in the action research project are:

• the Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke

• the Commission scolaire des Sommets

• the Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons

• the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships

• the Collège de Sherbrooke

• Immigration Québec – Direction régionale de l’Estrie, de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec

• the regional office of the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec

A resource person was hired to coordinate the action research project and write the final report submitted to the Direction de la formation générale des adultes of the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec. An oversight committee followed up on the research and regular reports were submitted to the regional committee.

2.3 Renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services

As mentioned in the discussion and policy document entitled Toward a Renewal of Reception, Referral, Counselling & Support Services in School Boards, partnership is at the heart of the delivery of joint services to a common clientele. A collaborative network should be created between the different school board services, as well as between these services and those of external organizations, in order to provide coherent reception, referral, counselling and support

Chapter 2 Context


services that adequately meet the needs of adults who want to improve their employability. Analyzing the fields of activity of these partnerships and means of implementing effective and user-friendly forms of collaboration is consistent with the spirit of the policy for the renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services.

For the purposes of this action research project, we have adopted the definitions proposed in the discussion and policy document produced by the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec:

Reception: “A professional and relational process to help the adult express and formulate a demand. It allows for the collection of sufficient information from individuals to make decisions about following up their course of action ... A climate of listening and respect therefore needs to be created to give adults the trust and self-confidence to persevere” (MEQ, 2004, p. 25). Reception should be “generalized, disconnected from training and training mechanisms, decompartmentalized from the other institutions” (MEQ, 2004, pp. 25-26).

Support: According to the MEQ (2004, pp. 27-28), support is “a way of characterizing a general way of intervening,” allowing clients to draw on your knowledge and expertise, while treating the whole person. “Not leaving the adult to progress alone” and “ensuring suitable monitoring” are also inherent in support, which is perceived as “a relational and professional process established over time.”

Referral: “A professional process that takes place after analyzing a situation and evaluating its pertinence,” after which adults are referred to resources that “help them identify goals, develop a project, and define a personal plan of action” (MEQ, 2004, p. 29).

Counselling: Process aimed at helping a person find his or her way through career transitions. According to Riverin-Simard and Simard (2003), quoted in (MEQ, 2004, p. 34), these transitions can be “intra-personal (stages in one’s work life, questioning about the purpose or form of this life, career changes), intra-organizational (modification of responsibilities, vertical mobility), inter-organizational (voluntary change of job, out-placement following a company closure or merger).”

Information: Service aimed at providing equal access to relevant, coherent, valid and up-to-date information about the education system and the job market that is as complete and diversified as possible.

Record of learning in basic general education: Since the implementation of the record of learning in basic general education is still in its experimental phase, for the purposes of this action research project, we have chosen to use the expression “formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education”, which reflects the current reality of the services offered.

Chapter 3

Planning the Action Research Project

Chapter 3 Planning the Action Research Project


3.1 Participants

We limited our attempts to exploring the possibility of strengthening partnerships between the organizations involved in the project in order to improve reception, referral, counselling and support services in Estrie. The objective of this action research project was not to implement or test a partnership model.

In this context, the project targeted three categories of participants:

a) adults who had used the services b) managers of the organizations involved in the project (Emploi-Québec, educational

institutions, the IQEMCQ) c) practitioners in these organizations who provide reception, referral, information,

counselling and support services, as well as the formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education

These three categories are the main players in reception, referral, counselling and support services and are consistent with the objectives of the action research project.

Hearing users’ point of view was essential to the project’s success. We needed to understand users’ perception of the services received in order to be able to determine their strengths and weaknesses throughout the region (systemic questions), at the local level (local questions) and with respect to certain organizations (institutional questions). The focus of the project was to define models that could help users carry out their course of action via a critical analysis of their experience with the services.

Lastly, partnership plays a role in the financial and policy orientations of the organizations involved in the project. It was therefore necessary to explore managers’ perceptions of partnership, the significance they attribute to strengthening regional partnerships in order to improve reception, referral, counselling and support services, and the political and financial limitations of each player’s commitment to an experimental partnership model.

Politics aside, the activities of practitioners (Emploi-Québec employment assistance officers, adult education centre professionals, professionals in the Collège de Sherbrooke’s continuing education department, the IQEMCQ socioeconomic development officers) have an impact on the nature and quality of services offered. To help define a realistic partnership model, it is necessary to understand their experience with the political and financial limitations of their respective organizations and users’ requests, and to identify methods of collaboration in the field and the constraints involved in offering reception, referral, counselling and support services.



3.2 Steps in the research project

The partnership model is based on four principles defined by the regional committee. It must:

a) help users carry out their course of action b) respect the basic principles of the government policy on adult education and

continuing education and training c) meet real needs observed in the field d) respect the mandates of the organizations involved

The action research project therefore focuses on a more in-depth understanding of the context of reception, referral, counselling and support services, as well as of the mandates and policies of each organization. The following steps were deemed necessary:

1. Do a literature review of partnership models (definition; types of partnerships; conditions for success; constraints and obstacles; the steps involved in planning, implementing and managing a partnership project). This review is aimed at establishing the conceptual basis for the project and to justify the choice of partnership model from a theoretical point of view. It should also clarify existing planning and partnership project management practices.

2. Produce a summary table of services offered in each organization, based on internal documents and interviews with resource people. The summary table should present a comprehensive list of the services offered by the organizations involved at the time of the research project and provide information about service providers, including the types of services offered, the philosophies underlying them and methods used in the organizations in question.

3. Organize four practitioners and managers focus groups. The first three groups should be homogeneous, with representatives of a single organization (school boards and the Collège de Sherbrooke, Emploi-Québec, the IQEMCQ), and aimed at determining what practitioners have to say about partnership in reception, referral, counselling and support services, the organizations’ mandates, the limits of their commitment to an improved partnership and ways of improving the organization’s participation in the partnership. The final group was heterogeneous, with representatives of all of the organizations in question, and aimed at sharing suggestions as to how to strengthen partnerships in order to help users carry out their course of action.

4. Organize three users focus groups. Users were divided into three categories depending on the source of financial assistance received which, according to Emploi-Québec criteria, reflects their distance from the job market. According to Emploi-Québec, Employment Insurance beneficiaries are more likely to rejoin the work force than employment assistance beneficiaries or people without public income support. Similarly, the type of interventions carried out by Emploi-Québec, the nature and quantity of services, and the time it takes to enter the work force often vary depending on the client’s status (Emploi-Québec 2004). The



source of financial assistance was selected as the determining factor for the creation of groups (employment assistance beneficiaries, Employment Insurance beneficiaries, people without public income support). Immigrants were placed in the three groups based on the same criterion. The aim of the three focus groups was to have users of reception, referral, counselling and support services share their experiences and make suggestions for improving services.

5. Conduct personal interviews with users, managers and practitioners. Personal interviews with users were aimed at gathering information they did not reveal in the focus group, as well as explanations and more detailed suggestions. The choice of participants was based on their participation in the group and the judgment of the research coordinator. Interviews with managers and practitioners targeted people who did not participate in the focus groups in order to gather as much information as possible. Focus group participants were also interviewed so that they could explain their suggestions.

6. The research coordinator had to agree with the oversight committee on the planning and implementation of each step. Regular meetings of the regional committee were planned to ensure follow-up of the action research project and to determine the partnership model to be field-tested.

Meetings of the regional committee were an integral part of the action research project. Committee members included practitioners and program coordinators working in reception, referral, counselling and support services. Most of them participated in a focus group or personal interview, or both. The chosen partnership model for services in Estrie would emerge from the results of the focus groups and interviews, as well as from the committee. Meetings of the regional committee were to inform the people involved of the progress of the research project and to encourage them to think about current policies and practices and possible changes, beginning with their own practices and decision-making body.

3.3 Human resources

The project was proposed by the regional committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services, set up by the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi. The committee was made up of representatives of Emploi-Québec Estrie, the regional office of the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec, school boards and the Collège de Sherbrooke, and the IQEMCQ. The regional committee set up a three-member oversight committee to follow up on the research. A person was hired to take charge of the research project. She would do the literature review, produce a summary table of services offered by the organizations in question, develop the research design based on the framework approved by the MEQ, develop protocols for the focus groups and personal interviews, define the ethics protocol, plan and conduct the focus groups and personal interviews, analyze the data, propose partnership models and write the final report. The regional committee would choose the partnership model to be submitted to



the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi from among the models suggested on the basis of the data analysis.

3.4 Data collection tools

Four data collection tools would be used: a literature review, interviews with resource people (members of the oversight or regional committee, anyone likely to be able to provide relevant information), focus groups and personal interviews. Specific tools (see below) were developed for the focus groups and personal interviews. The protocols for the focus groups and interviews were based on the results of the literature review and the resource people’s input.

Each focus group would meet for about 90 minutes. The number of participants would be between six and 10. The personal interviews would last about 60 minutes each. Five different protocols were developed:

1. The protocol for the three homogeneous focus groups made up of managers and practitioners at the organizations in question included five questions: four general questions about partnership and one specific question about suggestions for improving partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services in Estrie. The facilitator would encourage participants to share their personal experience collaborating with other organizations and providing services (see Appendix 3).

2. The protocol for the heterogeneous focus group made up of managers and practitioners included five specific questions about training-employment partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services. The facilitator asked additional questions about the strengths and weaknesses of such partnerships and about suggestions for general or specific improvements (see Appendix 4).

3. The protocol for the three users focus groups included three specific questions about reception, referral, information, counselling and support services offered by Emploi-Québec, educational institutions and the IQEMCQ. A fourth question addressed users’ perception of the collaboration among the organizations in question. The final question invited participants to suggest improvements to reception, referral, counselling and support services in order to help them move from one institution to another and enter or reenter the work force (see Appendix 5).

4. The protocol for the personal interviews with managers and practitioners included 12 open questions aimed at gathering information about participants’ personal experience with planning, implementing and managing partnership projects, as well as suggestions for improving the services offered. Depending on the participant’s status, the facilitator would adapt the questionnaire in order to remain in the general area of policy development or to explore more technical questions about interventions in the field (see Appendix 6).



5. The protocol for the personal interviews with users included eight open questions. The main objective was to explore participants’ experience as clients of reception, referral, counselling and support services in different institutions. The questions targeted positive experiences, frustrations, personal interpretations of experiences, and perceptions of the collaboration among organizations. At the end of each interview, participants were asked to provide suggestions for improving services (see Appendix 7).

3.5 Procedure

The focus groups and personal interviews would be conducted by the research coordinator. The ethics protocol allowed discussions to be recorded. A plan was developed to provide an effective framework for the action research project (see Appendix 2).

Chapter 4

Action Research Procedure

Chapter 4 Action Research Procedure


The action research plan established at the beginning of the project (see Appendix 2) was closely followed. Minor adjustments were made as needed, but these had no impact on the procedure. The major steps in the research project are presented below, along with the changes made to the initial plan.

4.1 Literature review

The literature review was the first step in the project. In addition to establishing the conceptual basis of the project, the review of general documents on partnership was intended to justify the choice of partnership model from a theoretical point of view. It was also aimed at identifying existing planning and partnership project management practices. Lastly, the investigation provided guidelines for the development of protocols for the focus groups and personal interviews.

Based on the review, we adopted a definition of partnership consistent with the project’s objectives and identified several types of partnerships and the conditions for their success, as well as constraints and obstacles inherent in each type. This procedure also provided information about the steps involved in planning, implementing and managing partnership projects.

4.2 Summary table of services offered by the organizations in question

The production of a summary table of services offered by the organizations in question (see Appendix 9) was necessary in order to better evaluate the situation and to suggest realistic changes. The table also helped regional committee members understand the experience of colleagues in other organizations. The table will be distributed to practitioners in every institution involved in the project and to future partners in reception, referral, counselling and support services.

Based on the categories of services defined in the MEQ’s discussion and orientation document entitled Toward a Renewal of Reception, Referral, Counselling & Support Services in School Boards, the table was based on internal documents describing services offered by the organizations involved in the project and on information provided by the committee members themselves. A preliminary version was presented to the regional committee at a meeting on August 18, 2004. Discussions revealed certain shortcomings in the documents provided. It proved necessary to standardize and define terminology in order to describe the situation as accurately as possible. In addition, the interpretation of some of the concepts in the MEQ’s document raised questions about the table’s content. While the regional committee agreed on definitions of counselling, support and the record of learning in basic general education, other services posed more of a problem.



Defined as professional processes in the MEQ’s discussion and policy document (MEQ, 2004), reception, information and referral services are in reality provided by both professionals and administrative support staff, as well as by teachers in educational institutions. Limiting the definition of these services to a professional process would exclude work performed by administrative support staff and result in a biased perception of the situation. The regional committee decided to include in the table services offered by professionals, while specifying in the “Comments” section that administrative support staff in educational institutions provide frontline services. These are often the only services clients receive in adult education and vocational training centres before formally enrolling in a program of study.

In order to compensate for the shortcomings identified at the meeting on August 18, the regional committee agreed on a deadline for making corrections and additions to the table for the next edition. The revised version was presented to the regional committee at a meeting on November 22, 2004.

Workshops on the renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services organized by the MEQ in October 2004 clarified certain aspects of the presentation of reception, information and referral services in the table. The definition of these services as professional processes is consistent with the changes suggested by the MEQ (2004) in its policy on adult general education. The summary table, however, needed to present the current state of affairs so that the scope of the measures to be taken to achieve objectives could be evaluated. In light of this new understanding, the oversight committee decided to include services provided by administrative support staff in the table, a decision approved by the regional committee.

Thanks to the commitment of regional committee members, the second version of the summary table came closer to achieving the set objectives. The corrections and additions were unanimously accepted at the November 22 meeting. Apart from a few minor changes, the regional committee members approved the final version of the table (see Appendix 9). Only one item required discussion: the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships offers anglophone clients in Estrie an employability service (Job Links). Since administrative ties are very strong between the school board and the employability service, the representative of the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships included Job Links in the table. The IQEMCQ representatives observed that the SATI is also a partnership initiative and that it should be included in the table. After discussion, the regional committee agreed that the two services would be given as examples of partnership in the final report.

4.3 Focus groups

Planning and conducting the focus groups was the most difficult part of the action research project. While the target population was well defined and broken down into three categories of key players (users, managers and practitioners at the organizations in question), choosing sampling methods was more difficult. Different strategies were used for each category of participants.



Recruitment of managers and practitioners at the organizations in question: The research methodology set the number of participants in the focus groups at between six and 10. The oversight committee divided participants into groups based on different criteria: institutional, territorial and hierarchical. The collaboration of oversight committee members and representatives from the educational institutions on the regional committee guaranteed the successful recruitment of participants for the focus groups as well as the development of the program and the use of rooms at the regional offices of Emploi-Québec Estrie. Despite sometimes very short deadlines and the heavy workload of professionals at the educational institutions, participants once again demonstrated their level of commitment by investing heavily in the project and in the establishment of effective partnerships in Estrie.

We planned four focus groups: three homogeneous groups made up of members of a single organization (educational institutions, Emploi-Québec, the IQEMCQ) and one heterogeneous group made up of representatives of all the organizations involved in the project. Because of the limited number of resources working in reception and referral services and the IQEMCQ’s Service d’évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors Québec, it was impossible to meet with all the resource people at once. Following consultation with the oversight committee, we decided to include the SATI coordinating committee (one representative from the IQEMCQ, one from Emploi-Québec, two from the Centre Saint-Michel and one from the SANC) in this group. This made it possible to gather the opinions of practitioners involved in reception, information and referral services for immigrants, while broadening the sample by adding organizations not directly targeted by the project. It must be pointed out, however, that the SATI is an organization devoted exclusively to improving the employability of immigrants and is the result of a management partnership between the IQEMCQ, Emploi-Québec, the Centre Saint-Michel and the SANC. The members of the SATI coordinating committee all have extensive experience with partnership projects. Their perspective was a useful addition to the action research project.

The group of representatives from the educational institutions was made up of seven participants (two from the Centre Saint-Michel, one from Centre 24-juin, one from the Commission scolaire des Sommets, two from the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships and one from the Collège de Sherbrooke). The representative from the Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons was unable to participate in the focus group. This sample is representative of the professionals who provide reception, referral, counselling and support services in educational institutions in Estrie. Of the seven participants, six were counsellors and one was an administrative aide working in reception. Three had worked at the SRAR and all of them had experience with partnership projects.

The group of representatives from Emploi-Québec was also made up of seven participants, including three employment assistance officers, two team leaders and two CLE (local employment centre) directors. They represented both the Sherbrooke area (4) and the neighbouring MRCs (3). This sample was intended to help gather the opinions of both practitioners and managers. We were also looking for territorial representation. All of the participants had experience with partnership projects.



The heterogeneous group was made up of seven participants: three were from educational institutions (a manager from the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships, a counsellor from the Commission scolaire des Sommets and a manager from the Collège de Sherbrooke), two were from Emploi-Québec (a director and an employment assistance officer) and two were from the IQEMCQ (a manager and a socioeconomic development officer). The representative from the Centre Saint-Michel was unable to attend. Since we already had institutional representation, we were looking for territorial and hierarchical representation (practitioners and managers).

Recruitment of users: The users who participated in the focus groups were recruited with the help of resource people at the educational institutions, Emploi-Québec and the SATI. We formed three focus groups. The status of each user, based on the source of financial assistance (Employment Insurance beneficiaries, employment assistance beneficiaries and people without public income support), was the determining factor for their classification in each of the groups. According to Emploi-Québec, the source of a person’s financial assistance indicates that person’s distance from the job market. For example, Employment Insurance beneficiaries are closer to the job market than employment assistance beneficiaries. The situation of those without public income support is different. Participants from this category were immigrants receiving financial assistance from the Ministère de l’Éducation.

First, the groups had to be homogeneous with respect to participants’ source of financial assistance. Because of a misunderstanding, two employment assistance beneficiaries showed up at the meeting for Employment Insurance beneficiaries. Since they were already there and could not return the next day, they were integrated into the group. This incident changed the composition of the two groups, the first ending up larger than planned (11 participants), while the second included only four participants. The group of people without public income support was made up of nine participants.

Although the sample was not entirely representative, we were looking for diversity in terms of origin, sex, age group, and urban and rural communities. Of the 24 participants, 10 were men and 14, women; there were 15 French Canadians, two English Canadians and seven immigrants; 18 lived in an urban community and six, in a rural community; 12 were between the ages of 16 and 35, eight between the ages of 36 and 45, two were 46 or over and two did not give their age. In terms of schooling, nine had no diploma, six had a secondary school diploma, two, a diploma of vocational studies and four, a university degree. Ten participants said they had 0 to 5 years’ work experience, nine said they had more than 10, and none of them said they had between 6 and 10 years. Five did not say how much work experience they had. Lastly, one participant identified himself as disabled and two, as members of a visible minority.

Participating organizations referred clients proportionally based on their clientele. The Centre Saint-Michel recommended four; Centre 24-juin, five; the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships, four; the Commission scolaire des Sommets, one; the Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons, two; the Collège de Sherbrooke, four; and the SATI, four. Emploi-Québec had referred two clients, but they were new immigrants who did not speak French well enough to participate in a focus group.



4.4 Personal interviews

Recruitment of managers and practitioners: We set up 12 semi-structured personal interviews with six participants from Emploi-Québec, five from educational institutions and one from the IQEMCQ. Five of these had participated in a focus group and were chosen by the research coordinator in order to discuss ideas they expressed there. The others were recommended by the oversight committee based on their role and experience in providing reception, referral, counselling and support services and their involvement in regional partnership projects. We also took into account hierarchical representation (three managers and nine practitioners), as well as territorial representation (10 participants from the Sherbrooke area and two from the MRCs in the region).

Recruitment of users: Eight people participated in semi-structured personal interviews. One had not participated in a focus group, but she agreed to share her experience in a personal interview. The seven others had participated in a focus group. The research coordinator selected participants based on the ideas they expressed in the focus groups as users of reception, referral, counselling and support services. The other characteristics (sex, age group, origin, education, etc.) were not determining factors in the selection of participants for the personal interviews.

4.5 Regional committee meetings

The research coordinator regularly presented the results obtained to the regional committee. These meetings were an integral part of the project, since the committee members were professionals providing reception, referral, counselling and support services in educational institutions and coordinators of ministry programs indirectly involved with these services.

The regional committee debates helped raise practitioners’ awareness of the problem of forming partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services. Practitioners also learned how users perceive the services received and how other practitioners view the services provided by other organizations. This raised questions, some of which resulted in the adjustment of practices in order to better meet users’ expectations.

Chapter 5

Results

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This section presents the results of the literature review and the consultation of participants in the focus groups and personal interviews. Partnership models based on participants’ sugges-tions are also presented.

5.1 Results of the literature review

5.1.1 Definition of partnership

Our review of the literature on partnership revealed several aspects that must be taken into account, including formal agreements, the status of the partners and the purpose of the intervention. According to Dhume (2001), a successful partnership requires a formal agreement. An explicit contract guarantees that the parties understand the mandates of the organizations in question, as well as the framework for their intervention in the partnership and the limits of their involvement. The equality of partners is another essential aspect (Dhume, 2001; Conseil supérieur de l’éducation, 2002). Even if the parties do not participate equally from a technical, administrative or financial standpoint, the partners should retain equal status in the partnership (Freeman and Dohoo Faure, 2003). The objectives of the joint intervention determine in large part the nature of the partnership. Jointly established goals can lead to changes in partners’ practices. Taking all of these aspects into account, we propose the following operational definition:

Partnership is the result of a voluntary, mutual and contractual commitment on the part of different but equal players who share complementary resources in order to take joint action that is more complex than the individual actions of each player.

5.1.2 Types of partnership

A variety of typologies are proposed in the literature. Without performing a critical analysis, we selected the following typology, proposed by Emploi-Québec (2001, pp. 15-16) for the purposes of this research project:

Information partnership: Consists in informing a person or a group of people about different objects, situations or problems.

Consultation partnership: Consists in gathering others’ opinions and obtaining and providing information with a view to making a decision.

Cooperation partnership: Consists in sharing ideas, priorities and practices and agreeing on orientations, strategies and actions to be taken.

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Management partnership: Consists in sharing resources and/or responsibilities in order to achieve a goal. Decisions are made jointly and the partners are formally committed to achieving the set goal.

Service partnership: Consists in having someone do an activity or provide a predetermined service in a business relationship. It is a client/agent relationship governed by a contractual commitment.

The types of partnership differ in terms of the degree of commitment of the partners, the ways in which the project is managed and the organizational structures set up. For example, an information partnership involves little collaboration between the partners, who do not establish a formalized relationship in which they act jointly, but who simply share information about certain subjects. The sharing of information must be governed by specific conditions: each partner’s obligation to continually update its information about the subjects in question, formal agreements consistent with current legislation respecting access to personal information and confidentiality.

Consultation partnerships require more commitment in the sense that decision making in predetermined areas depends on the information provided by the other organizations involved, as well as their position. Formal agreements are necessary in order to specify the areas targeted by the consultation, as well as the limits of the joint decision making, in accordance with the policies of each of the partners and their common goals. Structures can be set up for consultation, such as the appointment of resource people to share information, gather information from partners and negotiate solutions. This type of partnership makes it possible to learn about the other organizations’ orientations and practices and to take them into account in the decision-making process, while maintaining organizational autonomy.

Cooperation partnerships involve considerable commitment on the part of partners, who must not only share information, but also adopt joint orientations, strategies and practices. Formal agreements are essential in this type of partnership, which can result in changes in a partner’s practices in favour of joint action. A steering mechanism to negotiate agreements is essential in a cooperation partnership. The agreements should specify the areas of cooperation and the limits of joint interventions, in accordance with the mandates of the organizations in question. The partners maintain their organizational autonomy and there is no sharing of material resources.

Management partnerships require extreme commitment on the part of the partners, who share material and human resources, which must be managed. This results in a new structure, whose operation relies on partners’ contributions. Formal agreements are essential in order to define joint actions, the limits of financial participation and human resources, so that orientations and strategies are harmonized. The management structure and follow-up procedures must also be specified.

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Service partnerships are more than partnership relations in that they become a client/agent relationship governed by the same rules as all business relationships.

5.1.3 Conditions for successful partnerships

Whatever the type of partnership chosen, there are conditions that are conducive to the project’s success. Freeman and Dohoo Faure (2003) suggest four conditions for success:

Continuity of strategic direction, funding and staffing: The stability of the strategic direction of the organizations in question contributes to the success of a partnership project based on partners’ policy priorities. If, at some point in time, the area of intervention of the joint project is no longer consistent with the strategic priorities of one of the partners, the latter will reduce its level of commitment and may even drop out entirely. The stability of the staff members involved contributes to the partnership’s success since all partnerships are based on privileged relationships and harmonized practices.

Constraints in administrative and technical capacity: While every partner does not mobilize the same amount of material and human resources, a partnership’s success depends in large part on the balance in the decision-making dynamic and in the application of the decisions made. An imbalance in the financial or human resources provided by the partners can result in one of the organizations taking over as leader, refusing to take other partners’ opinions into consideration. Maintaining an equal relationship is an essential condition for partnership.

Roles and participation: In order to ensure a successful partnership, it is necessary to clearly define partners’ roles and their degree of commitment, while respecting each one’s mandate. An examination of the effects of the financial relationship on the participation of the organizations, as well as a clarification of participation in planning, coordination, management and follow-up activities, will guarantee the project’s success. Transparency, mutual respect and trust are all attitudes conducive to partnership.

Relevance to local context: The partnership must meet real needs identified in the field. The adoption of a partnership model without consideration of local characteristics can doom the project to failure.

5.1.4 Obstacles to a successful partnership

In addition to financial and political conditions, research on partnerships (Henripin, 1994; Conseil supérieur de l’éducation, 1995) has revealed several internal factors that can prevent partnerships from working, including:

Lack of transparency: Essentially based on respect and trust, all partnerships require an exchange of complete and coherent information about predetermined subjects. A lack of transparency prevents partners from understanding each other and leads to mistrust.

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Imbalances in the sharing of leadership, resources, and technical and administrative capacities: The funding relationship can cause one partner to assume full leadership, which inhibits collaboration.

Ambiguity in the contractual relationship: Not clearly and specifically defining the objectives of the joint action, management and evaluation methods and the role of each partner in the project can lead to disagreements later on.

Lack of personal commitment on the part of the human resources involved: The staff assigned to the partnership project must understand and believe in the joint action. Without such personal commitment, the interventions will not be consistent with the spirit of the partnership.

Conflicts related to cultural differences in the organizations involved: Differences in organizational culture can cause the partnership project to fail if the hierarchical approach to decision making and the limits of the joint action and follow-up are not specified in advance.

5.2 Analysis of the data gathered from users

5.2.1 General considerations

Generally speaking, according to their assertions in the focus groups, all of the users participating in the research project wanted to improve their employability. In their opinion, a formal learning plan was the most appropriate means of managing their work-related life. As participant 7 put it, “I considered a lot of options. Finally, I decided that going back to school was the best way of getting a better job.” Participant 6 added, “I had been thinking about going back to school for a long time. If you want a better job, you need a diploma.” Most participants had developed a plan before taking action, such as participants 3 and 5, who wanted to become nursing assistants, despite their academic and financial obstacles.

Despite these commonalities, two major differences between Canadian and immigrant clients were identified. On the one hand, the level of schooling of immigrant users was higher than that of their Canadian counterparts. Of the seven immigrant participants, five had a university degree, one, a college diploma and one, a secondary school diploma. Of the 17 Canadian participants, nine had not finished secondary school, five held a secondary school diploma, one, a diploma of vocational studies and two, a college diploma. On the other hand, an analysis of the data reveals that immigrants are generally more critical of the nature and quality of the services received than the Canadians in our sample.

