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Monday, March 31, 2014

Crossing Boundaries through Communication project

The storyboard is part of the Crossing Boundaries through Communication project, cooperatively supported by the Chilkoot Indian Association, Haines Borough Public Library, and a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency that fosters innovation, leadership, and lifelong learning.

http://www.cvstoryboard.org


Clear Language Driver's Guide

Clear Language Driver's Guide

 Obtaining a driver's license has been identified as one of the top three barrier to employment for low-literacy learners, and this becomes especially significant in rural areas.
Literacy Alberta has created the Clear Language Driver's Guide which is designed to help learners get their license, and by extension, participate more fully in Alberta's economy.

Friday, March 28, 2014

CIHR funding guidelines


Funding Organization Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Program Name Foundation Scheme : 2014 1st Live Pilot
Program Launch Date 2013-11-22


Important Dates

Competition201409FDN
Registration Deadline 2014-06-23
Application Stage 1 Deadline 2014-09-15
Application Stage 2 Deadline 2015-02-05
Anticipated Stage 1 Notice of Decision 2014-12-01
Anticipated Stage 2 Notice of Decision 2015-05-15
Anticipated Stage 3 Notice of Decision 2015-07-02
Funding Start Date 2015-07-01

Notices

Note: The Foundation Scheme: 2014 1st Live Pilot funding opportunity has been posted 7 months in advance of the competition's registration deadline in order to provide the research community with the program details and the opportunity to prepare for the competition. It is important to note, however, that updates may be made based on results from on-going pilots.

Note: Some elements of this competition may be unique to this live pilot and CIHR will continue to refine the funding scheme based on this and other pilots.

Note: Some of the links within this funding opportunity are not yet active. They will become available as soon as the relevant information is available.

Note: The Transitional Operating Grant: 2014-2015 competition is being run in parallel with the Foundation Scheme: 2014 1st Live Pilot competition in order to facilitate the transition within CIHR's open funding scheme. 

For more information, please see Reforms to CIHR's Open Suite of Programs and Peer Review Process: Design or contact Roadmap-Plan.Strategique@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.


The content of this funding opportunity has been updated
Date updated: 2014-03-28
Sections updated: Important Dates (Anticipated Stage 3 Notice of Decision), Eligibility, How to Apply

Date updated: 2014-02-14
Section updated: Important Dates (Funding Start Date)

Table of Contents

Objectives


The Foundation Scheme is designed to contribute to a sustainable foundation of new and established health research leaders, by providing long-term support for the pursuit of innovative and high-impact research programs.

The Foundation Scheme is expected to:

  • Support a broad base of health research leaders across all career stages, areas, and health-related disciplines;
  • Develop and maintain Canadian capacity in health research and other related fields;
  • Provide research leaders with the flexibility to pursue novel and innovative lines of inquiry;
  • Contribute to the creation and application of health-related knowledge through a wide range of research and/or knowledge translation activities, including relevant collaborations.

New and early-career investigators: Special consideration

New and early-career investigators are eligible to apply to the Foundation Scheme competition as a Program Leader. To support the objective of the program – a sustainable foundation of health research leaders – a minimum annual intake of new investigators into the Foundation Grant portfolio will be established. Competition processes and peer review for this cohort will be fully integrated with the competition as a whole with no additional steps being required on the part of the applicant. Eligibility for consideration as a new or early-career investigator is outlined in the eligibility section below.

The success of new/early career investigators in the Foundation Scheme will be actively monitored. Peer reviewers will be instructed to take into consideration the career stage, research field and institution setting of all applicants. At Stage 3, new/early career investigators will be assessed and ranked against other new/early career investigators.

Funds Available

CIHR's financial contributions for this scheme are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR funding levels not be available or be decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR reserves the right to reduce, defer, or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

  • The combined total amount available for CIHR's 2014-15 Open Grant Programs (2014-15 Transitional OOGP and Foundation Scheme: 2014 1st Live Pilot) is approximately $500M.
  • The number of grants expected to be funded for this Foundation Scheme competition is approximately 120 to 250 grants over the multi-year terms of the grants. An investment at this level assumes a robust application pressure: therefore, the actual number of grants awarded may vary.
  • Based on historical modeling, it is expected that most Foundation grant budget requests will fall within a range of $50K to $1.5M per annum. Foundation grant levels will be commensurate with need, which is expected to vary by research field, research approach, and scope of program activities.
  • Senior and mid-career investigators will be awarded 7-year grants. New/early-career investigators will be awarded 5-year grants.
  • For existing CIHR grantees, the budget request should be consistent with the applicant's previous CIHR open grant research funding history. Applicants must provide robust justification for requests that are significantly higher than their historical grant levels.

Research Areas

The Foundation Scheme is open to applicants in all areas of health research that are aligned with the CIHR mandate: "To excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system".


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Eligibility


Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Program Leader generally administers CIHR funds. Refer to the Individual Eligibility Requirements regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Eligibility to Apply

Foundation grants are designed to support research leaders at any career stage to build and conduct programs of health research across CIHR's mandate. Eligible applicants will include new/early-career, mid-career, and established researchers who are independent researchers with a demonstrable track record of excellence and impact in their field of study. An individual may only be a Program Leader on one Foundation grant at any one time.

For an application to be eligible:

  1. The Program Leader(s) (link to come) must be an independent researcher.
  2. The Program Leader who is responsible for the administration of the grant must have an academic or research appointment at an eligible institution at the time of application (See Institutional Eligibility Requirements for eligibility process and associated timelines.
  3. Where applicable, multiple Program Leaders submitting a single application must convincingly demonstrate synergy and a track record of co-managing programs of research with each other.
  4. An individual may only submit one application in the role of Program Leader per competition.

New/early-career investigators:

New/early-career investigators are eligible to apply to the Foundation Scheme competition as a Program Leader. CIHR defines a new/early career investigator as someone who, at the Stage 1 application deadline, has assumed his/her first independent academic position (e.g., faculty appointment) within the last 5 years (60 months).

Note: All time spent in research appointments will be taken into consideration when determining eligibility. Should an applicant hold or have held a part time appointment, CIHR will count that time as 50% (e.g., a one-year part-time appointment will count for 6 months towards the 60 month maximum).

Leaves of absence, as indicated in the Leaves of Absence section under Employment of your Common CV, will not count towards the 60-month maximum. (Updated: 2014-03-28)

For the Foundation Scheme 2014 1st Live Pilot competition, the Program Leader must also fall into one of the following three groups:

  1. On July 30th 2013, the Program Leader is the Nominated Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator of a CIHR Open program grant with an expiry date no earlier than October 1, 2014 and no later than September 30, 2015.
  2. The Program Leader is considered to be a new/early-career investigator, as defined by CIHR, at the Stage 1 application deadline.
  3. On July 30th 2013, the Program Leader has never held Open CIHR funding as a Nominated Principal Investigator or a Co-Principal Investigator.

Institutional Support:

The appropriate individual at the Program Leader's or Leaders' institution(s) must approve the application confirming that it agrees to support the Program Leader as articulated in the Grants and Awards Guide and also as may be further articulated within the application.

Note for Foundation grant holders: (relevant only to applicants in future competitions)

Foundation grantees interested in continuing their program of research beyond the duration of the Foundation grant may submit a new application in Year 6 (for 7-year grants) or Year 4 (for 5-year grants) to the regular Foundation Scheme competition.

In exceptional circumstances, Foundation grantees may choose to submit a new application in an earlier year with the goal of obtaining a higher level of grant support. Unsuccessful applications will result in the currently-held Foundation grant being terminated one year after the published funding start date for the competition in which the application was unsuccessful.


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Guidelines


General CIHR Guidelines

This funding opportunity will fully comply with the policies and guidelines as outlined in CIHR's Funding Policies. CIHR policies reflect areas of importance such as (but not limited to): Gender and Sex-Based Analysis, Knowledge Translation, Open Access, Global Health Research and International Collaborations. Policies and guidelines also cover areas such as Applicant Responsibilities, Official Languages policy, Access to Information Act, Privacy Act and Communication Requirements.

Information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations.

Allowable Costs

Recipients should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

The following cost is not eligible for support through this funding opportunity:

  • Salaries for Program Leaders

Conditions of Funding

Successful applicants funded through this funding opportunity and any other persons working on the program of research must comply fully with the CIHR Funding Policies. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial requirements prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.

Other conditions of funding specific to this program:

  • The Program Leader(s) is required to submit an electronic Final Report to CIHR.
  • To meet federal reporting and accountability requirements, Program Leaders will also be expected to report periodically on their research productivity and achievements.
  • The Program Leaders who are successful within this competition must enroll, and actively participate, as members of the CIHR College of Reviewers – instructions will be provided to successful grant recipients.
  • While the broader research team may evolve over the duration of the grant, Program Leaders (whether single or multiple) must remain unchanged over the course of the grant.

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Review Process and Evaluation


Adjudication and Selection Process

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with the CIHR Adjudication and Selection Process Manual for the 2014 Foundation Scheme Competition. (link to come)

The Foundation Scheme 1st Live Pilot competition will be a multi-stage competition with 2 distinct applications and 3 review stages. Only successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to apply to Stage 2.

Stage 1 and 2 review will be conducted remotely by expert reviewers supported by an internet-assisted platform that will enable communication among reviewers in a virtual space. Reviewers will review their assigned structured applications by providing a structured review that consists of rating each sub-criterion (see below) and briefly commenting on the strengths and weaknesses in each section. Aided by their ratings, reviewers will be asked to rank the group of applications they are assigned. CIHR will consolidate all individual reviewer rankings into a consolidated ranking for each application, which will be used to make funding decisions.

