Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Requirements

When Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) service providers need to know about any of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ (MTCU’s) requirements, they can refer to the Literacy and Basic Skills Service Provider Guidelines. When developing this Literacy Basics module, we referred to the LBS Service Provider Guidelines, effective October 2016; however, the Guidelines are updated from time to time and we recommend that practitioners check the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway (EOPG) for newer editions or updates.

Each LBS program receives a Transfer Payment Agreement that outlines the responsibilities of each agency. In the agreement, (as well as in the LBS Service Delivery Guidelines) the requirements of the agency’s duties in relation to follow-up are outlined. This section tells us that, in order to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the four other delivery services (Information and Referral, Assessment, Learner Plan Development and Training), LBS service providers must

• “follow up with learners at three, six and 12 months after they leave the program to document their current status
• ensure that information collection and recording makes follow-up convenient and effective
• evaluate the effectiveness of their training activities, including learner feedback
• maintain a process for receiving ongoing feedback and information from other service providers in the community, employers and learners”

Follow-Up Evaluation Planning, Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

The Transfer Payment Agreement tells us to “implement a systematic approach to tracking, reporting, and analyzing information and referral activity and follow-up. tracking, reporting and analyzing information” relates the Follow-Up service directly to Employment Ontario’s commitments to Service Quality, Performance Management and Continuous Improvement.

MTCU uses the expression “What gets measured gets improved.” Evaluation through the Follow-Up service is one way to measure and bring about improvements to all five of the delivery services and to the three Service Quality Dimensions of Customer Service, Effectiveness and Efficiency.

Under Evaluation for Continuous Improvement in the Business Planning Cycle section of LBS Service Provider Program Guidelines, effective October 2016,  it states that

“A quality Employment Ontario program evaluates its effectiveness annually. Evaluation of the LBS Program is a continuous process that includes input from all stakeholders including clients and learners, staff, referring organizations, community partners, funders and goal path stakeholders. Evidence of continuous improvement in organizational capacity and performance is a key aspect of evaluation.”

It goes on to define what should be included in an evaluation plan for good business practice. The points listed below are those that relate to the Follow-Up service evaluation functions.

“As a good business practice, LBS service providers may choose to develop an internal organization evaluation system that includes:

• monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure LBS Program activities and outcomes are consistent with those specified in the agreement and the LBS Service Provider Guidelines;
• a management review of learner files;
• a method for gathering other service delivery organization and stakeholder input and feedback;
• a method for gathering learner input and feedback;
• review and analysis of LBS service delivery organization statistics, either to adjust service delivery where appropriate, or to provide the rationale for variances between projected and actual results.”

Exit and Follow-Up Form

As noted earlier, the Follow-Up section of the Ontario Transfer Payment Agreement requires us to contact learners at exit and at 3, 6 and 12 months after they leave the LBS program in order to document their outcomes and evaluate the training activities.  This helps demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the four other delivery services.  To complete this learner follow-up, we must use the Literacy and Basic Skills Exit and Follow-Up Form. You can find and download the Literacy and Basic Skills Exit and Follow-Up Form on the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway (EOPG).

The Exit and Follow-Up Form is mandatory, according to the Program Forms section (5.9) of the Guidelines. Here, it also states that LBS Service Providers may not alter it. This section also explains that the use of this form ensures

• consistency in the administration of the programs and services
• that each service provider is collecting, using, disclosing and retaining the limited personal information necessary to complete the programs and services
• that the Ministry has obtained the consent of the program/service participants to the indirect collection of their personal information
• the provision of the notice of indirect collection of personal information that the Ministry is required to provide to program/service participants under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA); and
• the difference between the Ministry’s indirect collection and use of personal information and the service provider’s own collection and use of personal information for their purposes.

The Literacy and Basic Skills Exit and Follow-Up Form must be included in each learner file, according to section 5.6.1 of the Guidelines.

In the rest of the sections of this module, we will offer tips and tools and discuss ways to meet all the above Ministry requirements for the LBS Follow-Up service.

Questions and Activities for Reflection

1. Check that you have access to the most current LBS Service Provider Guidelines in your office, whether it be in hard or digital copy.

2. The LBS Service Provider Guidelines include the four Follow-Up service activities below. In what ways do these fit into your program’s follow-up activities?

• follow up with learners at 3, 6 and 12 months after they leave the program to document their current status
• evaluate the effectiveness of their training activities, including learner feedback
• maintain a process for receiving ongoing feedback and information from other service providers in the community, employers and learners
• Ensure that information collection and recording makes follow-up convenient and effective:

3. Which of the four Follow-Up service activities would you say your agency does best, and which needs some work?

4. MTCU uses the expression “What gets measured gets improved.” Consider what gets measured during the Follow-Up service in your agency. Has that measurement led to improvements?