The views of users questioned about collaboration between the organizations involved in the project do not vary according to personal or social characteristics (sex, age group, level of schooling, source of financial assistance, status in Canada). None of the clients saw collaboration between the organizations. While the mission of each organization is well defined, the client must make connections between the institutions and their services: “They don’t

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communicate. I have to give everyone the same information and find information about the different services myself”, participant 5 told us. The three users focus groups agreed. For example, one participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group told us: “Emploi-Québec clients are left to their own devices; there is no information about programs of study,” while a participant in the employment assistance beneficiaries focus group told us about his experience with Emploi-Québec and the educational institutions. The only variable that appears to influence the outcome is whether the user lives in an urban (Sherbrooke area) or rural community. Collaboration in both rural and urban areas outside Sherbrooke is more apparent to participants. According to participant 6: “Connections between the organizations are good outside the Sherbrooke area. People know each other and give you all the information.” With respect to the quality of services received, the comments gathered mostly dealt with unequal access to Emploi-Québec services: “You don’t get the same services from every officer or in every region”, said a participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group. “It also depends on the time of year. There are luckier periods; sometimes the money runs out,” said another participant in the same focus group. Participant 1 added during his personal interview: “It depends on the officer you get at the CLE. You can get lucky. Otherwise, you have to try to have your file transferred. You’ll get different services with another officer.” According to participants, the quality of Emploi-Québec services (interventions before enrolling in school and access to financial assistance) varies from CLE to CLE and from one officer to the next. The users interviewed pointed out that it would be helpful to standardize services and make them more transparent: “They need to standardize services so that everyone has access to the same information and the same treatment”, said a participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group. “In my case, the CLE officer gave me good advice. But I would have liked more information so I could understand why he was referring me to one service rather than another”, said participant 7, while one participant in the group of people without public income support suggested: “There should be more transparency in the information about financial questions and eligibility for services.”

5.2.2 Training-employment paths

Users who participated in the project had followed a variety of different training and employment paths. These paths can be divided into two major categories based on participants’ status in Canada (French and English Canadians as opposed to recent immigrants).

Canadian clients’ path began with a plan for improving their employability. The reasons for their need varied from one individual to the next (loss of employment, need for more schooling to continue to occupy the same job, need to enter the work force after dropping out of school and without work experience, desire to change fields, desire for a higher or more stable income). According to the comments gathered, the participants all looked for information about program offerings in the field that interested them and most even visited an adult education or vocational training centre to get more information about programs and admission requirements. All of the

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participants requested financial assistance from the CLE1 after having taken steps to obtain information from educational institutions. Upon approval of their request, the users enrolled in the program of study. Those who received financial assistance benefited from reception and counselling services at the CLE. A second category of clients interviewed were refused financial assistance. All of the participants in our research project who were refused persevered: some of them succeeded in having their file transferred to another officer, others managed to convince their officer of the feasibility of their plan. The users in this second category benefited from reception, counselling and information services at the CLE. A final category of clients received a positive answer, but were referred to an external resource (recognition of competencies) to clarify their needs. These users received reception, counselling, information, and referral services. All of the clients in school benefit from support services from their CLE officer and professionals at the educational institution.

The immigrants benefited from specialized reception services at the IQEMCQ and immediate referral to the SATI or the francization program. Users in this category developed their plan themselves and looked for financial resources, most often from the MEQ’s financial assistance program. Depending on the nature of their plan, immigrant participants followed the same paths at the CLE as the Canadian participants.2

5.2.3 Users’ perceptions of reception, referral, counselling and support services

Reception: In a context in which each organization provides its own reception services, the clients interviewed are very pleased with the services in educational institutions: “Reception services at the CEGEP are very good. They give you all the information you need,” said participant 2. A participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group agreed. Other participants expressed the same positive appreciation of reception services in other educational institutions in the region. However, it must be pointed out that these services are provided by administrative support staff and that their interventions are usually limited to providing information about programs offered, prerequisites, placement tests and admission requirements. Participants did not appear to feel the need for professional reception services.

Users find the reception procedure at CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest rather lengthy (weeks of waiting), while at CLE de Sherbrooke-Est and in the regions, reception services are rapid and satisfactory. Reception services at Emploi-Québec generally meet clients’ needs: despite certain frustrations related to procedure (having to visit the CLE in person, fill out a form and wait at least two weeks for an appointment), clients are satisfied with its reception and counselling services. For example, participant 6 (male, francophone, employment assistance, no diploma, age 29) told us that the CLE officer had given good advice and helped him gain a

1. The duties of an employment assistance officer include analyzing the client’s actual employability and suggesting

solutions for implementing the employability improvement plan, in conjunction with the client. 2. A specific resource person is assigned to the CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest to serve this clientele.

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better understanding of his options and means of achieving his goals. Participant 2 (female, francophone, Employment Insurance, no diploma, age 37) told us that the CLE officer supported her in her choices and helped her better define her plan. Participant 7 (female, francophone, employment assistance, secondary school diploma, age 43) had not properly understood the CLE officer, who had referred her to a workshop on the recognition of competencies. After this step, she discovered that her initial plan was impossible to carry out. She modified it with the help of her officer, who then offered her all the support she needed.

The users interviewed also indicated weaknesses in reception services within the CLE. The most serious appear to be variations in the programs offered to immigrants. Participant 2 (female, Morocco, no public income support, university degree, age 29) told us she managed on her own, since the CLE officer did not know what to suggest. Similarly, participant 1 (male, Columbia, employment assistance, university degree, age 50) complained that the officer at CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest had provided no support, but that he had been well served at CLE de Sherbrooke-Est: “The officer at CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest didn’t give me any information or advice. I was unhappy and was looking for a solution. I succeeded in having my file transferred to CLE de Sherbrooke-Est, where I met a really helpful officer.” This testimony also raises the question of unequal access to financial assistance from one CLE to the next.

According to clients, the IQEMCQ and the SATI offer good reception services. Services at the IQEMCQ focus on practical information about the region, but do not make a connection with program offerings or immediate integration into the work force, as participants in the group of people without public income support told us: “The reception services were very good. They told us about the region, but not a lot about possible ways of upgrading or finding a job.” Newly arrived immigrants are referred to the SATI and the SANC: “After being welcomed at the IQEMCQ, we were referred to the SATI for more information,” said another participant in the above-mentioned group.

Referral: Referral is the service in which clients are best able to see cooperation among the organizations: “You can see that they talk to each other when the person in front of you calls to find out information somewhere else or to refer you personally to another service,” said participant 1. The clients interviewed said that they did not often use referral services in the education centres. Those who did use them, participants 1 and 2 for example, greatly appreciated being referred by the Collège de Sherbrooke to the Service des évaluations comparatives des études effectuées hors du Québec (the IQEMCQ), Emploi-Québec and the MEQ’s financial assistance program.

Users said they had positive experiences with the referral services offered by Emploi-Québec. For example, participant 6 told us that the CLE officer referred her personally to the resource person at the educational institution to get information about the possibility of going back to school and about short programs that could improve her employability. What users appreciated the most was being referred to external resources to have their competencies recognized. This was the case with participant 7, who was able to refine her learning plan after undergoing the process on the CLE officer’s recommendation. Despite these positive evaluations, participants

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in the employment assistance beneficiaries focus group also identified weaknesses within the referral services offered by Emploi-Québec. The most serious weakness appears to be the lack of communication between CLEs and educational institutions: “Clients are left to their own devices. CLE officers do not refer clients to resource people in educational institutions. The clients have to take endless steps,” said one participant in the above-mentioned group. Others agreed. The situation differs, however, depending on the region and the CLE officer, as can be seen in the stories heard during the personal interviews. In fact, while participant 6 expressed his satisfaction in this regard, participants 3 and 5 were more critical: “There is no obvious cooperation. We’re left to our own devices” (participant 3).

Immigrant users appreciated being referred immediately to the SATI, the SANC and the francization program. However, they were dissatisfied with the CLE’s failure to refer them to the financial assistance programs to which some of them are entitled. For example, one participant in the group of people without public income support told us that she had to pay for a course that is usually covered by Emploi-Québec. She blames this situation on the fact that the IQEMCQ does not refer people to Emploi-Québec to check for eligibility for subsidies.

Information: Information services are the most problematic according to clients, who have different expectations depending on the organization providing the service. Every one of the users interviewed said that they received the necessary information about programs offered in educational institutions: “At the Centre Saint-Michel, they give all the necessary information about programs offered and about admission requirements” (Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group). And: “The resource person at the Collège de Sherbrooke takes the time to explain all about the programs” (participant 2). Beneficiaries also mentioned services provided by administrative support staff, as well as leaflets and open houses.

Expectations are higher with respect to Emploi-Québec. According to participants, information does not flow freely: “CLE officers do not provide information, they help you fill out forms” (employment assistance beneficiaries focus group). In order to explain this situation, participants hypothesized that officers do not have access to the necessary information: “The CLE officer advised me to get information about programs of study, because he did not have access to it”1 (employment assistance beneficiaries focus group), or that they do not give clients all the information: “I found programs of study, then the CLE officer told me that they were not eligible for a subsidy. You’d think he could have told me that some programs aren’t subsidized?” (employment assistance beneficiaries focus group).

Users receiving Employment Insurance and immigrants are the most dissatisfied and critical. In addition to the above examples, which represent situations experienced by Employment Insurance beneficiaries, remember participants 1 and 2 (immigrants), who criticized the lack of information at CLEs: “The officer at CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest didn’t give me any information”

1. This practice, however, is consistent with Emploi-Québec policy, which is aimed at fostering clients’ autonomy.

Providing a list of programs of study is not the responsibility of the CLE officer.

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(participant 1). Participant 2 added: “The CLE officer didn’t know what to suggest. I had to find the information myself.”

Participants in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group cited unequal access to services, saying that they depend on the relationship between practitioner and client: “You don’t get the same services from one officer to the next.” This was supported by comments gathered in the personal interviews. For example, participant 3 (male, francophone, Employment Insurance, secondary school diploma, age 42) had his file transferred to another officer in the same CLE in order to obtain the information and financial assistance he needed. Participant 1 had the same experience, but he had his file transferred to another CLE.1 He said he was very satisfied with the services he received from his new employment assistance officer who, although he did not offer financial assistance, supported him in his attempts to obtain information and counselling and referred him to a program of study and to the MEQ’s financial assistance program.

Newly arrived immigrants appreciate the fact that the IQEMCQ usually offers helpful information about the region. However, they would like more information about certain programs which, in their opinion, could help them. For example, all of the immigrant participants mentioned the immigration regionalization program.2 Given the lack of information, all of them thought it was an employment assistance program to which the people providing reception services at the IQEMCQ, the SATI and the SANC failed to refer them.

Support: All of the categories of clients interviewed felt the need for support in their efforts to enter the work force or integrate into society. According to participants, more sustained support would be helpful: “While at school, the client should concentrate on what is important. However, we are always uncertain about our next cheque. Also, there is no follow-up. More should be invested in those who don’t give up, but the people who have that power aren’t involved in follow-up,” said a participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group. The users interviewed believe that it is part of Emploi-Québec’s mandate to offer support services during the training-employment process: “Once you are admitted to a program of study, the CLE officer is only there to count absences and to cut your financial assistance off. Maybe he should play a more active role in follow-up, see if it’s working. That would be welcome,” said another participant in the same group. Given the way in which this service is organized, they feel left to their own devices while at school and don’t know “what’s going to happen next.”

1. It must be pointed out that, in theory, it is impossible to have one’s file transferred from one CLE to another

without moving. Since participant 1 is an immigrant, his file was assigned to the person in charge of newly arrived immigrants at CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest. He was then able to have his file transferred to CLE de Sherbrooke-Est by using his permanent address. This is not an isolated case, two other participants having had the same experience.

2. The immigration regionalization program is an Immigration Québec subsidy for organizations aimed at attracting immigrants to the regions. The participants in this research project did not belong to the group targeted by the program.

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In the educational institutions, clients feel well supported by teachers and information and counselling. According to their comments, teachers provide regular and often proactive support. This service is limited to academic success, while participants expressed a need for a broader perspective, including concrete job market options. The clients interviewed did not often use the services of counsellors (only two of the 25 participants used the service).

Emploi-Québec intervenes in the event that users receiving financial assistance experience academic difficulties (absences, failure). According to participants, this is the only form of visible support. Even in situations involving academic difficulties, clients perceive inequalities in the services offered. For example, participants in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group mentioned cases in which the CLE officer intervened immediately, unlike other cases in which the officer’s reaction was a long time coming.

The IQEMCQ does not offer follow-up services for immigrants. According to its new policies, which we heard about from the IQEMCQ and heterogeneous focus groups, a toolbox designed specifically to provide support services for newly arrived immigrants will soon be made available.

Formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education: Clients perceive only the formal recognition of prior learning by educational institutions or the IQEMCQ (the certificate awarded by Service d’évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec). Only one client took a workshop in the record of learning in basic general education, with which she was very satisfied, since it helped her “get to know herself better” and “make better choices.”

5.2.4 Improvements suggested by users

At the planning stages of this action research project, the regional committee expected that a partnership model would emerge from the data gathered from users, managers and practitioners. It did not. However, the analysis and interpretation of the data made it possible to determine courses of action for the improvement of services. While the managers and practitioners provided more detailed information about the changes needed, the users interviewed mentioned only the weaknesses of the services received, without considering how better cooperation between the organizations could help improve their quality. Two orientations were defined based on participants’ suggestions: one-stop services and improvements to the current mechanism.