Stage 3, the final assessment stage, will involve a face-to-face discussion of applications by an interdisciplinary committee. This committee will be responsible for integrating the results of the Stage 1 and  2 reviews, with a focus on assessing applications that fall into the "grey zone" (i.e., applications that are close to the funding cut-off, and which demonstrate a high degree of variance in individual reviewer rankings).  This committee will make final recommendations on which "grey zone" applications should be funded.

At Stage 3, new/early career investigators will be assessed and ranked against other new/early career investigators.

Adjudication Criteria

There are three review stages for the Foundation Scheme competition which require two separate submissions (Stage 1 and Stage 2 application) from the applicant. The first review stage will evaluate Stage 1 applications and successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to apply to Stage 2.  The adjudication criteria considered at Stage 1 and 2 are different. A detailed description of these criteria can be found within the CIHR Adjudication and Selection Process Manual for the 2014 Foundation Scheme Competition. (link to come)

A structured adjudication process will be used to help reviewers assess each applicable criterion. The relative weights of each of the criteria are noted in parenthesis. Associated sub-criteria will be equally weighted.

Stage 1

Criterion 1:  Caliber of the Applicant(s) (75%)

  1. Leadership
  2. Significance of Contributions
  3. Productivity

Criterion 2 – Vision and Program Direction (25%)

Stage 2

Criterion 1 – Quality of the Program (40%)

  1. Research Concept
  2. Research Approach

Criterion 2 – Quality of the Expertise, Experience and Resources (60%)

  1. Expertise
  2. Mentorship and Training
  3. Quality of Support Environment

Budget

Note: The budget requested will not be factored into the scientific assessment of the application: however, a recommendation on the appropriateness of the budget requested will be sought from peer reviewers.


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How to Apply


Important: Please read all instructions to in order familiarize yourself with the application process before applying. An overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under Apply for Funding. Note that these are general instructions only. Specific application instructions for this funding opportunity are described in the links below. All submissions must be made through ResearchNet.

  • Registration to the 1st Foundation Scheme Live Pilot competition will be accepted  between March 24, 2014 and June 23, 2014
  • Eligible registrants will be invited to apply to Stage 1. Stage 1 applications for the 1st Foundation Scheme Live Pilot competition will be accepted until September 15, 2014.  (Updated: 2014-03-28)
  • Only successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to apply to Stage 2. Stage 2 applications for the 1st Foundation Scheme Live Pilot competition will be accepted between December 1, 2014 and February 5, 2015.

Reminder to applicants: Please ensure that your application is complete (including all required signatures) and is submitted to CIHR on time.

To complete your Registration, follow the instructions in the Foundation Scheme: 1st Live Pilot ResearchNet "Registration" Phase Instructions.

To complete your Stage 1 Application, follow the instructions in the Foundation Scheme: 1st Live Pilot ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions. (link to come)

For successful Stage 1 applicants, to complete your Stage 2 Application, follow the instructions in the Foundation Scheme: 1st Live Pilot ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions. (link to come)

Application requirements for Stage 1 and Stage 2 are available. Note that these documents provide a summary of the application requirements for Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the first Foundation Scheme Live Pilot. While the application content is not expected to change, the application for this competition will be completed through ResearchNet, and may therefore look different.

Note: Some of the links within this funding opportunity are not yet active. They will become available as soon as the relevant information is available.

Submission Requirements

  • It is important to be aware of your internal Institutional deadline.
  • Your Application must be submitted using ResearchNet. Scan and upload the signed signature pages including the routing slip in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.
  • This funding opportunity participates in the eApproval process. This means that when the applicant submits their application, it will be electronically directed to the Research Institution for review and approval. The eApproval process allows Administrators at a Research Institution to review and electronically approve applications for which the applicant has identified their institution as the Institution Paid. Once the applications are reviewed and approved by the Research Institution, they will submit the applications electronically to CIHR on behalf of the applicant.

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Contact Information


For questions regarding CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process, please contact:

CIHR Reforms Implementation Team
Email: Roadmap-Plan.Strategique@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your ResearchNet account or the e-Submission process, please contact:

CIHR ResearchNet Support
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 1-888-603-4178 or 613-954-1968
Email: support@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Note: ResearchNet and Program Support are available after normal working hours (16:30 Eastern Time) and until deadline (20:00 Eastern Time) for issues related to application to this funding opportunity on deadline dates.



Thursday, March 27, 2014

Canada Post community grants

Canada Post community grants

The Canada Post Community Foundation funds community projects with a focus on children and youth.  The deadline for applications is April 17, 2014.


AREA OF CONCENTRATION:

The Foundation will fund projects that support three primary focus areas—community, education and health.

Funding will be allocated to projects that will generate maximum impact in the following areas:

  • create lasting change for children and youth (up to the age of 21)
  • education programming to help children reach their full potential
  • programming supporting healthy children
  • building safe, kid-friendly communities
  • services for children and youth with special needs and their families
  • programs that promote children’s interests
  • mental health programs for children and youth

Organizations applying for project funding should either be based in the community or rely significantly on community resources to undertake the activities proposed or to achieve the objectives stated. Projects should involve capacity-building (i.e., the creation or expansion of services, rather than the maintenance of existing services; expansion may include augmentation of a service, addition of a service or inclusion of a new geographic territory). Capacity-building activities could include hiring and/or training staff or covering costs directly related to the delivery of a program such as mileage, facilities rental, or communications activities.

