Executive Summary
The goal of this project is to provide an innovative, collaborative pathway that allow Lambton College Social Service Worker (SSW), Ontario College Diploma and Child and Youth Care (CYC), Ontario College Advanced Diploma graduates to complete the Bachelor of Social Work through Algoma University, on-site in their community at Lambton College in Sarnia, Ontario. This pathway is a unique learning opportunity for students because it provides students the flexibility to achieve both a degree and diploma at Lambton College.
When the project team was assembled in April 2017, the group discussed the need to create this particular pathway. Specifically, the project team agreed that this pathway will enhance student mobility, providing access to an in-demand degree in a rural location. Since both institutions cater to rural and remote students, this pathway meets students’ expectations as it allows Lambton College graduates to continue to receive key benefits they are accustomed to such as small classes and flexible delivery options, along with satisfying a degree requirement that is highly valued by employers. Offering Algoma’s Bachelor of Social Work in Sarnia, Ontario, was a very important part of the decision to create this pathway between the two institutions. This pathway will give Lambton’s SSW and CYC graduates an accessible, cost effective option to enhance their career pathway.
In order to start this project, the project team created a working plan. This working plan outlines the major milestones and timelines for task completion – it was a key tool in keeping both partner institutions on track during the fiscal year.
A pivotal meeting was held on August 21, 2017, where the team discussed the following action items for this project:
1. The implementation of a joint admissions offer.
2. The number of transfer credits Lambton’s SSW and CYC students will receive upon entry into Algoma’s Bachelor of Social Work.
3. A review of the initial draft articulation agreement, looking at the language used and financial responsibilities for each partner.
Currently, Algoma University offers the Bachelor of Social Work program on-site at Northern College’s Timmins campus. Algoma and Northern offer a joint admissions program for Northern College’s graduates who complete a two or three-year Ontario College Diploma program or an Ontario College Advanced Diploma program to seamlessly transfer into Algoma’s Bachelor of Social Work.
Termed “Algoma U at Timmins,” this is a unique learning opportunity, which provides diploma-to-degree and university transfer students with the opportunity to accelerate their career path and put them on the path to professional success, while living at home. This flexibility makes the University education both accessible and affordable. All courses are offered at the Timmins Campus of Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology, helping students in Northern Ontario complete their educational wishes without having to move and uproot their families for an extended period of time.
Both the Algoma University Social Work and Community Development degree programs are delivered either in-person in Timmins, or via interactive videoconference from the Sault Ste. Marie campus. Professors are trained experts in their fields of study, and they place course content in a Northern Ontario context. At Algoma U at Timmins, students also benefit from studying in the ideal classroom environment, which boasts small, supportive classes that afford more one-on-one time with the professors.
Upon being accepted into the Algoma U at Timmins program, students participate in an orientation session and are provided with an orientation package to help them become familiar with the University and the support services available at the Timmins Campus of Northern College.
As this model has proven to be successful, and seeing the similarities between the remote Northern institutions with rural Lambton College, Algoma University is the preferred partner to expand this programming to the Sarnia-Lambton area. In addition to enhancing mobility and providing access to an in-demand degree in a rural location, both institutions have significant Indigenous student populations within their respective catchments.
Lambton College’s SSW and CYC programs both offer rigorous curriculum, preparing students to feel confident in their skill set because of the professional expectations at placement. The curriculum design and placement opportunity help to enhance their maturity and commitment to their chosen profession. This experience also confirms their goals of completing a degree after they obtain their diplomas. Thus, our students who chose to pursue degrees, and specifically Bachelor of Social Work programs, have been reported to be well prepared, accessing a solid foundation in skills and knowledge in the helping field.
In October, however, the Ontario College faculty work stoppage took place province-wide and lasted a total of five weeks. Several of our team members are also faculty, and thus they were not able to work on the project during the duration of the work stoppage. The faculty strike had only a minor impact on the project. The project team revised the working plan, outlining new deadlines for particular action items.
With the revised deadlines in place, Lambton College and Algoma University completed the deliverables outlined in the signed project agreement from ONCAT as four meetings took place as well as course outlines, course syllabi and learning outcomes were reviewed. The draft articulation agreement and joint admissions policy has been created. The next steps are for both institutions to review and approve the content which is currently in progress.
For the second half of the project, the team members will continue to collaborate on the actual delivery methods (i.e. in-class, hybrid, online) for courses that will be offered through Algoma University at Lambton College. In addition, the team will work on the transfer recognition, agreement objectives as well as the actual administration of the project.
In addition, the future goal for this project is to expand the pathway to other Ontario Colleges with a Social Service Worker, Ontario College Diploma program and Child and a Youth Care, Ontario College Advanced Diploma programs that also share similar student mobility barriers once the pathway has been completed.