Most of the clients interviewed had reservations about the one-stop services option for reception, referral, counselling and support services. In particular, since access to services is already unequal, they feared they might be served by a less helpful practitioner: “Now you can have your file transferred if the CLE officer doesn’t meet your expectations. In one-stop services, you would be stuck with the person in charge of your file forever” (participant 3). According to participants, the waiting lines inherent in one-stop services are another strike against it. However, immigrants are more favourable to the option, provided that the people in

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charge of reception are well informed about all the programs and can refer each client appropriately and provide complete, coherent and adequate information: “It’s an interesting idea. But the people who work there need to be able to provide quality services” (participant in the group of people without public income support).

The users interviewed preferred the improvements to the current mechanism option. Changes should help clients carry out their course of action, which sometimes takes a long time to get from the CLE to the educational institution, especially if the client is forced to find information about programs eligible for benefits on his or her own. According to participant 1: “The current system works pretty well. Adjustments are needed here and there to improve the system, but not significant changes. There are strengths, and there are weaknesses that can be corrected with a little effort.”

Another objective of change would be to ensure more effective communication between the organizations: “There should be more communication between CLE officers and practitioners at educational institutions. The information should be shared more freely between them and with clients. That would help and save us a lot of effort and stress,” said one participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group. The clients did not suggest concrete means of achieving this result, but they mentioned certain aspects, in particular information about programs of study eligible for subsidies, and agreements between CLEs and educational institutions with respect to registration fees.

However, the standardization of CLE services was mentioned by every user interviewed: “They need to standardize the services offered by CLEs. They are not standardized now. There is a big difference between CLEs and between officers and access to services is unequal. It’s not fair,” said one participant in the Employment Insurance beneficiaries focus group. All of the other participants agreed. Indeed, unequal access to CLE services is the cause of most frustrations expressed by clients. This inequality affects a wide range of services, including information, counselling, referral and support services.

Support services are also a weak point that clients would like to see corrected. In their opinion, sustained, regular and visible support from employment assistance officers, perhaps even in collaboration with professionals and teachers in educational institutions, would contribute to the success of their learning plan: “It’s important to see that you can count on somebody when things start going wrong, but also to be able to share your achievements,” pointed out a participant in the employment assistance beneficiaries focus group.

5.3 Analysis of the data gathered from managers and practitioners

The following sections provide an analysis of the data gathered from managers and practitioners at the organizations involved in the project: educational institutions offering adult education programs, Emploi-Québec Estrie and the IQEMCQ.

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5.3.1 General partnership framework

According to the managers and practitioners who participated in the research project, partnership can be defined as cooperation involving the sharing of resources, budgets and information in order to achieve a common goal. As one participant in the educational institutions focus group mentioned, “the ideal partnership changes practices to achieve a common goal. It can even involve changes in approach to obtain better results.” It is also necessary to define the purpose of the partnership, beyond which action is impossible. For participant 6 (Emploi-Québec), “there are two conditions a partnership must meet: voluntary participation and the pursuit of a common goal; each partner contributes something (resources, money, expertise).” According to the experience of participants in the educational institutions and the IQEMCQ focus groups, partnership is most often based on an informal relationship which, ideally, should be structured.

A successful partnership is based on a precise definition of the common goal. In this respect, participants in the Emploi-Québec focus group told us that “clarifying the mandates of the organizations involved is essential to a successful partnership”; they added that “the continuity of staffing and policies also plays an important role.” Understanding, respect for partners and trust are some of the conditions conducive to partnership. In the case of training-employment partnerships, “information should flow effectively”, they added.

Budgetary constraints are a major obstacle to partnership. For example, a participant in the Emploi-Québec focus group shared his opinion: “There needs to be a lot of flexibility and creativity at the budgetary level in order to develop financing packages. People have to respect the spirit of the administrative rules and be able to innovate and find solutions.” According to participants, other factors that threaten partnership include a lack of stability in policies, a negative attitude in the people concerned and a lack of communication between partners and clients.

With respect to partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services, participants agree that the client should be at the heart of the process. Stronger regional partnerships should lead to the implementation of a model and practices to the client’s advantage: “We need a simple, functional model that offers all of the tools needed to better serve clients” (participant 3, educational institutions). All of the participants, regardless of their organization and hierarchical position, clearly expressed their desire to support partnerships in order to improve reception, referral, counselling and support services in the region: “These services don’t stop at referral. There are a lot of services surrounding education and training. These services are important, especially for adult clients seeking options” (participant 3, educational institutions; participant 8, educational institutions, agreed).

Differences also emerged. Significant variables apply to the organization in question and the position in the hierarchy (decision-maker or practitioner).

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Emploi-Québec and educational institutions have different philosophies and organizational missions. While Emploi-Québec favours an approach fostering the shortest path to a long-term job (Emploi-Québec, 2004), educational institutions favour the highest level of schooling in order to maximize clients’ chances of entering the work force. This has an impact on their interventions, as well as on relations between the organizations. According to participants 5 and 9 (Emploi-Québec), Emploi-Québec does not financially support paths to employability that involve programs of study it deems too lengthy with respect to their chances of helping clients enter the work force. For the same client, educational institutions will propose a longer learning profile, said these two participants, as did participants 3 and 7 (educational institutions). The ambivalence of the two organizations’ messages, often unclear to the client, makes relations rather difficult between practitioners and clients. Practitioners at Emploi-Québec admit to having limited means and cannot support plans they feel are unrealistic (participants 9, 10 and 11, Emploi-Québec). This sometimes contradicts the learning profiles established by practitioners in educational institutions and frustrates clients (opinion expressed by the three practitioners at Emploi-Québec mentioned earlier and by participants 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, educational institutions).

The IQEMCQ’s position is particular, given its clientele. The services provided by the IQEMCQ are aimed at providing general information about the region and referring immigrants to basic services (see the summary table of services offered). It has formal agreements with Emploi-Québec (in particular with CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest) respecting immigrant clients and with the Centre d’éducation populaire and the Collège de Sherbrooke for linguistic integration. It should be noted that, since the agreements with Emploi-Québec were being revised during the research project, future orientations were unclear for participants (point of view expressed by participants 4 and 9, Emploi-Québec).

Comments concerning the mechanisms for regional partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services vary depending on the participants’ position in the hierarchy of their organization (managers or practitioners). The practitioners interviewed prefer informal relations: “Partnership is heavily based on personal contact” (participant 4, Emploi-Québec), and: “It works much better when you know the person” (participant 9, Emploi-Québec). Managers appear to favour formal agreements in all partnerships: “A formal partnership is not affected as much by staff changes” (participant 6, Emploi-Québec), and: “Partnerships must be formal if they are to be effective” (participant 5, Emploi-Québec). For counsellors in educational institutions and employment assistance officers, networks of personal contacts are extremely important and guarantee the procedure’s success. For example, participant 9 (Emploi-Québec) shared her positive experiences collaborating with the “resource person” at the Centre Saint-Michel, emphasizing the importance of the interpersonal aspect of collaboration: “Everything is based on interpersonal relationships”, she said. Participants 10 and 11 expressed the same point of view. Formal agreements, according to this category of participants, are an important aspect of a successful partnership, but are not indispensable (“Human resources are important. When you start off with a negative attitude, it’s harder. Behind partnerships there are people living with the results” – the IQEMCQ focus group). Managers, on the other hand, believe that

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all collaborations should be based on formal agreements clearly stipulating the mandates and limits of each partner’s intervention.

All of the participants expressed a desire for stronger partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services. While for managers this means in terms of funding and the organization’s strategic orientations (“You have to be careful of policies: policy changes can mean financial changes” – Emploi-Québec focus group), practitioners are referring directly to the quality of services offered to clients. According to the latter category of participants, ensuring quality services may go against the strategic orientations of the partnership (“I try to offer good services, even if the policy has changed and a given program is no longer a priority” – Emploi-Québec focus group). In their opinion, budgetary constraints do not hinder the delivery of quality services (“We can continue providing good services, even under more difficult budgetary conditions. A practitioner who is aware of the importance of his or her mission will find solutions” – Emploi-Québec focus group).

5.3.2 Managers’ and practitioners’ comments

Reception: In all the organizations involved in the project, reception is a universal service. Each organization provides its own reception services. There is no interorganizational collaboration (see summary table of services offered).

Emploi-Québec offers reception services provided by employment assistance officers. Its main objective is to begin the process of evaluating the client’s needs that will result in the development of a plan of action (Emploi-Québec, 2004). The employment assistance officer’s plan of action is often based on “available funding” (Emploi-Québec focus group).

In educational institutions, reception services are offered at two different levels (see summary table of services offered). Administrative support staff offers frontline services aimed at making contact and providing basic information about programs of study, prerequisites and admission requirements. Reception services provided by professionals are offered later on in adult education centres, after the client has undergone placement tests. In vocational training centres, clients with a well-defined learning plan do not receive reception services provided by a professional. At the Collège de Sherbrooke, reception services provided by a professional are aimed at helping clients find an appropriate program of study. Participants representing the educational institutions complained of the lack of human resources that makes it impossible to assign a professional to reception services (“I would like to be able to add professional resources to our reception services. Unfortunately, it’s impossible from a financial standpoint for the time being, but it’s something I really want to do,” said participant 2, educational institutions). Assigning a professional half-time to reception services was one of the suggestions for improving the quality of services in educational institutions (educational institutions focus group).

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The IQEMCQ offers reception services provided by socioeconomic assistance officers (see summary table of services offered). Reception services in the other organizations (the SATI, the SANC) and at the IQEMCQ are aimed at providing preliminary information about the region and helping immigrants fill out the necessary forms to obtain different services.

Support: Support services are offered in priority to clients qualifying for financial assistance from Emploi-Québec and to those enrolled in educational institutions (see summary table of services offered). The forms of collaboration are enshrined in agreements between Emploi-Québec and educational institutions for the follow-up of clients with difficulties, as mentioned by participants 9 and 10, Emploi-Québec. According to these protocols, educational institutions must “notify Emploi-Québec of all absences and failures of clients receiving financial assistance” but, unfortunately, “the agreements are not always respected” (participant 9, Emploi-Québec).

During the research project, a pilot project to provide support services for clients enrolled in school had just been implemented at the Centre Saint-Michel. More specifically, CLE employment assistance officers visit the Centre Saint-Michel once a week to meet with clients and teachers. As needed, individual meetings are scheduled the next day, attended by the client’s homeroom teacher. Although the project is recent, feedback from employment assistance officers, teachers and counsellors at the Centre Saint-Michel as well as from users is positive. Employment assistance officers enjoy meeting with clients receiving financial assistance from Emploi-Québec (participants 9 and 10, Emploi-Québec) since it enables them to hear positive comments. The clients feel that they are receiving more support in their course of action. Since the pilot project started after the data gathering stage, this research project does not take it into account.

The IQEMCQ will soon be making a toolbox available to help provide support for immigrants in their integration process. For now, it does not offer support services for immigrants (see summary table of services offered).

Emploi-Québec does not offer visible support services (participant 4, Emploi-Québec) or personalized follow-up services (heterogeneous focus group): support services are provided in educational institutions (participant 9, Emploi-Québec). CLE officers see this as a weakness at Emploi-Québec (Emploi-Québec focus group). The situation can be explained by a lack of resources and by agreements reached with educational institutions to report problem cases (participants 4, 9, 10 and 11, Emploi-Québec). Despite agreements with educational institutions to follow up with clients with difficulties, the institutions do not always convey relevant information about special cases to the CLE officers. “Partners at the educational institutions should understand the impact on clients of a lack of feedback to the CLE officer,” said participant 9, Emploi-Québec.

Each educational institution has its own system for providing follow-up and support services, including regular meetings of support teams and group meetings with clients (see summary table of services offered). Individual meetings are scheduled as needed. At the Centre Saint-

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Michel, support for clients in school is provided by multidisciplinary teams made up of teachers and counsellors.

A resource person working exclusively with immigrants is assigned to CLE de Sherbrooke-Ouest. Having devoted herself for many years to this category of users, she has arrived at an “in-depth knowledge of the resources and means available to provide specific support services”, as well as at an “understanding of the special needs of newly arrived immigrants,” as she herself says. She created her own network of contacts in educational institutions and external Emploi-Québec resources.

Referral: Referral is a universal service and is offered at all times. In educational institutions, referral services are usually provided at two levels: as frontline services (by administrative support staff) and as professional services (by counsellors) (see summary table of services offered). Referral services meet a variety of needs, “not necessarily directly related to learning”, but always with a view to “contributing to the client’s academic success” (educational institutions focus group). Referral services are often the subject of informal collaboration between resource people in the educational institutions (educational institutions focus group). According to these resource people (educational institutions focus group, participants 3 and 7), they use their network of contacts to ensure personalized referral: “You need to know the people you are going to work with. Otherwise, the quality of the services will suffer” (participant 3, educational institutions).

At Emploi-Québec, referral services are offered by employment assistance officers. According to participants, personal contacts play a very important role (“Everything is based on interpersonal relationships”, as participant 9, Emploi-Québec, said). Each officer creates his or her own network of contacts, which he or she uses on a regular basis. Difficulties arise because of the inadequate flow of information within the organization: “Officers don’t always have all the information about available programs” (participant 9, Emploi-Québec). As participants in the Emploi-Québec focus group pointed out, employment assistance officers “don’t always have the time to assimilate the amount of information required.” Consequently, “officers sometimes fail to refer the client to the best resource.”

The IQEMCQ generally refers its clients to the SATI, the francization program and Services essentiels pour l’intégration des nouveaux arrivants (CLSC, Human Resources Development Canada [HRDC], Service d’évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec, etc.) (see summary table of services offered). Since most newly arrived immigrants follow the same path with respect to government services, clients are “always referred to an organization, never to an individual” (the IQEMCQ focus group).

Counselling: Counselling is a specialized service offered by Emploi-Québec to clients who are not in school and by educational institutions to clients who are in school (see summary table of services offered). While the goals of Emploi-Québec and educational institutions are the same, the two organizations have a different vision of the plan of action. While Emploi-Québec favours the shortest path to a long-term job, educational institutions tend to favour a better education.

