Georgian recently assessed its commitment to providing students with quality learning experiences and teaching excellence by taking part in its first Program Quality Assurance Process Audit (PQAPA). Georgian received the highest possible marks in all six areas scored – five individual criteria and one overall rating. No college scored higher.

 As part of the review process, a provincial audit team interviewed instructors and program co-ordinators in both a new and a long-term Georgian program to assess the quality of each. This article focuses on the Child and Youth Worker program, established at Georgian in the fall of 2006.

Child and Youth Worker, a three-year advanced diploma program at Georgian’s Orillia Campus, provides students with the knowledge and skills to support children and youth with social, emotional and behavioural challenges.

 Instructors interviewed by the PQAPA audit team talked about all aspects of the program, from its development to how they ensure student success.

“We continually observe issues and trends occurring in child and youth work and listen to our stakeholders, which include students and community partners/potential employers, to ensure the program turns out graduates capable of assuming work in the demanding field,” says Kathleen Cameron, program co-ordinator.

 They also elaborated on the deeper meaning behind establishing the Child and Youth Worker program.

 ”In addition to being instructors in the program, we have a deep connection to child and youth work and are committed to helping our students succeed,” says Kathleen. “There are so many examples of how our faculty members put their heart and soul into providing students with quality learning experiences, it’s hard to pick just one. We have a special affinity for youth and truly want our students to have a positive, enriching experience.”

 Instructors’ enthusiasm for their work affects students as well. They regularly give back to their community and participate in a number of activities throughout the year, including organizing the College’s annual participation in Night in the Cold to raise awareness of poverty and homelessness in central Ontario.

 Students in the first graduating class have done well for themselves – many of them were snatched up by local employers before they graduated.

When the Child and Youth Worker program was first established, instructors and program co-ordinators hoped to have enough students to fill one intake. In fact, there were so many interested applicants, the College added a second section. Demand continued and in January 2008 the program established a January intake. This fall there will be approximately 225 students in the program.

 The PQAPA is a provincial standard for college post-secondary program quality assurance. It supports the responsibility of each college to manage the quality of its own programs and is intended to review the existing quality assurance practices in place at each college.

Inset: Scott Grant is a graduate of the Child and Youth Worker program at the Orillia Campus.