Phase II Working Towards Action Project Objectives

Objective 1

To re-examine and continue to support the development of mutual objectives for the ONLC, MTCU and NLS.

Objective 2

To improve the capacity of the ONLC to support its constituents

Objective 3

To support processes toward the articulation of the Holistic Approach to Native Literacy.

Objective 4

To develop an action plan that enables the ONLC to implement the findings from Phase I of the Field Development Project.

Objective 5

To support the development of learners and practitioners in Native literacy

Preliminary Steps
ONLC engaged in a survey process during the Field Development Phase 1 Project (2001 -2002). The objective was to find out from practitioners what could be done to support them in their jobs and then begin to address the issues in the field. In that survey, practitioners clearly identified the need for a Field Development Worker to assist them in meeting the increasing demands of their positions. Unfortunately, the scope of Field Development Phase I was too narrow in focus and a foundation for Phase II was not laid. Phase I didn’t offer sufficient data or a practical framework to allow the ONLC to move to the action planning stage as quickly and efficiently as hoped. At the weekend Strategic Planning meeting of May 2002, the ONLC and planning facilitator Jamie Hill assembled a working document to facilitate the Strategic Planning component with the field at the June 2002 AGM in Sudbury. It became abundantly clear at the AGM that to move the field along in its development, required an approach that the field had not fully appreciated. The question that needed to be answered became obvious to ONLC, Jamie Hill and the field: What is the capacity of the ONLC to serve this field? The realities of “time, money and talent” had to be considered. Three areas of work that the field was prepared to participate in and that were identified as priorities for the ONLC were: 1 .Internal Governance 2. Language and Culture 3. Relationship with the MTCU. Having looked at the capacity of the ONLC (Board of 6, staff of 2) the field realized that the impetus to make changes had to come from them. Three subcommittees were formed and Alphacom discussion groups were set up to get the work started. The only active group is Internal Governance. It begs the question: Was the strategy workable and is this result a demonstration of capacity issues? The field clearly stated the need for practical not philosophical strategies. Unequivocally, the ONLC had to change the priorities for Phase II.
To reconcile some gaps from Phase I, it was necessary for Phase II work to identify and take 3 preliminary steps: