| Facilitators have been trained across Canada to lead | | | | and churches. Most facilitators are delivering the LAPS |
| LAPS programs within diverse communities of | | | | program in a paid position (79.9%), while 20.1% are |
| parents who face low literacy challenges as well as | | | | volunteers. |
| other socio-economic barriers. | | | | Overall, 60% of respondents received funding or |
| This research, funded by the National Office of | | | | worked in partnership to deliver the most recent |
| Literacy and Learning, Human Resources and Social | | | | LAPS-based program. The most common partners |
| Development Canada (HRSDC), documents the | | | | include education organizations, social services or child |
| spread and reach of facilitator training since 1995 by | | | | and family services, and schools or school divisions. |
| measuring the subsequent use of training in family | | | | Other sources of funding include literacy foundation |
| literacy initiatives by those who have attended the | | | | programs, Aboriginal Bands and health regions. |
| workshops. It also investigates challenges faced in | | | | Facilitators consider the detailed manual, parenting |
| front-line administration of LAPS programs and the | | | | activities, low-literacy level handouts, the integration |
| diversity of families in which it has been adapted to | | | | of parenting and literacy, and the detailed information |
| serve. | | | | guide to be valuable components of the training |
| Methodology | | | | program. |
| The research team, lead by the Society for the | | | | Some of the challenges of program delivery include |
| Advancement of Excellence in Education (SAEE) | | | | meeting specific learning needs, attracting participants, |
| undertook document review, and interviews with | | | | the diverse background of parents, and inconsistent |
| appropriate funding agencies and LAPS program | | | | attendance. Overall, most facilitators felt prepared to |
| coordinators to gather information on the program | | | | meet these challenges by the training they received |
| history. A comprehensive survey was developed in | | | | through the LAPS program but indicated some areas |
| partnership with FESA co-executive directors and | | | | where additional support would be beneficial. |
| was administered online and by telephone to LAPS | | | | In regards to the types of continuing support, more |
| facilitators during the spring of 2007. Following that, | | | | than one half of respondents indicated collaboration |
| researchers conducted focus group sessions and | | | | opportunities with other LAPS facilitators. Others saw |
| in-depth interviews with LAPS facilitators across | | | | value in further follow-up courses, regular |
| western Canada to probe more deeply into | | | | communication with more experienced LAPS trainers, |
| responses gathered from the survey. Financial | | | | and greater opportunities for hands-on training and |
| information was obtained to produce a return on | | | | mentoring for new facilitators. |
| investment analysis which measured the cost of | | | | When asked which areas of further study would be |
| conducting facilitator training against the subsequent | | | | of most interest, facilitators indicated child and |
| use of training by participants and the number of | | | | literacy development, parenting instruction strategies, |
| families ultimately affected by the training. | | | | learning about challenging or diverse populations, |
| Overview of the Report | | | | literacy instruction strategies, and facilitation. |
| Chapter One provides an introduction to the Literacy | | | | On the effectiveness of the LAPS program, many |
| and Parenting Skills Program in the context of family | | | | facilitators strongly agree that it encourages parents' |
| literacy training and provides details on the purpose | | | | involvement in their children's language and literacy |
| and methodology of this program evaluation. In | | | | development, assists participants to become more |
| Chapter Two, offers a profile of the LAPS program | | | | effective parents, boosts participants' confidence to |
| including development, funding history, organizational | | | | move into other learning opportunities, and |
| structure, and training initiatives undertaken. | | | | encourages development of parents' own literacy |
| Chapter Three contains the findings of the survey | | | | skills. Overall, 98.1% of facilitators were somewhat |
| research providing details on how and where | | | | (31.3%) or very satisfied (66.8%) with the LAPS |
| facilitators are making use of the training. It includes | | | | training they received. |
| sources of funding, promotion of family literacy | | | | The Literacy and Parenting Skills program has |
| programs, adaptations, and challenges of program | | | | reached across the country and directly impacted |
| delivery. The overall margin of error for the survey | | | | thousands of Canadian families. The value of this |
| was at a 95% confidence rate. | | | | training is evident in the diverse settings in which it is |
| This chapter is followed by more detailed findings | | | | used and in the fact that facilitators witness positive |
| gathered from focus group and in-depth interviews | | | | changes in the parents and families involved. The |
| involving LAPS facilitators across western Canada. | | | | LAPS program presents relevant strategies that build |
| Qualitative data on additional training, learner-specific | | | | upon the literacy strengths of people in communities |
| needs, delivery challenges, support, and network | | | | who need support. |
| building can be found in Chapter Four. The return on | | | | According to the Return on Investment analysis, the |
| investment (ROI) analysis is featured in Chapter Five | | | | cost of reaching one family through this program is |
| and the final chapter provides conclusions and | | | | between $8 and $16 on average. This is a relatively |
| recommendations based on the findings of the overall | | | | small investment considering the value that facilitators |
| report. | | | | perceive in the services that the LAPS programs |
| Key Findings | | | | enable them to provide. |
| The majority of respondents have made use of the | | | | The following recommendations are drawn from the |
| LAPS facilitator training program in Alberta (51.4%). | | | | feedback obtained from facilitators and trainers |
| Another 22.2% used the program in British Columbia, | | | | working in the field and are summarized into two |
| 18.9% in Manitoba and 6.5% in Saskatchewan. The | | | | broad categories which focus on enhanced training |
| training has also been used in Ontario, Quebec, | | | | and increased communication and networking |
| Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Maritimes. | | | | opportunities. |
| Facilitator training costs have remained low yet have | | | | Recommendations for Training |
| resulted in a 90% or greater use of training in the | | | | 1- Continue to develop mentorship or practicum |
| delivery of new or enhanced family literacy programs. | | | | opportunities as a component of facilitator training |
| Nearly three quarters of respondents have used the | | | | 2- Identify enhanced training needs by region and |
| LAPS training as a resource (72.4%), 54.5% have | | | | offer follow-up or refresher workshops |
| integrated it into another program and 25.1% use it | | | | 3- Supply additional resource packages including |
| as a stand alone program. More than one in ten | | | | children's books additional lesson ideas, and additional |
| respondents use the LAPS facilitator training on a | | | | culturally-specific resources |
| daily basis (13.2%), 25.9% on a weekly basis, 23.3% | | | | Recommendations for Communication, Support, and |
| on a monthly basis and 37.5% once a quarter or less. | | | | Network Building |
| The most common places where LAPS training is | | | | 4) Build upon the existing LAPS Website to include |
| used are in schools, (34.9%) family resource centers | | | | greater communication and lesson sharing |
| (33.9%) and community centers (27%). Also | | | | opportunities |
| preschools and outreach and intervention programs | | | | 5) Coordinate local face-to-face knowledge-sharing |
| featured highly. Other places respondents have used | | | | opportunities for facilitators by region. |
| their training include drop-in centers, clients' homes, | | | | |