The type of support that projects might provide covers a wide range of services and activities. Some examples (which are not meant to be exhaustive or to limit the generality of the concept) are:

The Foundation will support:

  • charitable organizations with a valid CRA registration number
  • registered non-profit organizations with a valid B/N business registration number
  • elementary and high school groups and licensed, non-profit daycares
  • local community or Aboriginal groups
  • community libraries
  • projects aimed at building front-line capacity to provide community-based support for children
    • can include capital projects (i.e. build libraries, playground structures, sport parks)
  • projects that:
    • address needs of children living with disabilities, illness, who are vulnerable
    • enhance the ability of families and communities to nurture their children
    • extend a caring hand to the children of our community, build better futures for our children and, ultimately, a stronger community
    • support educational, preventative, therapeutic and rehabilitative programs for children, youth and their families
  • projects that focus on: education, development, culture/civic programs, health and physical activity, social services and arts and culture for youth and families

Foundation grants would NOT support:

  • professional or amateur sports teams
  • activities outside Canada
  • debt reduction campaigns
  • lobby, advocacy or partisan groups that promote a particular social, political or economic point of view
  • fundraising events (i.e. golf tournaments, runs or races)
  • ongoing operating costs
  • brand or general advertising (i.e., as distinguished from information directly related to front-line activities)
  • financial assistance for individuals
  • festivals, fairs and trade shows
  • professional or technical organizations
  • faith-based organizations, political parties or other organizations that require, as a condition for receiving support or services, an adherence to, or promotion of a particular religious faith, political affiliation or cultural group
  • organizations for which the primary focus is raising funds for their own or for other organizations
  • conventions, conferences or events
  • ongoing operating costs (e.g., administrative costs not directly linked to delivery of front-line programs)
  • pure academic or basic research
  • emergency, crisis or bridge funding
  • requests from municipalities

School projects that would qualify include:

  • playground structures
  • library supplies
  • electronics
  • music instruments
  • sports equipment
  • participation in school-organized humanitarian efforts
  • after-school programs

Foundation grants to schools would NOT support:

  • salaries and administration costs for school employees
  • school trips (excluding humanitarian programs)
  • standard classroom supplies
  • professional development

Eligibility Criteria 

To be eligible for funding, applications must meet the following criteria. Eligibility criteria are mandatory criteria used to screen applications, resulting in a pass or fail judgment. The criteria relate to both the applicant (i.e., organization-related criteria) and the proposed initiative (i.e., project-related criteria).

Organization-related Criteria

Organizations applying for a grant must:

  • be a registered charity with a Canadian Charitable Registration Number OR a registered non-profit organizations with a valid B/N business registration number OR a school (as defined by the education act in each province) OR a licensed, non-profit daycare organization OR an unregistered community organization OR a community library
  • have a volunteer Board of Directors/organizing committee
    • while paid employees can be used to deliver programming, the Board of Directors must be unpaid positions (payment for expenses incurred by the Directors is acceptable)
  • have a detailed plan for the project being submitted
  • have a budget for the project being submitted
  • have:
    • Audited Financial Statements (for grants valued at $30,001 or more)
      • Only Schools (not School/Parent Associations) may supply financial statements from the school board
    • Review Engagement Report (for grants valued at $15,001 to $30,000)
    • Notice to Reader – Compilation Engagement (for grants valued at $5,001 to $15,000)
    • For grants up to $5,000, the Foundation would require the organizations financial statements for the current year.

Project-related Criteria

  • Funding from the Foundation will not exceed $50,000 per application. The funds must be spent within 12 months of receipt. The Foundation will not fund more than one project per applicant in any given year.
  • The project should involve capacity-building (i.e., the creation or expansion of services or programs, rather than the maintenance of existing services/programs; expansion may include augmentation of a service, addition of a service or inclusion of a new geographic territory). Capacity-building activities could include hiring and/or training staff or covering costs directly related to the delivery of a program such as mileage, facilities rental, or communications activities.
  • The project must be community-based, community-driven or rely on community resources.
  • Applications for funding must be signed by the organizations top executive.
  • While funding will only be provided for a one-year period, the project itself can be intended to continue beyond the period for which the Foundation approves funding.

Appropriateness Criteria

Alignment – Alignment with the Foundations focus on community-based, front-line activities, including demonstration that the need will be met and that there is no duplication or competition with existing services (i.e., the project must either be unique or complementary). The involvement of Canada Post employees in the project is an asset.

Feasibility – Project application must have a realistic plan, with resources (including any other funding sources) commensurate with objectives. Appropriate skills and experience of project team and, if applicable, partner organizations should be identified.