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This was corroborated by the educational institutions, Emploi-Québec and heterogeneous focus groups. Consequently, the plans of action developed as part of the counselling process are aimed at “quick and long-term integration into the work force” (participant 11, Emploi-Québec).

The different philosophies underlying counselling services at Emploi-Québec and in educational institutions make collaboration between these partners more difficult. As participants in the Emploi-Québec focus group mentioned, an external body would have to define policy and approaches in the organizations involved so that negotiations between the parties can take place. Participant 9 (Emploi-Québec) emphasized this when she spoke of the “very good collaboration with the Centre Saint-Michel, because their resource person understands and respects Emploi-Québec’s mandate.” According to this same participant, difficulties arise when the partners “don’t make an effort to understand and respect the others’ mandates.”

An internal standardization of employment assistance officers’ practices would complete the collaborative process. The comments gathered reveal that there are serious variations in employment assistance officers’ interventions and the financial support provided. Participant 3, educational institutions, admitted that: “We work with several officers and offices, and their practices are not always uniform.” Participant 2, educational institutions, added: “The support received from Emploi-Québec varies in accordance with budgetary conditions,” while participant 8, educational institutions, pointed out that “there are too many disparities between services.” The situation appears to be better at the local level, especially since, as participant 7 (educational institutions) observes, the counsellors and officers know each other and, as a result of long-term collaboration, have standardized their approaches.

Educational institutions make an effort to adapt the process to the client’s progress. Professionals in educational institutions base their interventions on the idea, put forth by participant 1, that “the learning process often has an impact on the counselling process; the client may modify his or her learning plan after a time at school.” Based on this philosophy, he advises clients to “target the highest diploma possible”, which can provide both “more familiarity with career opportunities and a higher level of employability.”

Since the IQEMCQ does not offer counselling services, immigrants are served by Emploi-Québec, under the same terms and conditions as other categories of users (see summary table of services offered).

Information: Information is a universal service, offered at all times by all the organizations involved in the project. At Emploi-Québec, information services are provided by employment assistance officers (see summary table of services offered). At the IQEMCQ, information services are regularly provided as frontline services by administrative support staff and then by technicians and professionals (see summary table of services offered). Lastly, information services in educational institutions are provided as frontline services by administrative support staff and then by professionals (see summary table of services offered). Teachers also play a role.

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Collaboration in information services implies familiarity with the partners. Constant changes in programs, the lack of time to assimilate new information and poor communication between and within organizations are, according to participants (Emploi-Québec focus group, participants 9, 10 and 11), the main factors that hinder the quality of services offered. For example, one participant in the Emploi-Québec focus group complained that clients cannot always take advantage of new programs; she felt it was because of “the lack of time employment assistance officers have to assimilate all of the information they are given.”

In all its interventions, Emploi-Québec’s goal is to foster clients’ autonomy. Thus, it encourages users to find their own information about programs of study that interest them (comment made by a representative of Emploi-Québec on the regional committee, repeated several times during committee meetings). Educational institutions offer complete information about their programs of study in leaflets and at open houses and information sessions. Secretariat and admissions offices also provide information. In a context in which everyone has some information, the information may not always be accurate or complete (educational institutions and heterogeneous focus groups). According to participants, this service should be provided by professionals; they pointed out that quality services should provide “thorough, accurate, complementary and coherent information” (educational institutions focus group).

Information services at the IQEMCQ focus on a general presentation of the region, services offered by the Ministère for newly arrived immigrants and the procedure for taking advantage of these services for rapid integration into society (see summary table of services offered). Frontline services are provided by reception services staff, then by socioeconomic assistance and development officers during the welcoming session and individual interviews. The IQEMCQ information practices are based on these specific objectives. Comments gathered from participants in the IQEMCQ focus group and in personal interviews indicate highly standardized information on specific subjects: basic social services, Service d’évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec, portrait of the region, etc. For all other types of information, users are referred to external resources.

Formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education: In educational institutions, counsellors recognize prior academic learning (see summary table of services offered). The recognition of prior learning in specific trades takes place in vocational training centres. In order to evaluate applicants’ studies, adult education centres administer placement and diagnostic tests. Emploi-Québec refers some clients to external resources for the recognition of competencies, while the IQEMCQ does comparative evaluations of studies completed outside Québec.

Participants in the research project did not mention any type of collaboration with respect to the recognition of prior learning and competencies. Each organization is responsible for its own clients, as can be seen in the summary table of services offered. Only Emploi-Québec refers clients to external resources for the recognition of competencies once the employment assistance officer has evaluated the clients’ plan and learning needs. The MEQ’s planned

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implementation of the record of learning in basic general education (MEQ, 2004) will open the way for closer collaboration.

5.3.3 Managers’ and practitioners’ suggestions for strengthening partnerships

The research team expected that the managers and practitioners would propose a functional partnership model for reception, referral, counselling and support services. Like those of the users interviewed, their suggestions were limited to either specific improvements or very broad suggestions (“We need to find and implement a model that helps clients carry out their course of action, without overextending the budgets of participating organizations” – Emploi-Québec focus group). The following section contains the suggestions made by participants, which we grouped together under two major models (centralized and decentralized). Based on participants’ suggestions, these models also rely on the research coordinator’s interpretation of the data, in light of the partnership models defined in the literature review (Comité de coordination des programmes régionaux d’apprentissage et de formation professionnelle continue, 2004).

Centralized structure

Re-creating a centralized reception, referral and information structure based on the model at the Service régional d’accueil et de référence (SRAR), tested in Estrie in the 1980s, would imply investing more heavily before clients enroll in school. According to some participants, one-stop professional reception, information, referral and counselling services could lead to a reduction in the resources allocated to support services during clients’ time in school (opinion expressed in the educational institutions focus group).

Participants who supported a centralized structure suggested three operational models:

1. A toll-free number for all categories of clients (model proposed by a participant in the educational institutions focus group): This solution would enable clients to benefit from reception, information and referral services offered by well-informed staff. The client would not have to go somewhere to get the services. In addition, calls could be distributed within the different municipalities, which would meet the diverse needs of clients in the regions.

2. One-stop services like the model at Service régional d’accueil et de référence en Estrie, relying on well-informed staff to offer quality reception, information, counselling and referral services (model proposed by participant 7, educational institutions; participant 4, Emploi-Québec; and one participant in the educational institutions focus group; several participants from educational institutions who had worked at the SRAR also pointed out the advantages of this solution): This would imply having an office in Sherbrooke. There would be a serious risk, however, of creating waiting lists and failing to adequately meet the needs of clients from the MRCs outside Sherbrooke (reservations expressed by participants in the educational institutions and Emploi-Québec focus groups).

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3. Local gateways that would meet the needs of clients both in the regions and in Sherbrooke (model proposed by participants 2, 3 and 8, educational institutions): There would need to be local offices, which would take care of clients in the area. The organizations involved in the project would pool their human and financial resources to run the local offices.

The centralized model found more support among practitioners in educational institutions. According to them, well-guided clients are more likely to complete their plan and less likely to fail or drop out during the process (participant 1, educational institutions). In addition, this would make it possible to reduce the number of visits to organizations (participant 1, educational institutions). Allocating professional resources to reception, information, counselling and referral services would meet the need expressed by all participants with respect to the standardization of practices (heterogeneous focus group). Lastly, one-stop services would ensure visibility and access to available resources (educational institutions and heterogeneous focus groups).

Cost is a major disadvantage pointed out by participants. A one-stop approach is a burdensome and difficult solution, as the SRAR’s experience shows. The waiting lists inherent in the one-stop services model are one disadvantage of the centralized model (participants 1 and 2, educational institutions; Emploi-Québec and educational institutions focus groups). According to participant 1 (educational institutions), this model would limit support services while the client is at school. Despite the advantages of quality initial counselling, “the learning process often has an impact on the counselling process” (participant 1, educational institutions); even with good preliminary services, users could modify their plan once they start their courses, despite the major investment made by reception, information, counselling and referral services providers. Lastly, according to participants in the heterogeneous focus group, a centralized structure without local gateways would put MRCs outside Sherbrooke at a disadvantage; Estrie’s profile and history does not lend itself to a single gateway, but to a model adapted to local characteristics.

Participants did not suggest operational models for support services or the formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education. The reduction of support services was, in their opinion, a necessary consequence of the centralized model, but they did not give reasons or solutions. In our opinion, the explanation lies in the limited number of practitioners currently working in reception, referral, counselling and support services in Estrie. Implementing one-stop services, whether a toll-free number, a regional office in Sherbrooke or local offices, would require the mobilization of a large proportion of qualified human resources.

Also, the recognition of prior learning and competencies appears to function adequately in the current structure, as can be seen by users’ comments. The eventual implementation of a record of learning in basic general education as proposed by the Ministère de l’Éducation (MEQ 2004) would impose changes whose scope could not be measured by participants in this research project.

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Decentralized structure

Proposals for a decentralized structure involve the improvement of current practices and regional partnerships. This improvement is a response to the needs of the specific clients of each of the organizations (“We need to serve the clients who knock on our door,” says participant 2, educational institutions).

The following lines of action were suggested:

Get to know each other better. Each partner should understand and respect the other partners’ missions (an idea emphasized in the four practitioners focus groups and by all practitioners in the personal interviews). Practically speaking: implement regional committees (educational institutions focus group). Information about decisions and measures to be taken should be available across the board (the four practitioners focus groups); to this end, training should be provided for practitioners as soon as any changes are made (participant 12, the IQEMCQ, and participant 9, Emploi-Québec).

Raise awareness of existing resources. Each partner should inventory and advertise its own resources (the IQEMCQ focus group; participant 3, educational institutions). Practically speaking: make an electronic directory available to practitioners and keep it up to date (heterogeneous focus group).

Cooperate in order to offer coherent and complementary services, avoiding duplication and inconsistencies (all focus groups). To achieve this objective, the partnership should be clearly based on the client’s interests (participant 11, Emploi-Québec). Practically speaking: set up committees to negotiate a standardized approach (educational institutions focus group; participant 1, educational institutions, supported the same idea when he said: “The more contact we have, the more we can develop trust and practices”); internal clarification of the organiza-tional approach (standardization of the practices of employment assistance officers, for example) and external clarification with partners; training for practitioners (participant 5, Emploi-Québec; participant 1, the IQEMCQ); adapt the approach to the client’s needs (participant 1, educational institutions); educational institutions would provide “reception, education and training services; counselling services would be totally handed over to Emploi-Québec” (participant 2, educational institutions).

Improve information and referral services in each organization. Practically speaking: agree on information sharing practices (Emploi-Québec focus group); create information tools and keep them up to date (heterogeneous focus group).

5.4 Partnership models based on participants’ suggestions

The following section answers the second research question: What partnership models would users, practitioners and managers in Estrie like to see implemented? The interpretation of the

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suggestions made by participants (users, managers and practitioners) in this action research project led to the construction of four partnership models: centralized regional model, centralized local model, decentralized model without steering mechanism and decentralized model with steering mechanism. The construction of these models is also based on theoretical suggestions (Comité de coordination des programmes régionaux d’apprentissage et de formation professionnelle continue 2004; Emploi-Québec 2001). The following sections present each of these models based on an interpretation of participants’ suggestions, as well as the regional committee’s assessment of their advantages, disadvantages, feasibility and cost. It should be noted that, while the minutes of the regional committee meetings record only the decisions made, the debates and arguments raised by each participant were recorded by the research coordinator.

5.4.1 Centralized regional model

This model consists in a toll-free number clients could call to receive reception, information and referral services from professionals. The organizations involved in the project (Emploi-Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation via its school boards and the Collège de Sherbrooke, the IQEMCQ) would pool their human and material resources to run the call centre and share management functions. Given the specific nature of its clientele, the IQEMCQ would retain its specialized reception services for newly arrived immigrants. After being answered by professionals at the call centre, users would be referred to the appropriate resources based on their needs, either to an educational institution for clients with a clear learning plan or to Emploi-Québec for an evaluation of their needs, referral to counselling services as needed and the development of a plan of action, with or without financial assistance. Interventions before clients enroll in school would thus be taken over entirely by Emploi-Québec officers.

The call centre would be the result of a management partnership between the organizations in question, which would provide material and human resources to run the call centre and share management functions.

Support services would be provided jointly by the organizations in question, in a manner more visible to clients using one of two possible support services models:

a) the model now being tested at the Centre Saint-Michel, in which Emploi-Québec officers meet with clients once a week at the centre; a management partnership would be needed to guarantee the necessary human resources for this type of support services

b) a model in which support services are offered by different practitioners, depending on the stage in the client’s course of action; this model would require a cooperation partnership, which would establish implementation procedures

The formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education would be carried out at a central regional office, jointly managed, funded and staffed by the organizations in question.

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A directory of resources in Estrie (on paper or in electronic format) would be made available to clients. It would include complete and up-to-date information about program offerings in the region and about measures and services provided by Emploi-Québec. A management partnership would assign the necessary human and material resources, set deadlines and ensure regular updates.

The main advantage of this model would be access to reception, information and referral services provided by professionals. Cost and organizational inertia would be the disadvantages in implementing a project of this size. Setting up a call centre might discourage anglophone clientele if there are not enough bilingual people able to meet their needs.

5.4.2 Local centralized model

This model involves one-stop services located in municipalities in the Estrie region. Emploi-Québec, the Ministère de l’Éducation and the IQEMCQ would share human and material resources at the local level and jointly manage local service outlets. The organizations would have to establish a management partnership.

Since the vast majority of immigrants arrive first in Sherbrooke, the IQEMCQ would provide reception services. Staff would visit the different areas as needed in order to organize welcoming sessions for newly arrived immigrants.

The formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education would be centralized in local service outlets. A single resource person assigned to the local office would ensure personalized follow-up throughout the client’s course of action, regardless of the educational institution selected. This would require close collaboration between the resource person responsible for the client and the resources in the educational institutions, through a cooperation partnership.

