Executive Summary... 2005

Executive Summary

The Pleasant Valley Communities Cooperative project is a three year research project funded by Office of Learning Technologies a sector under Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and ten partners with in-kind contributions in the community. The partners include:

• Houston Link to Learning
• Northwest Community College
• Regional District of Bulkley Nechako
• District of Houston
• Houston and District Chamber of Commerce
• Houston Public Library
• Houston Community Services
• Houston Forest Products
• Community Futures Development Corporation of Nadina
• Bulkley Valley Credit Union

The project's goal is to create a learning community model for northern or rural, resource-based communities in Canada. The project is expected to test how a learning community might help:

• Build internal and external partnerships;
• Use learning technologies as a tool for capacity building;
• Discover ways in which learning could build human and social capital which ultimately would improve the social, cultural and economic health of a rural community.

Social capital can be developed from the assets already established in the community. These skills and knowledge stem from individuals (human capital), organizations and community cohesion. This report is based on a three month research contract. The research focused on the community's:

• values and visions;
• culture of learning - learning style, barriers and wants;
• needs, gaps and opportunities - for learning and employability skills; and
• employment conditions.

The culture of learning in the Pleasant Valley is a result of the relationships and networks that have been created in the area.

Learning in the Pleasant Valley is:

• Relational - requires personal interaction with connected people
• Hands on
• Utilitarian and practical
• Human orientated
• Opportunistic

Building a sustainable community in the Pleasant Valley requires the youth's and younger adult generations' support and allegiance to the community. Research shows that an individual from a northern or rural area who leaves for post-secondary school are highly likely not to return (Haselth and Ryser, 2004:5). Creating connections and incentive to return to the community is important for its vitality. Not only does this retain the population numbers but it also brings skilled people into the area that care about the health of a community they identify with. The youth bridge the historic values and visions of the community to the present and carry them on into the future. Retaining the youth and adult generations require the community to give the cohorts a reason to stay. By developing activities and more opportunities in the community, a proper environment for social capital growth is created. In turn this promotes economic growth.

Some needs in the community include:

• Adults and youth want more cultural and social activities.
• Encourage spiritual practice and provide more access to alternative spiritual activities. A busy lifestyle neglects reflection and pursuing actions with a purpose. Spirituality encourages time for self reflection and reflection on practice.
• Strengthen and integrate the internal communities in the Pleasant Valley
• Working as an extended community will support the Pleasant Valley's needs more efficiently and effectively.
• Discussion group cohorts for distance and online learners.
• Workforce preparation - understanding the industry, educational requirements and potential careers within a post-secondary education.
• English as a Second Language.

Employers' needs include:

• Skilled workers - professional, technological
• Trades- all types are in high demand
• Communication skills
• Management training
• More access to courses that have to be updated on an annual basis
• Workers with the ability to learn and train
• Workers with positive behaviour and a respectable attitude toward work

Technology Summary:

• There are still many people in the community who lack access to high speed Internet. This hinders them from accessing information, learning online and filling out certain government forms. It also discourages a person from surfing the Internet and trying new programs. This puts these people at a disadvantage for learning new computer skills.
• Many people are still intimidated by technology and rather avoid it.
• Accessing technology is too expensive for some people. These people do not buy or learn technologies.
• Adults are more comfortable learning computer skills from a friend or family member, while youth and children are used to learning in a formal setting.
• Several people are still not comfortable using any software program.
• Most technologies were for communication or entertainment purposes. Encouraging participation in computer programs will rely on the functionality of the course for the potential learner.

Gaining participation from the community in the PVLCC project will require trust and purpose. These two elements comprised most relationships and social capital already established in the Pleasant Valley. In order for the community to capitalize on the PVLCC project the team will have to use a trusted facilitator who can build meaningful relationships with some key figures in the community. These key figures could in turn become facilitators for other community members. The chain of relationships and social capital should then extend outward to reach a wide range of the Pleasant Valley.

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Recommendations and Conclusions

1.1 Recommendations

• Create awareness through the research
• Explain the benefits of life long learning (Wilson and Sargent 8)
• Create awareness on social capital and how it impacts economic capital
• Create relationships with the community. It is important to maintain relationships and trust through follow-up and feedback procedures.
• Promote cross- cultural training - get different cultures to interact (Wilson and Sargent 4)
• Get seniors to teach youth, youth to teach seniors, Sikh community teaching First Nations and First Nations teaching Dutch community.
• Maintain a list of regional training resources
• Facilitate transitions between education and workplaces
• Programs can become a catalyst for change
• Provide a schedule or calendar on the website on community events and training courses (these should include the whole Pleasant Valley)
• Always incorporate human and personal interaction
• Implement facilitators in the community to encourage participation in the learning programs through personal interaction
• Hold learning programs with people who already meet to maximize comfort level, scheduling and people's willingness to participate
• Arrange programs with employers to encourage greater participation and provide relevant, employable skills

1.1.1 Community Formal Learning Wants

Top 10

1. Computer Courses (Basic and Advanced: Internet searching, Job Bank Searching, Web Design, Excel, Computer Programming, Computer Game Design, Installing Hardware and Software)



2. Languages (Spanish, Dutch, Wet'su'weten, French, Anything but French, Punjabi and Sign Language)



3. Trades (Welding, Carpentry, Automotive Mechanics, Woodworking, Meat Cutting, Wiring, Plumbing and Driving - Class 1)



4. University Courses (Marketing, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Speech Pathology, Recreation, Business, Physiotherapy, Marine Biology and Kinesiology)