Impact – Projects expected outcome mitigates identified community needs and can be measured. Projects must involve capacity-building (i.e., the creation or expansion of services, rather than the maintenance of existing services; expansion may include augmentation of a service, addition of a service or inclusion of a new geographic territory).

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/cpfoundation/criteria.jsf


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Canadian Immigrant Integration Program

Hong Kong, March 21, 2014 — Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander spoke yesterday to graduates of the Canadian Immigrant Integration Program (CIIP) – an initiative with a strong record of helping newcomers achieve success in Canada.

Alexander spoke with graduates of the CIIP who told him about their achievements and how they hope that their experience in the CIIP will help them find jobs when they arrive in Canada. Graduates stated that the program has provided them with the tools they need to contribute fully to the Canadian economy and labour market.

During his remarks, Alexander announced an additional investment in the CIIP of $1.9 million over the next six months, and highlighted the work that is underway with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) to explore new ways of delivering overseas services. This funding will help more immigrants prepare for life in Canada.

The CIIP is managed by the ACCC, which was recognized last month for its success with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada/Deloitte 2013 Public Sector Leadership Award. The gold honour was presented in recognition of the association's work in developing and delivering the CIIP – which assists newcomers in 25 countries through offices located in the Philippines, China, India, and the United Kingdom.

Since 2010, the government has invested over $18 million in the CIIP. For more information about this program, visit the ACCC website.


Friday, March 21, 2014

CBC in action by being an active partner in setting up a community library on reserve land

So, what was the outcome of CBC's coverage about Hobbema on June 10th,  2013 ?
1. Talk about Hobbema in a positive tone
2. Awareness about low literacy rates in Hobbema
3. Simple message: Expand Public Library Service in Hobbema and library service is an essential service
4. CBC's book drive June 11  and delivery June 14
5. Book drive by community members and service clubs
6. Request to contribute cash donations by people
7. Support by professional writers to conduct writing workshops in Hobbema and set up of a speakers bureau
8. Strengthening the program planning and delivery capacity with and for FNs
9. Development of education kits for treaties and FNs content such as shields and hides
10. People welcoming Hobbema
11. Increase in number of visitors to Hobbema (Thank you Kristy for bringing children's books on June 11th to Hobbema, Thank  you Ms. Zarina Rajwani from Toronto, Mr. Robson from Devon, Uncle Jimmy from Ponoka, 5 visitors/day.)
12. Schools students writing exercises to support library project and sharing what they like reading and their favourite authors
13. Increase in demand to train FNs people in the library field
14. A network of people, organizations and institutions supporting library service for FNs on FNs land - people getting together with a common purpose
15. Community resource mobilization as Samson Cree Nation sends their summer students
       to help with the sorting and classification of books (2 students/day for 7 hours. That  means 14 hours/day x $15/hour which is $210 contribution/day by Samson Cree Nation.)

16. Request to start a human library
17. Public libraries contributing magazine covers, checkout printer and barcode scanner
18. Organizations wanting to donate laptops and computers for digital literacy
19. Training of TAL's Online Reference Centre conducted on June 25th
20. Nothing frees the mind more than reading books! a mother daughter book drive initiative
21.  Making people work more with a bond of trust, commitment and accountability
22.  Knowledge sharing, exchange and mobilization by library staff at all levels
23.  People sharing stories: A pleasure to see people connect with their past...my mother was also cooking and I remember my sisters were reading; the book mobile used to come to my area and my daughter used to borrow thirty books at a time; a FN mother said that her mother wanted to start a public library........Join the conversation.
24. ATCO's Fundraising BBQ and a $1000 contribution

Priority wish list: We need a bus for the mobile library

25. People are helping with the sorting of books into genres and categories
26. More coverage by media such as APTN and Wetaskiwin Times on July 11
27. More professional librarians are sitting on the Advisory Committee
28. ABC framework explained to stakeholders to create a culture of library use

(A: Access to books, B: Borrow books, C: Centre for library use and education, D: Digital literacy)

29. More visitors are peaking at the self checkout shelf at the adult literacy area
30. Organizing the community library by building shelves with wood and book boxes
31. Literacy collection moved to Men's Literacy Project classroom
32. Cree resource collection will be the core collection of the college library and is being used by the instructors and students of the Cree Instructor Training program on July 11

33. Reminder that the priority list for book contributions during July 2013 are the Cree books and photographs

34. Library showcase on July 17 with a BBQ, science presentations, and many activities
http://libraryshowcasejuly17.blogspot.ca/

35. Operational efficiency team discusses identity card as library cards, ISBN numbers adding m as barcodes, and writing call numbers on the front cover as identifying the book is stamped and ready for circulation.

36. Increase in repeat clients and service expansion based on client needs for example Library in a Box was placed at a daycare and then they came again to make a theme box for beach, powwow, camping and end of summer.

37. Community Library is Everyone's project report released. Email mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca to request for a copy of this project report.