This model would meet the needs of users outside the Sherbrooke area, who would have access to specialized services on site. At the same time, it would avoid the waiting times inherent in having a single service outlet in Estrie. The implementation of such a model, however, would run into serious problems related to the joint management of the local service outlets. The lack of human resources would make it impossible to run such outlets in some localities. In addition, it would be necessary to ensure the presence of bilingual professionals at all the local outlets in order to meet the needs of anglophone clientele.

5.4.3 Decentralized model without steering mechanism

This model would be an improvement on the current structure. Based on formal agreements, a more effective partnership would be implemented, making up for the shortcomings pointed out by participants in the action research project. Participating organizations would negotiate one-time formal partnerships, which would ensure a different approach for each type of service (reception, referral, information, counselling, support, formal recognition of learning and record

Chapter 5 Results


of learning in basic general education). These different types of partnerships would meet needs identified in the field.

A tool for monitoring the client’s progress (a sort of logbook) would be used. It could be a document presented to practitioners by the client, or an electronic file containing highlights of the services received. In either case, formal agreements on access to personal information would be negotiated, and users would be invited to consent to the sharing of information among the practitioners involved throughout their course of action. This tool would help prevent the duplication of services, and make the objectives of the interventions clearer. Before launching the tool, the organizations in question should negotiate its format and the conditions for its use, within the framework of a management partnership.

Universal specialized services would be provided in each organization based on the client’s status (whether or not he or she is in school or benefiting from a form of government financial assistance). Each organization would offer universal frontline services.

Reception: Current structures would be maintained as indicated in the summary table of services offered. In order to improve the quality of reception services in educational institutions, it should be possible for clients to meet with a professional earlier on in their course of action, especially if they do not have a well-defined learning plan. A consultation partnership would be established so that practitioners could discuss the client’s progress and plan of action.

Counselling: Each of the organizations would retain its vocational counselling functions. Clients in school would receive services from their educational institution, while the others could be served by Emploi-Québec.

Information: In order to ensure the circulation of information about program offerings, computer links for practitioners and clients should be created and kept up to date. They could be in a Web portal containing databases shared by Emploi-Québec, educational institutions and the IQEMCQ. The organizations involved would negotiate a formal agreement setting out the responsibility of each partner to update its respective information. In addition, this solution might require the joint management of resources for administering and maintaining the computer environment. The updated information would be essential for informing and properly referring clients.

Referral: In this model, clients would be referred by qualified resources. Negotiated partnership agreements would encourage referrals based on the client’s needs.

Support: Support would be provided by different partners in a cooperation partnership, using various follow-up tools such as the competency report, logbook, record of learning and the client’s plan of action. Based on the stage the client has reached in his or her course of action (Emploi-Québec, educational institution, the IQEMCQ and the SATI, etc.), the client would benefit from professional services in each of the organizations.

Chapter 5 Results


Formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education: All of the organizations in question would continue to offer this service within their respective mandates. The ongoing use of the different follow-up tools would lead to harmonized practices.

This model would be quick and easy to implement, provided it does not involve structural changes to the current organization. With the suggested improvements, it would meet the needs of all categories of clients and lead to the greater visibility of services.

5.4.4 Decentralized model with steering mechanism

This model would be identical to the one presented in section 5.4.3, with the addition of a steering mechanism. Its mission would be to harmonize practices and interventions, negotiate partnership agreements, manage resources for joint projects if applicable, update and distribute information and apply decisions. The steering mechanism would include two distinct levels.

A reception, referral, counselling and support services professionals committee would be made up of professionals in the organizations involved: Emploi-Québec, educational institutions, the IQEMCQ. However, representatives of other organizations could join the committee based on the partnerships to be established. The committee’s main mission would be to establish major orientations and objectives and to make recommendations in order to pursue and create the partnerships needed to meet the needs of the target clientele. Resource people specialized in a particular service would be invited as needed.

A managers committee would be made up of the managers in the organizations involved. Based on the recommendations of the professionals committee, the managers would make decisions and ensure their application in their respective organizations.

A coordinator would be appointed to act as liaison between the professionals committee and the managers committee, and to follow up on decisions made.

In addition to the advantages of the previous model, this model would foster discussion between partners, decision making, interventions, follow-up and adjustments. It would be flexible and promote broader partnerships. It would also make it possible to undertake interorganizational projects.

Chapter 6

Recommendations

Chapter 6 Recommendations


6.1 Reasons for choosing the decentralized model with steering mechanism

This section answers the main question of this research project, i.e. What partnership model does the regional committee recommend for reception, referral, counselling and support services?

As we saw in Chapter 5, the interpretation of the data gathered during this action research project made it possible to construct four partnership models. Following debates during its meeting of January 24 (see Appendix 1), the regional committee decided that it would recommend the decentralized model with steering mechanism to the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi for field-testing in Estrie. There are different reasons for this choice. First, the model had to be consistent with the principles underlying the action research project. Second, it had to provide an adequate solution to the problems identified in the data analysis. Third, the model needed to respect criteria for feasibility at the regional level.

Consistency with the principles underlying the renewal of reception, referral, counselling and support services

Helping clients in their course of action and offering accessible professional services for all were at the heart of the initiative to improve partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services. The analyses carried out in this research project revealed the following:

• Improving the current system by strengthening partnerships in the different services would guarantee access to these services.

• Establishing partnerships in the different services would lead to an improvement in these services, provided the professional resources at the organizations involved work together to provide complementary services.

• A partnership approach in the different services could create a support network that would help adults improve their employability.

• Concerted efforts would help ensure equity and equality of services in Estrie, overseen by the steering mechanism.

Ability to solve the problems identified in Estrie

The action research project made it possible to identify necessary improvements:

1. The fact that information does not flow freely within the organizations involved, between the organizations, and between the organizations and users: The steering mechanism would help improve the flow of information between practitioners and users. The directory of resources would meet the same need, whatever form it takes (database, portal, print version).



2. The lack of cooperation within and between the organizations: The steering mechanism, in which both practitioners and managers would participate, would negotiate means of carrying out joint interventions. The various follow-up tools—record of learning in basic general education, competency report and logbook—would constitute a toolbox aimed at ensuring the continuity and consistency of interventions, while avoiding the duplication of services.

3. The lack of visible support: Setting up a support system involving different practitioners and informing the client of the nature of the intervention would make support services more visible. At the same time, follow-up tools would enable the client to better understand the practitioners’ approach. In order to create a valid tool, cooperation at the professionals and managers committees would seem to be an effective solution.

Feasibility in Estrie

The debates in the regional committee led to the conclusion that the selected model would respect Estrie’s profile and experience with partnership. Several partnership projects, such as Job Links and the SATI today, as well as Fer de lance and the SRAR in the past, and the current reception, referral, counselling and support services structure analyzed by this research project, lead us to believe that closer ties would be welcome among the organizations involved. In addition, the changes considered appear to respect the mandates and strategic orientations of these organizations.

The selected model could be implemented at low cost, provided the creation of organizational structures—the professionals and managers committees—do not add to the financial burden of the organizations involved. Costs would be mainly related to coordinating and mobilizing resources for the production of the directory of resources and the follow-up tools.

Improving the current structure requires taking the target clientele’s characteristics into account (francophones, anglophones, newly arrived immigrants) and providing a variety of flexible gateways. However services are accessed, the partnership network will enable practitioners to provide quality services and to refer clients to the appropriate resources.

6.2 Recommendations for implementing the decentralized model with steering mechanism

As presented, the decentralized model with steering mechanism is based on the establishment of ad hoc partnerships in the different services and the creation of a steering mechanism. Inspired by Dhume (2001), we recommend the following steps, the first three of which were addressed in the research project:

1. Identify needs by service. This research project made it possible to identify the needs of users of reception, referral, counselling and support services, as well as those of practitioners: improve the flow of information, organize interventions, make support services



more accessible. Meeting this challenge would allow for later readjustments recommended by the professionals committee based on the experience of its members and invited experts.

2. Identify motivations within each of the organizations involved. This research project suggests that managers and practitioners in all of the organizations involved agree on the need for stronger partnerships. Their main goal is to help clients carry out their course of action.

3. Draft a proposal for a partnership project. Once the model adopted by the regional committee is implemented, future partnership projects in reception, referral, counselling and support services can be considered. This project described the context (strengthen partnerships in order to improve services offered in the region) and justified the choice of partners (the main players in adults’ integration into the work force or society)—a first look at how to implement the model presented in Chapter 5.

4. Conduct internal negotiations. In order to achieve the desired results, especially as concerns joint interventions, practitioners must understand the mandate of their own organization and the limits of its commitment to a partnership. Thus, before negotiating agreements with external partners, the resources involved in the project should clarify the position of their own organization, examining:

• the basis for their intervention

• the objectives of the project and their consistency with the organization’s orientations

• the expected outcome

• the underlying paradigms

• the organization’s mandates and functions (hierarchical levels, command functions), in order to define the types of partnership commitment based on the level of action and responsibility

• the target clientele (categories of clients, as well as practitioners for measures aimed at joint interventions; this would involve training for staff members)

• the duration of the intervention

• the framework and limits of the intervention

• the human and material resources available for the project

• matters that are not negotiable and the reasons for these limitations

5. Establish formal partnerships. Formal agreements ensure the stability of partnerships. The managers committee would be responsible for negotiating agreements for each project. This formality should take the following factors into account:

• the structures involved

• the purpose of each project

• the relationship between the partners



• the terms and conditions of shared responsibility

• commitments and obligations (actions, means, resources)

• limits of the procedure (time, conditions for withdrawing)

• terms and conditions for the provision of resources

• terms and conditions for the monitoring and evaluation of joint efforts

6. Develop a specific framework including operating rules, the role of each player, and terms and conditions for joint efforts. The managers committee would be partially responsible in this area.

7. Develop and carry out projects:

• Define objectives.

• Identify the resources needed and the financial, legal, organizational and technical constraints involved.

• Establish the schedule.

• Define roles, statuses, missions and competencies.

• Recognize risky scenarios and anticipate adjustments.

• Determine methods of communication.

• Define methods of intervention.

• Establish sources of funding.

• Specify evaluation procedures and tools (results, operation—follow-up, monitoring and adjustment methods, measurement and analysis of differences, perspectives after feedback in the organizations involved).

The professionals committee would establish priorities and propose projects to the managers committee, which would decide whether to implement the projects and ensure funding.

6.3 Organizational structures

The model includes a steering mechanism made up of three bodies:

The professionals committee would be made up of reception, referral, counselling and support professionals in the organizations involved (Emploi-Québec, educational institutions, the IQEMCQ). Other organizations could join the committee as needed. The committee’s main mission would be to establish orientations and objectives and to make recommendations for better partnerships based on needs identified in the field. Specialists in a particular service could join the group to provide specific information. The professionals committee would meet one half-day a month.



The managers committee would be made up of managers at the organizations involved. Based on the recommendations of the professionals committee, the managers would make decisions and ensure the implementation of the appropriate measures.

A coordinator would be appointed to act as liaison between the two committees. He or she would also follow up on the decisions made.

6.4 Tools

Information tools updated on an ongoing basis: After deciding whether to provide print tools or a Web portal, and after having obtained the approval of the managers committee, the professionals committee could appoint people to carry out the project. Partners could contribute financially or provide qualified human resources for the production of the directory. Formal agreements would specify the partners’ obligation to update their information, as well as the shared responsibility for the publication and distribution of the latest update.

Follow-up tools: The professionals committee would propose the format of these tools to the managers committee. Recommendations concerning the confidentiality of personal information would accompany the proposal. The managers committee would provide the human and financial resources needed to carry out the project.

6.5 Agreements

The implementation of the chosen model requires the negotiation of agreements in the following areas:

• a management partnership to create the organizational structures (professionals committee, managers committee, coordinator)

• a management partnership to produce information tools

• a management partnership to produce follow-up tools

• a cooperation partnership for interventions in counselling support and the formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education

• a consultation partnership for interventions in reception

• agreements between partners and with clients concerning access to personal information

Chapter 7

Ethical Considerations

Chapter 7 Ethical Considerations


Given the specific nature of the information participants shared with us, we included the following information in the consent form:

• the title of the project

• the research objectives

• the organizations involved

• the contact information of the research coordinator

• the purposes for which the information gathered would be used

• the nature and duration of the activities in which participants would be invited to participate, as well as the data gathering methods used

• the measures taken to ensure the confidentiality of information throughout the research project

• the right of participants to withdraw or to refuse to participate in certain activities

• the contact information of the resource people in the event of a complaint of an ethical nature

• the signature of the project coordinator, guaranteeing that the ethics protocol would be respected

• the signature of the participant, consenting to the terms of the ethics protocol

Given the different stages in the action research project, we believe that the information provided in the ethics protocol was relevant and complete. During recruitment, participants’ right to be informed of the research objectives and the possible advantages and disadvantages of their participation was respected. Data were collected and analyzed and results presented in accordance with the agreement reached with participants. We respected participants’ anonymity and the confidentiality of information by assigning numbers to each participant and avoiding any individual description by which they could be identified. In order to ensure confidentiality, only the research coordinator has access to the raw data. In presenting the results, we also avoided direct quotations that might have revealed participants’ identity.

We did not receive any unforeseen requests with respect to ethical considerations during the research project and are unaware of any incidents related to ethical conduct.

The ethics protocol used is presented in Appendix 8.

Summary

Summary


This study addresses partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services and aims to answer the main research question: What partnership model does the regional committee recommend for reception, referral, counselling and support services? The answer to this main question requires that we first consider these two questions:

• According to users, practitioners and managers, what are the current partnership practices in Estrie?

• What partnership models would users, practitioners and managers in Estrie like to see implemented?