5. Health System Courses (Mental Health, First Aid, First Aid Instructing, Counseling , Care Aide, Nursing and Paramedics)



6. Anything to Improve Employability



7. Business Start-up



8. English as a Second Language (ESL)



9. Writing and Publishing



10. Workshops for Parents and Children (Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, Body Image, Self-Awareness and Self-esteem)

1.1.2 Community Informal Learning

Top 10

1. Arts and Crafts (Photography, Herb Crafts, Basket Weaving, Stain Glass, Scrap Booking, Quilting, Sewing, Beading, Drawing, Floral Design and Native Jewelry Making)



2. Music (Singing Lessons, Play Musical Instruments: Guitar, Banjo, Drum Making and Playing, Piano, Violin, Choral Singing, Music Recording and Production)



3. Healthy Eating/Balanced Lifestyle



4. Cooking (Cultural, Healthy, Alternatively, Culinary and Food Preparation)



5. Dance Lessons (Latin, Ballroom and Two-step)



6. Exercise Activities (Tai Chi, Kickboxing, Yoga, Martial Arts, Hiking and Biking Clubs)



7. Swimming Lessons and Related Activities



8. Recreational Sports Clubs (Volleyball, Basketball and Football)



9. Oil Painting



10. Gardening/Landscaping

1.1.3 Workforce Learning Needs (Missing Skills or Needs Improvement)

Top 10

1. Computer/Technology Skills (FrontPage, Web Design and Industry Specific Software)



2. Work Experience



3. Supervisory/Management Skills (Horizontal Management rather than Hierarchical Management, Progressive Discipline Training, Managing Resources, Staff and Time, Ability to Motivate Staff)



4. Work Ethic (Positive Attitude, Self-motivated, Pride in Work)



5. Safety Training (First Aid, WHMIS, Hazardous Spills and etc.)



6. Trades (Electrician, Instrumentation, Refrigeration, Welders, Crane Operators and Heavy Duty Mechanics)



7. Highly Skilled (Certified Guides, RNs, Language Instructors, Metalworking and Automotive Mechanic Instructors, Teachers, Dentists, Hygienists, Event and Entertainment Staff and Lab Technicians)



8. Customer Service



9. Communication Skills



10. Business/Industry Awareness

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1.2 Conclusions

The Pleasant Valley is a hands on, personal, tightly knit community. However, the internal communities of adults and older generations are segregated within the Pleasant Valley. The youth have broken down some barriers between the communities. They are more likely to integrate with many different cultures within the Pleasant Valley. The youth are the corner stone for change in the Pleasant Valley. They show initiative in social change and are eager to get involved in community organizations to make actions come alive.

• "[The youth are] generally integrated- there are many different, distinct cultures in Houston and the children get along. They learn from each other's differences."

One participant summed it up nicely when he said,

• "It seems the new generation is more involved with their children and the idea of community building. I hope this is true."

Generally, there is a lack of communication within and among most groups in the Pleasant Valley. Communication skills between the following persons are poor:

• individuals,
• groups,
• cohorts,
• towns,
• teachers to students and vice versa,
• parents to children and vice versa,
• co-workers
• employers to employees and vice versa

This is interesting because communication tends to be the most important skill in the workplace and the most significant aspect of the culture of learning in the Pleasant Valley. Communication skills need improvement in all areas.

Technology has its place in the Pleasant Valley. Participants said they were eager to learn new programs but when the programs were offered in the past, there was little attendance. Getting citizens in the Pleasant Valley excited about technology will require a tangible use that is very blatant and functional; otherwise, individuals are not going to learn to use it.

The Pleasant Valley is still recovering from a population decrease throughout the 19901's and some business stagnantation (BC STATS 2004 and Statistics Canada Census 1981, 1991 and 2001). However, on average, employers were optimistic about the business environment in the future. This is important for rural, northern areas to remain vital. Community spirit, trust, innovation and optimism are all coping mechanisms for the high-paced, stream-lined global economy. Simultaneously, provincial and federal governments are implementing efficiency strategies and budget cutbacks to stay alive in the privatized economy. Rural and small town populations are suffering from the economic and social restructuring in the global economy (Halseth and Ryser, 2004:5). They are also losing the federal and provincial governments' service infrastructure. These helped promote revitalization in rural areas and were the coping tools for economic stress (Halseth and Ryser, 2004:5). Rural and northern areas need healthy social capital and grassroots initiatives to remain sustainable. Collaborating with the organizations that are already well established and creating movements headed by community leaders will develop more social capital.

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Houston CARES, May 2005

Getting projects started tend to be the difficult part of running an organization, that and finding funding to keep it running or a way to make it sustainable. This will also be the most challenging part of the PVLCC projects. Interestingly, the number of people who participate in community is a local indicator for quality of life (Halseth and Ryser, 2002:12). Gaining participation has been a difficult task in the Pleasant Valley in learning programs in the past; however, if the programs are tailored for the community and follow their culture of learning participation might come easier. Once people get involved in the programs they are more likely to continue their participation.

The people in the Pleasant Valley are genuinely concerned for their community's sustainability. They will get involved if they can see a connection to their own well-being and the health of their community.

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Funded By Human Resourses and Social Development Canada