Executive Summary

The purpose of the project, What Works: Recruitment and Retention of Ontario Works Clients was to improve the overall participation and commitment of clients in Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) college programs. The project consisted of two phases. Phase 1 studied the impact that increased numbers of Ontario Works clients had on LBS college programs, and gathered information on existing retention strategies used in colleges. It served as a starting point in developing a profile of the Ontario Works client. This profile showed Ontario Works clients facing a number of major obstacles that prevented them from participating in and staying in school.

LBS college programs have responded to the needs of Ontario Works clients in a number of ways. Some approaches have met with more success than others. Because learners' and practitioners' needs were so varied, it was a serious challenge for the researchers to narrow their strategies to three. The researchers based their selection of topics for further development and field testing on the following information:

• The concerns and needs of the learners gathered from focus group discussions and further research on the Ontario Works program
• Needed strategies identified by LBS college practitioners from questionnaires and interviews
• Concentrated research in areas of retention such as locus of control

One important piece of retention research heavily influenced the direction of the project-the first three weeks of a program are critical in motivating and retaining learners. Quigley ([1] p. 1) Learners, in fact, are most likely to drop out during the first three weeks. Early identification of possible barriers to participation and subsequent intervention for at-risk learners are therefore essential. The researchers decided to focus their strategies on the at-risk Ontario Works learner which also meant focusing on the first few weeks of the learner's involvement in the LBS college program. All three strategies were developed for use in the intake/assessment/orientation process where it was felt they would be most effective. The three strategies were outlined in the Phase 1 Preliminary Report, which was completed and distributed in June 2000.

They are:

• Retention Strategy # 1 - Learning Alert: A Learning Disabilities Quick Screen
• Retention Strategy # 2 - Learners Helping Learners: Setting Up Focus Groups for Learners
• Retention Strategy # 3 - Screening for Success: A Self-Management/Self-Direction Quick Screen

In Phase 2, the researchers piloted and refined these strategies and developed an information piece to accompany them. From piloting the strategies themselves, the researchers felt they would benefit all LBS learners, not just those sponsored by Ontario Works. They were also concerned that Ontario Works clients would feel "singled out" as the sole participants in the field test. By involving other LBS learners, moreover, the researchers could attempt some comparative analysis to investigate practitioners' observations that Ontario Works clients had more serious barriers and greater needs than did other LBS learners. In approaching the colleges to participate in the field test, therefore, the researchers indicated that the retention strategies could be used more broadly. Judging by the level of participation, this approach seems to have been a good one.

Sixteen practitioners from eight colleges invited learners to try one of the quick screens or participate in a focus group. Over 360 completed strategies were returned to the researchers. This high level of participation by the colleges was consistent with participation in Phase 1 where eighteen colleges contributed information through surveys and interviews.

The field test results indicate very strong support for all three strategies, with practitioners and learners agreeing overall on their need and potential value. As anticipated, there was somewhat less agreement on issues relating to their use and on the effectiveness of the actual tools themselves. Practitioners raised the issue of timing, e.g., at what point in the program would the Self- Management/Self-Direction Quick Screen be most helpful for at-risk learners? Practitioners also raised sensitivity issues related to the Learning Disabilities Quick Screen although learners seemed much less concerned that questions were personal or embarrassing. The response to focus groups was mixed. While practitioners were enthusiastic about the results, they also identified some challenges involved in facilitating such groups.

The field test results showed how important it was to include background information that explained why and how each strategy was developed. This information included relevant resources and web sites which practitioners found useful. One commented, "It (the material) was helpful and interesting. It gave the project some depth."

Several practitioners commented that the strategies were indeed applicable to all LBS learners. The detailed results for each strategy are presented in the following three sections of the report. The two quick screens were considerably revised based on the analysis of the field test results and specific suggestions from practitioners and learners. No major changes were made to the focus group strategy. Background information has been revised slightly to encourage a broader use of the strategies. Most references to Ontario Works clients, for example, have been replaced with "at-risk learners." The background information and revised tools can be found in the appendices at the end of the report.