The project was proposed by the regional committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services, set up by the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi. The committee is made up of representatives of Emploi-Québec Estrie, the regional office of the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec, school boards and the Collège de Sherbrooke, and the IQEMCQ. The regional committee set up a three-member oversight committee to follow up on the research. A research coordinator was hired for the duration of the project. Her tasks were to do a literature review, produce a summary table of services offered by the organizations in question, develop the research design based on the framework approved by the MEQ, develop protocols for the focus groups and personal interviews, define the ethics protocol, plan and conduct the focus groups and personal interviews, analyze the data, propose partnership models and write the final report. The regional committee would choose the partnership model to be submitted to the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi from among the models suggested on the basis of the data analysis.

The partners involved in the action research project are:

• the Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke

• the Commission scolaire des Sommets

• the Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons

• the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships

• the Collège de Sherbrooke

• Emploi-Québec Estrie

• Immigration Québec – Direction régionale de l’Estrie, de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec

• the regional office of the Ministère de l’Éducation

The partnership model is based on four principles defined by the regional committee. It must:

a) help users carry out their course of action

b) respect the basic principles of the government policy on adult education and continuing education and training

Summary


c) meet real needs observed in the field

d) respect the mandates of the organizations involved

The action research project therefore focuses on a more in-depth understanding of the context of reception, referral, counselling and support services, as well as the mandates and policies of each organization. The project included the following stages:

1. A literature review of partnership models (definition; types of partnerships; conditions for success; constraints and obstacles; the steps involved in planning, implementing and managing a partnership project). The review established the conceptual basis for the project and justified the choice of partnership model from a theoretical point of view. It also helped clarify existing planning and partnership project management practices.

2. The production of a summary table of services offered in each organization, based on internal documents and interviews with resource people. The summary table presents a comprehensive list of the services offered by the organizations involved at the time of the research project and provides information about service providers, including the types of services offered, the philosophies underlying them and methods used in the organization in question.

3. Four practitioners and managers focus groups: The first three groups were homogeneous, with representatives of a single organization (school boards and the Collège de Sherbrooke, Emploi-Québec, the IQEMCQ), and aimed at determining what practitioners have to say about partnership in reception, referral, counselling and support services, the organizations’ mandates, the limits of their commitment to an improved partnership and ways of improving the organization’s participation in the partnership. The final group was heterogeneous, with representatives of all of the organizations in question, and aimed at sharing suggestions as to how to strengthen partnerships in order to help users carry out their course of action.

4. Three users focus groups: Users were divided into three categories depending on the source of financial assistance received which, according to Emploi-Québec criteria, reflects their distance from the job market. According to Emploi-Québec, Employment Insurance beneficiaries are more likely to rejoin the work force than employment assistance beneficiaries or people without public income support. Similarly, the type of interventions carried out by Emploi-Québec, the nature and quantity of services and the time it takes to enter the work force often vary depending on the client’s status (Emploi-Québec, 2004). The source of financial assistance was selected as the determining factor for the creation of groups (employment assistance beneficiaries, Employment Insurance beneficiaries, people without public income support). Immigrants were placed in the three groups based on the same criterion. The aim of the three focus groups was to have users of reception, referral, counselling and support services share their experiences and make suggestions for improving services.

Summary


5. Personal interviews with users, managers and practitioners: Personal interviews with users were aimed at gathering information they did not reveal in the focus group, explanations and more detailed suggestions. The choice of participants was based on their participation in the group and the judgment of the research coordinator. Interviews with managers and practitioners targeted people who did not participate in the focus groups in order to gather as much information as possible. Focus group participants were also interviewed so that they could explain their suggestions.

The analysis and interpretation of the data made it possible to define the following four partnership models, based on participants’ suggestions: centralized regional model, centralized local model, decentralized model without steering mechanism, and decentralized model with steering mechanism. After analyzing the feasibility of each model and its ability to meet real needs observed in the field, the regional committee decided that it would recommend the decentralized model with steering mechanism to the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi for field-testing in Estrie.

The model selected includes a steering mechanism made up of three bodies:

The professionals committee would be made up of reception, referral, counselling and support professionals at the organizations involved (Emploi-Québec, educational institutions, the IQEMCQ). Other organizations could join the committee as needed. The committee’s main mission would be to establish orientations and objectives and to make recommendations for better partnerships based on needs identified in the field. Specialists in a particular service could join the group to provide specific information.

The managers committee would be made up of managers at the organizations involved. Based on the recommendations of the professionals committee, the managers would make decisions and ensure the implementation of the appropriate measures.

A coordinator would be appointed to act as liaison between the two committees. He or she would also follow up on the decisions made.

To apply the proposed partnership model, the following tools would have to be developed:

Information tools updated on an ongoing basis: After deciding on whether to provide print tools or a Web portal, and after having obtained the approval of the managers committee, the professionals committee could appoint people to carry out the project. Partners could contribute financially or provide qualified human resources for the production of the directory. Formal agreements would specify the partners’ obligation to update their information, as well as the shared responsibility for the publication and distribution of the latest update.

Follow-up tools: The professionals committee would propose the format of these tools to the managers committee. Recommendations concerning the confidentiality of personal information

Summary


would accompany the proposal. The managers committee would provide the human and financial resources needed to carry out the project.

The implementation of the chosen model requires the negotiation of agreements in the following areas:

• a management partnership to create the organizational structures (professionals committee, managers committee, coordinator)

• a management partnership to produce information tools

• a management partnership to produce follow-up tools

• a cooperation partnership for interventions in counselling support and the formal recognition of learning and record of learning in basic general education

• a consultation partnership for interventions in reception

• agreements between partners and with clients concerning access to personal information

Since this action research project required the participation of human subjects, an ethics protocol was reached between the resource person and participants. This protocol guarantees the anonymity of participants and the confidentiality of the data gathered.


Bibliography

Comité de coordination des programmes régionaux d’apprentissage et de formation professionnelle continue. Pour une politique régionale coordonnée d’accueil, d’information et d’orientation. Rapport présenté au Premier Ministre. Paris, 2004.

Dhume, F. Du travail social au travail ensemble : le partenariat dans le champ des politiques sociales. Paris: Éditions Ash, 2001.

Emploi-Québec. Le partenariat à Emploi-Québec. Rapport du groupe de travail de la Table des régions sur le partenariat et la concertation à Emploi-Québec. Internal document. Québec: Emploi-Québec, 2001.

Emploi-Québec. Direction générale adjointe à la planification et au développement de l’emploi. Tableau des services, des mesures et des programmes d’emploi destinés aux individus et aux entreprises. Internal document. Québec: Emploi-Québec, 2004.

Freeman, T. and S. Dohoo Faure. Local Solutions to Global Challenges: Towards Effective Partnership in Basic Education. Final Report. The Hague: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2003.

Henripin, M. “Les pratiques locales du partenariat éducation-travail au Québec.” In Carol Landry and Fernand Serre (eds.). École et entreprise. Vers quel partenariat? Sainte-Foy: Presses de l’Université du Québec, 1994.

Québec. Conseil supérieur de l’éducation. Le partenariat : une façon de réaliser la mission de formation en éducation des adultes. Brief to the Minister of Education. Sainte-Foy: Gouverne-ment du Québec, 1995.

Québec. Conseil supérieur de l’éducation. Universities: Working in Partnership. Brief to the Minister of Education. Saint-Foy: Gouvernement du Québec, 2002.

Québec. Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec. Direction de la formation générale des adultes. Toward a Renewal of Reception, Referral, Counselling & Support Services in School Boards. Internal document. Québec: Gouvernement du Québec, 2004.

Appendixes


Appendix 1

Action Research Plan

Steps Schedule Monitoring and follow-up measures

1. Literature review of partnership models

3 weeks End: 13/07/04

Meeting with the oversight committee

2. Definition of partnership 10 days End: 13/07/04

Meeting with the oversight committee

3. Production of the summary table of services offered by partners

3 weeks End: 16/08/04

Meeting with the regional committee on 18/08/04

4. Development of the procedure for the focus groups and personal interviews

4 weeks End: 08/09/04

Ad hoc meetings with the oversight committee

4.1 Choice of method Ad hoc meetings with the oversight committee

4.2 Development of questionnaires 4.3 Sampling 4.4 Focus groups and personal

interviews 3 weeks End: 29/09/04


5. Analysis of the data gathered 3 weeks End: 20/10/04


6. Production of the partnership model (users’ version)

2 weeks End: 01/11/04


7. Presentation of the partnership model (users’ version) Meeting with the regional

committee on 01/11/04 8. Validation of the summary table of

services offered by partners 2 weeks End: 19/11/04


9. Presentation of the summary table of services offered by partners Meeting with the regional

committee on 22/11/04 10. Production of the partnership model

(practitioners’ version) 2 weeks End: 06/12/04


11. Presentation of the partnership model (practitioners’ version) Meeting with the regional

committee on 06/12/04 12. Comparative analysis of the two

models 3 weeks End: 10/01/05


13. Production of the optimal model based on the two models

2 weeks End: 24/01/05


14. Presentation of the optimal model Meeting with the regional committee on 24/01/05

15. Production of the final report 4 weeks End: 25/02/05


16. Presentation of the final report Ad hoc meetings with the oversight committee

17. Submission of the final report to the Direction de la formation générale des adultes

01/03/05


Appendix 2

Protocol for Discussions With the Homogeneous Practitioners Focus Groups

1. How would you define partnership?

2. In your opinion, what are the conditions conducive to effective partnership?

3. In your opinion, what difficulties need to be overcome in a partnership relation?

4. In your opinion, what steps need to be taken to establish a partnership?

5. How could your organization improve its participation in a partnership in reception, referral, counselling and support services?


Appendix 3

Protocol for Discussions With the Heterogeneous Practitioners Focus Group

1. What aspects of the training-employment partnership in reception, referral, counselling and support services does your organization participate in?

2. What are your organization’s strengths with respect to cooperation in providing reception, referral, counselling and support services?

3. What are your organization’s weaknesses with respect to cooperation in providing reception, referral, counselling and support services?

4. What are the main difficulties associated with cooperation in providing reception, referral, counselling and support services, and what measures have you taken to overcome them?

5. How could the partnership in reception, referral, counselling and support services be improved?


Appendix 4

Protocol for Discussions With the User Focus Groups

1. Describe the reception, referral, support, information and counselling services you have used in Estrie.

2. What were these services’ strengths?

3. What were their weaknesses?

4. How do the organizations involved collaborate in offering reception, referral, support, information and counselling services?

5. How could these services be improved?


Appendix 5

Protocol for Personal Interviews With Practitioners

1. How would you define partnership?

2. In your opinion, is partnership an effective form of collaboration? Explain your answer.

3. What partnership projects have you participated in in your organization?

4. Describe the steps involved in implementing a partnership project in which you participated.

5. Could you share some positive personal experiences with participation in a partnership project? Why do you consider these experiences positive?

6. Could you share some negative personal experiences with participation in a partnership project? Why do you consider these experiences negative?

7. Could you share your experience as a practitioner in the training-employment partnership in Estrie? Focus on your duties, responsibilities, and positive and negative experiences. Refer specifically to reception, referral, support, counselling and information services.

8. How would you evaluate the training-employment partnership in Estrie? Focus on strengths and weaknesses. Refer specifically to reception, referral, support, counselling and informa-tion services.

9. What are the limits of your organization’s interventions in this partnership? Indicate the start and end points of your intervention. At what point do you believe you can act and at what point do you feel you must let someone else take over? Refer specifically to reception, referral, support, counselling and information services.

10. What are the limitations of the partnership: financial, human, material, organizational, legal, conventional, related to the organizational culture? Refer specifically to reception, referral, support, counselling and information services.

11. What is the role of informal relationships between practitioners in a successful partnership? Give examples drawn from your personal experience.

12. Do you have any suggestions for improving partnerships in reception, referral, counselling and support services in Estrie?


Appendix 6

Protocol for Personal Interviews With Users

1. What reception, referral, counselling support and information services do you know about or have you used in the region? Discuss the organizations involved, their respective mandates, the organization of services, the services offered and the organizations in charge.

2. Describe your experience as a user of these services. How did you become a client? What steps did you take? How would you evaluate the services you received?

3. Could you share some positive experiences with these services? Why do you consider these experiences positive?

4. Could you share some negative experiences with these services? Why do you consider these experiences negative?

5. In your opinion, what are the strengths of these services?

• Reception

• Referral

• Counselling

• Support

• Information

Refer to the following aspects:

• Communication

• Relevance of services offered

• Intervention methods

• Flexibility

• Accessibility

Appendix 6


6. In your opinion, what are the weaknesses of these services?

• Reception

• Referral

• Counselling

• Support

• Information

Refer to the following aspects:

• Communication

• Relevance of services offered

• Intervention methods

• Flexibility

• Accessibility

7. How do you perceive the collaboration between the different organizations offering these types of services? Refer to the following aspects: roles, commitment, follow-up, evaluation of results, visibility, accessibility, rapidity and quality of responses to your needs, equal access to services, consistency of interventions, cooperation among services, facilities, coordination of interventions.

8. Suggestions for improving these services in Estrie.


Appendix 7

Consent Form

Research on human beings requires the written consent of participants. Of course, this does not mean that the action research project involves some sort of risk. It is to ensure respect for the rights of those involved that the organizations that subsidize research projects have made this type of agreement mandatory.

The action research project entitled Partnership: A Complementary and Harmonized Approach to Services in Estrie focuses on reception, referral, counselling and support services in adult education in Estrie and is aimed at:

1. Identifying the existing methods of collaboration between the different service providers

2. Analyzing clients’ perception of these services

3. Defining and testing a user-friendly model in Estrie in order to help users carry out their course of action

This project is a joint initiative of the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec, the Ministère du Travail, the Ministère de la Solidarité sociale et de la Famille, and the Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration.

Research coordinator: Mirela Moldoveanu 891, Bowen sud, bureau 13 Telephone: (819) 569-9761, ext. 262 E-mail: [email protected]

The information gathered from participants will be used to identify possible improvements to services offered in partnership by the three organizations involved. It will also be used for publication, in which the anonymity of participants will be respected and protected.