38. Strengthening relationships with partners and Let's Talk Science, Prairie Tales, Uncle Jimmy, and Matt Strickland would like to come back

39. Reading is part of the process be it via sorting books, volunteers borrowing books, visitors borrowing books, community reading the,  'Community Library is Everyone's Project' report at the Views and Vision session.

40. Momentum is building up as more people at differ levels are talking about library service with FNs on FNs land. People's movement. People involvement is rapidly developing library services.

41. Library in a Box Service report released and circulated.  Email mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca to request for a copy of this project report.

42. Band administrators are supportive of the community library

43. More in the community awareness planned by doing displays at community events.

44. 'Library in a Box' news release posted on NALD site on September 3, 2013
Library in a Box service for families, employment centres, health centres and anyone interested in nurturing reading. http://www.nald.ca/sites/default/files/library_in_a_box.pdf

45.  29x27 sq feet space allocated for a year for the community library.

46.  Culture Days Celebration with $10,000 from the Ministry of Culture

47.  Knowledge exchange by visiting the Augustana Library on September 14 and inviting the Edmonton Public Library team to come to Hobbema on September 27.  Bring librarians together.

48. Raising the profile of libraries and libraries by hosting Meet and Greet the Librarians during the Canadian Library month.

49. Prairie Tales film making workshop delivered by Zoe and Bailey on September 27 and 28 participants attended the workshop 

50. UNESCO's Freedom of Expression travelling exhibition visits Hobbema in October 2013

51: Checkpoint during the October is Library month
A: Awareness that Library Service is an Essential Service
B: Bringing people together
C: Conversation and collecting stories
D: Dialogue


51. Announcing Kobo aboriginal youth ebook club

To view the progress of the development of library service activity please visit the following pages.


52. Building connections with literacy professionals

The article published on NALD was quoted by the Bow Valley College, Centre for Excellence in Foundational Learning, Stories from the field blog, October 2013.
The library’s relationship-building initiatives included professional development for staff on diversity issues. As a result of the library’s efforts, more people with disabilities, immigrants, and the First Nations community came to the library and used the services (Khetarpal 2013).
http://www.centreforexcellenceinfoundationallearning.ca

53. Thank you CBC views, listeners and staff for giving us books which gave us space and helps promote readinghttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/hobbema-library-sorting-cataloguing-donated-books-1.2415248


54. Regional Library System Communication record http://setuppubliclibrarywithfncommunity.blogspot.ca/2013/11/join-in-conversation.html


55. Join in the conversation. Post your views about library service for indigenous communities

56. Guest books Concept in addition to extending collection reach by collaborating offers a career expansion and depth service. Libraries are also welcome to send a photocopy of the title page.(Proposed in November 2013)
http://collegelibraryservices.blogspot.ca/2013/11/guest-books.html


57. Pilot testing Kobo ereaders  and ereading from October to December 2013


58. Community Library Working Group looking for alternate funding mechanisms. November 27, 2013; meeting involved discussing a four pillar approach of inviting different departments to  contribute program based funding. However, this is short term and program based.  We discussed setting up a society and the possibility of drafting agreements for our partners.  We will meet again to plan.  The general consensus was to continue with service based awakening, educating different stakeholders at different levels, etc.  


59. Announcing January 24th as a Family Literacy Day with visits to the COW Bus for families with children. A professional development and capacity development for famliy literacy program coordinators.

60. Working with Literacy Alberta and Men's Literacy program for literacy capacity development by providing professional development and networking by bringing literacy practitioners together on December 13, 2013

Reflection of our achievements in 2013 and thank you CBC viewers and listeners
 
  • Three library services launched: Library in a Box, Book Bundles, and Borrow ereaders
  • One library showcase and Science Day on July 17, 2013
  • Join in the conversation series
  • Five partners: First Book Canada as a book donations host, Frontier College more than virtual tutoring, Kobo e-readers, Prairie Tales for filmmaking workshops, and Centre for Family Literacy's COW Bus.
  • Invitation to come to the Maskwacis Community for the Literacy day celebration on Friday, January 24th ,2014


61. Library took the leadership role in organizing the Literacy Day celebration on January 24th, 2014.  http://communicationsprogress.blogspot.ca/2014/02/literacy-day-media-coverage.html
62. Maskwacis Cultural College at Maskwacis celebrated Family Literacy Day in late January as a special occasion with literacy related activities for everyone.by Margaret ChegwinFriday, February 07, 2014 http://www.pipestoneflyer.com/Article.asp?id=4079

63. Sharing information and accountability
Copian Library | Posted: February 12, 2014
This report looks at various ways of sourcing books, and providing access to books for First Nations communities. While the report focuses on efforts in Hobbema, a primarily First Nations community south of Edmonton, Alberta, the ideas it contains are relevant in many situations.


64. CBC viewer donates his private library collection on February 18, 2014. The access to books for First Nations movement gathers momentum.
http://setuppubliclibrarywithfncommunity.blogspot.ca/2014/02/book-contribution-from-cbc-viewers-and.html


65. Sharing ideas to nurture reading

Library | Posted: February 21, 2014

This fact sheet offers 30 suggestions for building interest in reading. While the document focuses on nurturing reading in First Nations communities, the ideas would be valuable in any setting.


