Random Feature
The Importance of Partnerships
At the very mention of school-community partnerships, many teachers become apprehensive and wonder if such associations compromise core educational values. The answer is a resounding "No!" Applied partnerships offer many tangible benefits for students. They learn about business practices, earn scholarships and receive offers of employment.
In order to protect the integrity of the learning environment, ministry officials and educators have developed guiding criteria to help ensure the responsible implementation of business-education partnerships. These guidelines include the following:
- Partnership programs are formed for educational purposes and not for commercial interests
- Programs are approved on an individual basis through discussion involving educational officials, parents and potential partners
- Partnerships are for a limited time period
- Student and teacher involvement in such programs in voluntary
- Partnerships do not require students to read corporate advertisements and sponsorship logos are kept to a minimum
- Partnerships do not create an inequality/disadvantage in educational opportunity for students
- Funds received through partnerships supplement, but does not replace, public funding in education
Youth Visions works in accordance with education ministry directives while providing students with "enhanced" career development opportunities. Youth Visions projects strike a fine balance between meeting partners' needs (i.e. discreetly sized corporate logos) and students' needs (opportunities for self-expression and portfolio building). Youth Visions projects in the fall and spring directly relate to classroom learning, whereas the Spirit of Youth Mural Project provides employment for students during the summer. All YouthVisions partnerships are established on a limited time basis so that students are not bound to commitments detrimental to their overall development. Valuable partnerships are renewed on a regular basis providing they fit the ongoing needs of the program. Most importantly, other schools are invited to participate in larger scale projects.
The following checklist serves as guiding criteria for YouthVisions partnerships:
1. Does the project meet the education or career needs of students and help in the development of their portfolio or resume?
2. Are the project goals consistent with government educational policy?
3. Does the project offer cost-recovery or cost-plus benefits?
4. Are tangible benefits available for student participation (media coverage, recognition awards, scholarships or employment)?
5. Is the project a catalyst for innovation and creativity?