By agreeing to participate in this research project, I consent to participate in focus groups (no more than two of about 90 minutes each) and in an interview with the research coordinator (about 60 minutes), to discuss training-employment partnerships in Estrie with respect to reception, referral, counselling and support services. The schedule of activities will be established jointly with the research coordinator, based on participants’ availability. The focus groups and interview will be recorded on audio cassette, and only the research coordinator will have access to the raw data. To protect the confidentiality of the data collected, a number will be assigned to each participant and the list of names corresponding to the numbers will be

Appendix 7


available only to the research coordinator. Only group results will be divulged; individual results will remain confidential.

I am also aware that I can refuse to participate in the research project or cease to participate in it at any time, without explanation and without prejudice. A summary of the research results will be sent to me at my request.

For any information or complaint concerning ethical conduct, I can contact the people in charge at the various ministries:

Réjean Boisvert (Centre Saint Michel, tel.: (819) 822-5484, ext. 405

E-mail: [email protected]

Nicole Roy (Emploi-Québec, tel.: (819) 569-9761, ext. 261


Christine Ouellet (MRCI, tel.: (819) 820-3606


Please sign two copies of this form: one for the research coordinator and one for yourself.

I, ………………………………………………………………………., am interested in collaborating in the study entitled Partnership: A Complementary and Harmonized Approach to Services in Estrie. I have read this leaflet and I agree with the terms and conditions of this agreement.

…………………………………………………… ……………………..

Participant’s signature Date

………………………………………………..…. ……………………..

Research coordinator’s signature Date


Appendix 8

Summary Table of Reception, Referral, Counselling and Support Services Offered

In May 2002, the Québec government adopted the government policy on adult education and continuing education and training, along with an action plan.

In our region, the Table estrienne de concertation formation-emploi is responsible and answerable for the implementation of the government policy. To carry out its mandate, the Table estrienne set up six working committees, including the committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services.

In the spring of 2004, the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec requested the collaboration of the school boards, inviting them to present an action research project aimed at developing and testing different ways of offering services to adult learners in Québec.

It is with great enthusiasm that the members of the regional committee on reception, referral, counselling and support services submitted its project, entitled Partnership: A Complementary and Harmonized Approach to Services in Estrie. The project was approved and it is currently under way.

One objective of the project was to produce a summary table of services offered by the partners on the committee.

The following pages present the services offered to an adult clientele by the Commission scolaire Eastern Townships, the Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons, the Commission scolaire des Sommets, the Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke, the Collège de Sherbrooke, Emploi-Québec, the regional office of the Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec and the Direction régionale de l'Estrie, de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec of the Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'Immigration.

We are making this document available because we believe it can be useful for those working directly or indirectly with adults, whether or not they are enrolled in school.

Réjean Boisvert Chair, reception and referral committee

Appendix 8


Emploi-Québec General services Specialized services

Reception Support Referral Counselling Information

Formal recognition of learning and

record of learning in basic general

education

Other

Location CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE N/A

Person in charge

Employment assistance officer



Career counsellor Employment assistance officer

Career counsellor

Clientele Universal service1 Specialized service2

Universal service Specialized service

Universal service Specialized service

Objectives Provide evaluation and employment assistance services to establish a plan of action; make contact with the client, familiarize him or her with the use of tools in the multiservice room

Pursue the intervention or coordinate agreed-upon activities, or both, evaluate achievements and results, set new objectives as needed

Refer the client to the appropriate resources to find a job or improve his or her employability

Provide the client with counselling in his or her career choice and establish a plan of action

Present the self-serve tools (information about the job market on-line, leaflets) or assisted tools (in the multiservice room), present the appropriate programs and information based on the client’s needs

Analyze experiential learning, identify key competencies, establish a plan of action to improve the client’s employability or help him or her find a job

Step in the client’s course of action

Initial interview Throughout the intervention

Throughout the intervention

Counselling approach

At all times Recognition of competencies

Comments Type of intervention based on an analysis of the client’s situation and his or her risk of unemployment

Internal or external resources

Internal or external resources

Referral to external resources to improve the client’s employability or to help him or her enter the work force

1. Universal service: available to all Quebeckers. 2. Specialized service: available to clients at high risk for long-term unemployment.

Appendix 8


Ministère de l’Éducation

General services Specialized services




education

Other

Regional office of the Ministère de l’Éducation Clientele Universal service Universal service

Objectives Present program offerings by region or provincewide

Production of transcripts, records of learning, copies of diplomas

Appendix 8


Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke

Centre Saint-Michel General services Specialized services




education

Other

Location Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Person in charge

Admissions office, counselling and information counsellors

Multidisciplinary teams (teachers, homeroom teachers, counsellors)

Counsellors, admissions office

Career counsellors

Counselling and information counsellors, team of Introduction to an Ongoing Training Process instructors, admissions office

Counselling and information counsellors

Help line

Clientele Adults not in school Adults in school Adults, whether or not they are in school

Adults in school Adults, whether or not they are in school

Adults not in school Adults in school

Objectives Help the client express his or her needs

Analyze the client’s progress and make adjustments as needed

Refer the client to the appropriate resources based on his or her needs

Clarify needs, identify personal characteristics, explore possibilities, develop a plan of action

Propose solutions, provide educational and vocational information

Analyze the student’s file, establish a learning profile, recognize the level of schooling

Enable the client to talk about his or her academic, family, social, financial or other difficulties


Before the adult starts school, after the placement tests

While the adult is in school

At all times While the adult is in school

At all times Before the adult starts school


Comments Group meeting, submission of profile, individual meeting (special cases)

Meetings with the homeroom teacher every five weeks and with the counsellor as needed

Individual meetings

Individual or group meetings

Individual meeting

Appendix 8


Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke

Centre de formation professionnelle 24-juin General services Specialized services




education

Other

Location Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre N/A

Person in charge

Secretary, career counsellor and training consultant

Career counsellor and training consultant, teachers

Secretary, career counsellor and training consultant

Careercounsellor

Secretary, careercounsellor and training consultant

Education consultant, career counsellor

Clientele Adults, whether or not they are in school


Adults in school

Adults, whether or not they are in school

Adults not in school

Objectives Help the client express his or her needs

Counselling, educational information, personal help, file follow-up (financial assistance from the Ministère de l’Éducation)

Refer the client to the appropriate resources

Clarify the client’s needs, develop and adjust the plan of action

Information about programs offered and options

Verification of prerequisites for vocational training, evaluation of knowledge and competencies acquired on the job


First contact While the adult is in school or at his or her application (financial assistance and applications refused in the program requested)


At all times Before or at the beginning of the adult’s return to school

Comments In programs targeted by Emploi-Québec, 10% of places are reserved for this clientele

If there are no prerequisites, referral to the CLE (for clients in Sherbrooke) or to the adult education centre (other municipalities); prerequisites can be completed at the chosen adult education centre

Selection based on general aptitudes; in some programs, interviews to measure motivation; waiting lists for some programs

Appendix 8


Commission scolaire des Hauts-Cantons

Centre d’éducation des adultes du Haut Saint-François General services Specialized services




education

Other

Location Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre N/A

Person in charge

Secretary, career counsellor

Career counsellor, teachers


Career counsellor Secretary, career counsellor

Career counsellor



Adults in school Adults not in school

Objectives Make contact Discuss attendance, motivation, learning pace


Determine and verify academic and vocational goals, develop the learning profile

Inform the client of services offered in the centre, rules, teaching methods

Evaluate academic learning


First visit to the centre



Early days in school—group orientation session, beginning of classes—introductory period (3 hours per subject)

Before the adult starts school

Comments Tutoring program—monthly meetings

Referral to the CLE, CLSC, CJE

Options for clients uncertain of their choice: participation in experiential activities, individual counselling approach

Appendix 8



Centre d’éducation des adultes de Coaticook General services Specialized services




education

Other

Location Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre

Person in charge

Secretary Career counsellor Secretary, career counsellor

Career counsellor


Secretary Teachers



Adults Adults not in school Adults in school

Objectives Make contact Discuss attendance, motivation, learning pace


Develop the academic profile based on the vocational goal

Inform the client of services offered in the centre

Position the client to enter the appropriate program of study—placement test

Maintain motivation, support clients with special needs


First visit to the centre



Early days in school—group orientation session, introductory period for each teacher

Before the adult returns to school


Comments For clients in a program of study: group meeting at the beginning of each month

Tutoring program: two individual meetings a month

Referral to the CLE, CLSC, CJE

Referral to placement tests after a telephone conversation with the secretary

Pedagogical support, support for motivation, social activities

Appendix 8



Centre Le Granit General services Specialized services




education

Other

Location Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre N/A Person in charge


Career counsellor, teachers


Career counsellor

Secretary, career counsellor, teachers

Career counsellor

Clientele Adults Adults in school Adults in school Adults in school Adults Adults not in school Objectives Make contact Discuss

attendance, motivation, learning pace


Identify the client’s needs, develop and adjust the plan of action

Inform the client of the services offered in the centre

Evaluate the client’s prior academic learning


Early days of school


At all times Early days of school, while the adult is in school if necessary

Early days of school (welcoming session, introductory period—3 hours per subject)

Before the adult starts school

Comments Group welcoming session

Tutoring: monthly individual meetings

Referral to the CLE, CLSC, Intro-Travail

Individual meetings

Appendix 8


Commission scolaire des Sommets

Centre d’éducation des adultes de Magog, de Windsor et d’Asbestos General services Specialized services




education

Other

Location Morilac, Memphrémagog, Asbesterie

Morilac, Memphrémagog, Asbesterie





N/A

Person in charge


Teachers, career counsellor

Teachers, career counsellor

Career counsellor

Career counsellor, secretary, teachers

Career counsellor

Clientele Adults not in school Adults in school Adults in school Adults in school Adults, whether or not they are in school


Objectives Make contact Follow up client’s course of action

Refer client to the appropriate resources

Identify the client’s needs, develop and adjust the plan of action

Inform the client of the services offered, educational and vocational information

Evaluate the client’s prior academic learning


First visit While the adult is in school

At all times Early days of school, while the adult is in school if necessary

At all times Early days of school

Comments Collaboration with the CLE for periodic updates of the file

Referral to the CLE, CJE, Club de placement or other

Appendix 8


Centre d’éducation aux adultes New Horizons


Reception Support Referral Counselling Information Formal recognition of learning and record of

learning in basic general education

Other

Location Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Centre Person in charge

Secretary, education consultant

Education consultant, training consultant, homeroom teacher, teachers

Career counsellor, education consultant, secretary

Careercounsellor

Education consultant, training consultant, secretary, teachers

Education consultant N/A

Clientele Adults, whether or not they are in school




Objectives Help the client formulate his or her request

Help the client become familiar with learning methods, support him or her in his or her decision to return to school, encourage him or her in his or her course of action, develop and maintain his or her motivation, refer him or her to other training or employment options

Allow the client to benefit from all the available internal and external resources

Clarify needs, identify personal characteristics, explore options, develop a plan of action

Inform the client about services offered at the centre and about external resources

Refer the client for integration into a program of study—placement test, recognition of experiential learning (SSET, GDT, sphere of generic competencies), equivalent learning acquired in Canada outside Québec in order to determine the starting point, the desired destination and the course of action


Make contact in person, by telephone or by e-mail

Ongoing At all times Early days of school and ongoing depending on the client’s needs

At all times Early days of school and ongoing

Comments Referral to internal resources, (career counsellor, ESL, francization, etc.) or external resources (Emploi-Québec, Job Links, general education, vocational training, distance education, etc.)

By appointment

Appendix 8


Collège de Sherbrooke





education

Other

Location Collège de Sherbrooke

Collège de Sherbrooke Collège de Sherbrooke Collège de Sherbrooke

Collège de Sherbrooke Collège de Sherbrooke

Person in charge

Secretary, advisers, training consultants at the continuing training centre

Multidisciplinary team: teachers at the continuing training centre, advisers, training consultants

Advisers Career counsellors

Secretary, training consultants, advisers

Advisers



Adults, whether or not they are in school

Objectives Help the client find the appropriate program or course, recognition procedure to meet the client’s needs

Follow the client’s course of action, support him or her, prevent failure

Refer client to the appropriate resources

Clarify needs, explore options

General information about programs and general functioning (course schedule, admission test, etc.)

Analyze prior academic and experiential learning for admission to the program or recognition of courses


Make contact, admit the client



At all times; for full-time groups: before school starts; for other clients: in the early days of school

At all times

Comments Assistance by telephone or in person

For full-time groups: bimonthly absence reports, individual meetings with problem clients, group report at the end of the program

Agreements with regular education to foster promotion from an ACS to a DCS for clients who are interested; Emploi-Québec clients refused for a program or who drop out are referred to their CLE for counselling

Special activities: public information sessions; half-day open house for new clients enrolled full-time in a program leading to an ACS

Appendix 8


Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration





education

Other

Location DREMCQ, Trois-Rivières office

Welcoming organizations and institution

DREMCQ, Trois-Rivières office

N/A DREMCQ, Trois-Rivières office, outside the offices on request

DREMCQ N/A

Person in charge

Socioeconomic assistance officer


Receptionists, socioeconomic assistance officers, development officers


Clientele Adults not in school, independent immigrants, refugees, francophones and non-francophones

Adults, whether or not they are in school, independent immigrants, refugees, francophones and non-francophones

Adults not in school, independent immigrants, refugees, francophones and non-francophones



Objectives General information about MRCI and community services and programs, registration for health insurance, social insurance and the francization program

Support the client in his or her integration into society

Refer client to the appropriate resources: establishment, francization, job search, training, income security

General information about the region, resources and organizations, services offered and course of action

Comparative evaluation of diplomas obtained outside Canada


Early days of contact At all times At all times At all times At all times

Comments Toolbox will be made available

Referral to the CLE, the SATI, Service des évaluations comparatives, other external resources

Informal collaboration agreement with the Centre Saint-Michel

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