66. Invitation for the First Nations Library Service Without Borders conference on April 17, 2014 at the Maskwacis Cultural College
http://servingindigenouscommunities.blogspot.ca/


67. Announcing June 10th as CBC's Book Drive day for the Maskwacis Community.


68. March 19, 2014: Book contribution still continues. Linda Chrones from St. Albert brought books. She did a book contribution drive. http://setuppubliclibrarywithfncommunity.blogspot.ca/2014/03/meet-people-volunteering-linda-chrones.html


69. Modeling reading posters created and these have FNs people in the picture, a profile about their favourite author and a catlog record. Serves as reading rolemodels, readers advisory and learning to use the catalog library skill.


70. Join in the conversation by letting us know your thoughts about, 'Why do First Nations need public libraries?' Email your thoughts with permission to post on Establish a public library on reserve land blog. http://communicationsprogress.blogspot.ca/




http://setuppubliclibrarywithfncommunity.blogspot.ca/2013/06/maskwacis-community-library-progress.html

http://manishakhetarpal.blogspot.ca/2013/06/starting-conversation-to-shape.html

http://setuppubliclibrarywithfncommunity.blogspot.ca/2013/07/thank-you-for-working-together-to-setup.html

http://communicationsprogress.blogspot.ca

Manisha Khetarpal 780 585 3925.  To gather to read! 
Maskwacis Cultural College.  Library beings together people!

mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca   

Books are just a beginning!


Thursday, March 20, 2014

Sherlock Holmes Teaching Grant Application Deadline - May 1

Sherlock Holmes Teaching Grant Application Deadline - May 1

The Beacon Society, a Sherlock Holmes literary group, offers grants up to $500 to fund the development of programs that will introduce young people to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective.

The grants seek to promote similar creative work by giving financial help to public and private school teachers, organizations, libraries, counselors and others who develop literary curriculum projects and other educational experiences encouraging young people to read, primarily by introducing them to the stories about Sherlock Holmes.

For more information about the grants, contact Allan Devitt at adevitt@comcast.ne or visit their website BeaconSociety.com.

The deadline for 2014 grant applications is May 1.


Source:OLA



Multilevel approach to coping with stigmas identified

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Socially stigmatized groups have poorer health than non-stigmatized groups, but a team of researchers believes that more emphasis on two-way and multidisciplinary interventions will have a greater and more successful impact on relieving many health issues.

"We took an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how to reduce health disparities due to the effects of social stigma, including stigmas based on race, sexual orientation and chronic illness," said Jonathan Cook, assistant professor of psychology, Penn State.

Stigma results when a negative stereotype becomes attached to a particular characteristic in societal consciousness. People with this specific characteristic come to be seen as lower in status than others and therefore separate. Once separate, these groups become a target for discrimination. Stigma can affect interactions, the availability of resources and the way people think and feel, leading to social exclusion -- which is associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Cook and colleagues found that many current coping mechanisms are focused at the individual and group level or at the structural level, but rarely both. At the individual and group level, intervention is often focused on providing education and intergroup contact for members of non-stigmatized groups and helping to bolster coping strategies for members of stigmatized groups. Interventions at the structural level are focused on changing laws and portrayal in popular media.

Stronger interdisciplinary collaboration can help fight against stigma by looking at the issue from multiple angles. In turn, the researchers explain, there would be a reciprocal effect moving from individual to structural and back.

"We found that people don't often look at outcomes across disciplines, and people haven't done much longitudinal work in this area," said Cook. "It's important to look at intervention outcomes over longer periods of time to better understand how change takes place."

The researchers are four of the founding members of a larger group, the Structural Stigma and Population Health Working Group at Columbia University, and report their results in the current special issue of Social Science and Medicine.

Educational approaches can be effective at reducing some stigmas, including mental illness and HIV/AIDS. For instance, six months after providing HIV testing, education and counseling to residents of Zambia a decrease in stigmatizing attitudes was found there.

Legislative interventions have been shown to improve the health of stigmatized groups. For example, in the 1960s and '70s, following the Civil Rights Act, a dramatic drop occurred in the rate at which African Americans died -- particularly in the Southern states. The researchers note that this drop can be linked to the enactment of the legislation.

"Interventions can take place at multiple points in the system. It may be most effective to simultaneously focus on change at the individual level and larger societal level," said Cook. "Change can be implemented from the bottom up more often, even while efforts at structural change from the top down are still occurring."


http://news.psu.edu/story/304847/2014/02/20/research/multilevel-approach-coping-stigmas-identified


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

ESL Literacy Readers resource

In this resource, you will find a selection of theme-based readers along with an instructors guide that will support ESL literacy instructors to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners.

With funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the ESL Literacy Readers were written by ESL literacy instructors at Bow Valley College who have extensive experience working with adult ESL literacy learners and who have a vested interest in stories that will work in the ESL literacy classroom.

The stories in our collection have been written specifically with adult ESL literacy learners in mind and are appropriate for learners at Canadian Language Benchmark ESL Literacy Phases I-III. For more information on the CLB Literacy Phases, please see Levels of ESL Literacy.

The themes were carefully chosen in that they had to be both of high interest to learners, and more importantly, of relevance to their lives. Every effort was made to ensure the stories would authentically represent learners themselves as well as events and issues that a typical learner may experience; as well. Most of the photographs that accompany the stories are not stock photos, but photos of real learners at Bow Valley College.

Video Resumes

Are Video Resumes Worth their Weight in Gold?

·         Enter the words "video resume" on YouTube Canada and you will see about 1.3 million hits that have been uploaded since the beginning of 2014.

·         Employers who view videos are assessing professionalism, communication and presentation skills.

·         The human element is reintroduced - employers are connecting using visual and auditory cues.

·         There's a quicker assessment of 'fit' before ever looking at a paper resume.

 

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1323931/videos-give-a-new-dimension-to-hiring-across-canada

Monday, March 17, 2014

Model for Integrated Foundation Skill Support in tourism, travel and hospitality training - MIFSS 2 (2013)

In this document, the focus is on training in the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries, with specific reference to the delivery of courses in communication, customer service, and workplace health and safety. These resources are available as PDF files and can also be downloaded as word.doc files from this site: 


http://takingthelead.com.au/news/ssa-model-integrated-foundation-skill-support-training


The Commonwealth of Australia holds the copyright for this resource.

Source: http://en.copian.ca/library/learning/service_skills_australia/mifss_2/mifss_2.pdf

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Pew Report: read to learn about Information Omnivores

Pew report released on Thursday, the topper to three years of research into the changing role of these institutions, notes that library goers aren’t the niche group you might expect. Some 30 percent of Americans ages 16 or older are “highly engaged” with public libraries (falling into the “Library Lovers” and “Information Omnivores” categories), while another 39 percent slot into “medium engagement” groups (“Solid Center” and “Print Traditionalists”).

“A common narrative is that Americans are turning away from libraries because of newer technology, but the data shows that most highly-engaged library users are also highly engaged with new technologies,” Pew informs us.

Libraries are probably keeping pace, at least in part, because the definition of a library itself has changed. Much as newspapers, magazines and book publishers have come to realize — though not nearly quickly enough — thinking of yourself foremost as a purveyor of printed material is a strategic if not fatal mistake in the 21st century.

We’re all in the information business. It’s the consumer who gets to decide on the medium.

“Print books are still central to Americans’ library use, just as they remain central in Americans’ overall reading habits,” the report said.

Because a lot has changed about the way we find, consume and interact with information in the last quarter century — but not everything has.

To see the full report, if for no other reason than to learn what an Information Omnivore is, click here.

http://recode.net/2014/03/13/pew-the-library-holds-its-own-in-the-information-age/

Friday, March 14, 2014

SSHRC continues to recognize aboriginal research

Context

SSHRC continues to recognize aboriginal research as a priority area. The priority area is in recognition of the complexity of the aboriginal experience in the 21st century, and the need for a future in which aboriginal communities are empowered, culturally vibrant, healthy, safe and prosperous. Supporting social science and humanities research undertaken by and with Aboriginal Peoples is a key way to invest in this future.

SSHRC defines aboriginal research as:

research that builds on traditions of thought and experience developed among, and in partnership with, First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, as well as indigenous peoples in other parts of the world.

Aboriginal research can encompass all academic fields, as well as domains of knowledge specific to First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural traditions.

Those who conduct aboriginal research, while coming from diverse cultural traditions, are committed to respectful research involving both aboriginal and non-aboriginal perspectives. This understanding of aboriginal research represents a shift away from research on and for Aboriginal Peoples, to research by and with Aboriginal Peoples.


http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/priority_areas-domaines_prioritaires/aboriginal_research-recherche_autochtone-eng.aspx

International Qualifications Network Awards

Costas Menegakis, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister, recognized winners of the International Qualifications Network Awards (IQN) who devote their time to the successful integration of new Canadians.  The IQN is an online, professional community where employers, regulatory bodies, governments, and organizations share best practices in foreign credential assessment and recognition. This model allows stakeholders to play a critical part in enhancing the foreign credential recognition processes through innovative and creative methods in connecting newcomers with all opportunities in Canadian economy and society.

PS Menegakis presented awards to individuals and organizations in the following categories:

·         Workplace IntegrationInternational Talent Acquisition Centre (In-TAC) Employment Division of the Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre (OCCSC).

·         Innovation: College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia.

·         Engagement: Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC).

·         Overseas assessment or pre-arrival preparation: Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists.

·         Special Merit Award: College of Physical Therapists of Alberta.

 

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1322139/helping-newcomers-integrate-into-canadian-labour-market