The LBS Program

All MTCU funded literacy agencies in Ontario deliver the same program – Literacy and Basic Skills. The core business of the LBS Program is service delivery. More than 300 sites provide literacy services to approximately 46,000 learners in Ontario. 30% of these are LBS College students. The LBS Program provides five interrelated services:

  • Information and Referral – services that provide information about local literacy programs and services in the community
  • · Assessment – services that gather background and diagnostic information so that learners receive relevant and appropriate training
  • Training Plan Development – services that plan and document training based on learners’ goals
  • Training – services that include effective literacy instruction using a variety of methods and approaches which produce measurable results
  • Follow- up – services that involve contacting learners once they have left the program to determine the value and effectiveness of the other four services

Let’s look at how the LBS Program is organized. See Appendix G for Organization Chart 2. This chart shows delivery of the LBS Program by 3 sectors (college, school board and community-based) across 4 streams (Anglophone, Francophone, Native and Deaf). This may seem complicated, but the LBS Program responds to the needs of a diverse group of adults in Ontario and ensures they have a choice of delivery options. The chart does not imply, however, that all sectors have programs in all four streams.

The LBS Program also supports service development to ensure quality service delivery. Service development includes three kinds of services to the field. They are:

  1. Local planning and co-ordination
  2. Field support
  3. Research and development

Organization Chart 3 in Appendix H includes all the organizations that provide support and development to the streams and sectors. The chart emphasizes (by bold text and borders) those organizations and agencies your program is most likely to be in contact with.

The LBS Program communicates with delivery agencies through Info-LBS and through LBS field consultants.