Ontario is investing $4-million to expand experiential learning opportunities for students through new partnerships with The Duke of Edinburgh Award and The King’s Trust Canada.
These organizations teach young people essential skills for their future careers, including leadership abilities and the opportunity to apply what they are learning in school in the real world, Education Minister Paul Calandra said Tuesday.
“When students have opportunities to put their learning into practice, they leave school better prepared for whatever path they choose,” he said. “This investment will help more students access those experiences and build a strong foundation for the future.”
With so much rapid technological change and the lingering effects of the pandemic shaping much of young peoples’ lives, it is perhaps more important than ever to teach students communication skills and connect them to career opportunities, said Jeffrey Orridge, chief executive officer of The King’s Trust Canada.
“Young people don’t necessarily have the communication skills they used to have,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is support them to be better prepared not just for the work environment, but for life.”
Founded by King Charles III in 1976, The King’s Trust launched in Canada in 2011.
The charity offers a skills academy for young people that teaches communication, effective time management and how to network.
Giving students the chance to apply what they are learning in school in the real world can help connect them to their communities," said Mark Little, chief executive officer of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada.
“We work alongside educators to build human skills such as resilience, leadership and empathy. These human skills are essential not only for employability but also for civic participation and individual wellbeing,” he said.
Under the new partnership with the province, open to students in the upcoming school year, the organization will focus on students in Ontario’s specialist high skills major program, which allows students in Grade 11 and 12 to focus their studies in a specific economic sector, such as health care or construction, as well as students in dual credit programs and apprenticeship pathways, Mr. Little said.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award operates as both an award and a teaching framework, which students can win and also participate in.
It works by allowing young people to set personal goals across four areas: voluntary service, physical recreation, skills development and an “adventurous journey supported by adult mentors.”
Mr. Little pointed to a pilot program that his organization ran with the Greater Essex County District School Board as an example of how the award works.
The students were all pursuing careers in construction. For their volunteer and community service project, the students worked with a non-profit organization to build it a deck.
The project allowed the students the chance to develop their construction and carpentry skills, Mr. Little said.
“But they are also giving back to community at the same time and really building that social capital and community kind of connection, which is so important for young people,” he said.
Mr. Calandra said education must prepare students for life beyond school, and that not only means having strong reading, writing and math skills, but also the kind of real-world skills these programs offer.
“By expanding access to programs like these, we are helping more students discover their strengths, contribute to their communities and build the skills they need for ultimate achievement.”