Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

Frontier College is a national literacy organization. We believe literacy is a right. We work with volunteers and community partners to give people the skills and confidence they need to reach their potential and contribute to society.

We will achieve our mission for literacy while incorporating our values through the following actions: 

• Volunteer mobilization
• Youth leadership development
• Community capacity building 

History of Organization

In 1899, the founder of Frontier College, Alfred Fitzpatrick said, "We must educate the whole family wherever the work is, wherever they earn their living." This 'have book will travel' philosophy has been a guiding principle at Frontier College ever since.

At the turn of the century, the needs were felt most keenly in far-flung places like the bush, on the railway and in the mine. So it was there that Fitzpatrick sent his Labourer-Teachers, a group of hardy individuals who worked with the men by day and taught them by night.

With the advent of the Second World War, however, the complexion of work patterns changed. "Technological changes in the workplace after the war meant that education and labour had become inextricably linked," says James H. Morrison, professor of history at St. Mary's University, Frontier College Board Member and former Labourer-Teacher. "There were no hiding places for people who could not read and write."

The labour environment changed irrevocably, with centre stage shifting from rural to urban centres. In response, Frontier College forged a new path, carving a role for itself in community development, technical programs, literacy training and aid for the disenfranchised. While the traditional Labourer-Teacher program was still needed in the field, it no longer formed the core of College activities.

Today, Frontier College adapts to, and addresses, the needs of those on the periphery with the help of a dedicated national network of volunteers. These volunteers tutor people from all walks of life - adults in the workplace, homeless street youth, prison inmates, people with disabilities and newcomers to Canada.

Accolades and Accomplishments

Low literacy skills are directly linked to poverty, poor health and high unemployment. It’s difficult to comprehend that 40% of adult Canadians have trouble with everyday tasks that involve reading, writing, and numeracy. That equals millions of Canadians who are not reaching their potential. Through a network of 2,500 volunteers, Frontier College helps 17,000 individuals improve their literacy skills annually.

Frontier College’s work focuses on three main areas:

1. We tutor and mentor kids, youth and adults:  Last year, we worked directly with more than 17,000 learners in reading circles, homework clubs, through one-to-one tutoring and in our various summer and year round programs.

2. We train volunteers:  We recruit, train, screen and support 2,500 volunteers to take action in the cause of literacy. Once they are trained as tutors, we place them with one of over 330 community partners to run literacy programs. Frontier College volunteers can be found in inner city schools, community centres, remote Aboriginal communities, women’s shelters, prisons, churches, youth detention centres and libraries. 

3. We work with communities to help them run their own literacy programs:  We work with grassroots organizations by offering conferences, workshops, training and Frontier College literacy programs. We know that communities have strong leaders and we help by providing training and by connecting communities to local resources and our literacy programs.

Programs

>Beat The Street

Frontier College operates a variety of literacy programs in locations across Canada. We recruit and train volunteers to work with children, youth and adults in a great array of settings. We also help other community-based organizations set up and run literacy programs for their own participants. 

As Canada's original literacy organization, Frontier College has been recruiting dedicated volunteers to work with Canadian children, youth and adults from coast to coast since 1899. Our programs have helped millions of Canadians improve their literacy skills. 

Frontier College programs include:

• Working with Children and Youth
• Working with Adults
• Labourer-Teachers
• Independent Studies
• Beat the Street
• Working with Communities

Beat The Street

Founded in 1984, Beat The Street is Frontier College’s award winning program that offers at-risk and street involved youth in Toronto a chance to get off the streets for good.

Each  nine -week course admits 10-12 youth (aged 18-29) who have dropped out of high school and are street-involved. Volunteer tutors work with the students once a week to  provide them with the tools and resources to cover the course materials.

During the nine-week program, students enhance their general knowledge of the fundamental concepts and principles involved in the five G.E.D. subject areas: science, social studies, mathematics, writing skills and literature/the arts.

Integrated throughout the program is the philosophy of Peace Power, a community-based approach to developing a culture of non-violence. This allows students (many of whom have trouble functioning in groups) to learn together effectively; it also gives them self-empowerment and community-building tools to use in other areas of their lives. Students also receive coaching in life skills (organization, time-management, etc.) to help them succeed before, during and after the exams.

G.E.D. (General Educational Development) exams, given by the Ontario Ministry of Education, allow students to formally demonstrate they have acquired the skills and knowledge that mainstream students learn in high school. Students who pass the exams receive a High School Equivalency Certificate issued by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The certificate is recognized across the country and gives students access to a much wider variety of employment and educational programs.

Program Impact

In addition to improving basic skills, the structured, supportive programming at Beat the Street helps street-involved youth to increase their self-esteem and set goals; participate successfully in a group setting; and improve their communication skills. This makes youth more resilient, thus increasing the likelihood that they will:

• Become or remain housed
• Achieve their goals – personal, academic and professional
• Become economically stable
• Begin to reintegrate into mainstream society

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“The percentage of people in the Toronto Region population yet to graduate from high school continues to fall slowly. 18.6% of those 15 years old and over, had not completed their secondary education in 2008, (down from 18.9% in 2007, and a dramatic drop from the 32.3% who had not graduated in 1990).” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

“It’s great for people who are intimidated by a large classroom setting. The class is usually small and with that, you are able to receive one-to-one time with the teacher. I would definitely recommend this course to future students. Beat The Street gives people a chance to better themselves and help them build a future. Not many people are willing to stretch themselves and give help and hope to those in need.” ~ Beat The Street Learner