9. Why Developed / Problems / Issues Targeted

 What are the main aims or objectives of the initiative? Is it designed to address any particular problems or issues? If so, please specify what these are

FTD was developed to address two main barriers to post-secondary education (PSE): lack of information about career and learning options and lack of financial resources to afford post-secondary education.

The final report will present the impact of FTD on access to post-secondary education.

10. Key Features / Content

  • Innovative
  • Effective
  • Promising
 Please describe the main features of the program, focusing in particular on those aspects that are particularly innovative, effective or promising.

Explore Your Horizons includes four classroom based interventions:

  • Career Focusing: an innovative process in which students explore occupational choices based on passions rather than skills (Grade 10).
  • Lasting Gifts: workshops where parents/ guardians work with their teens as career allies in exploring career options (Grade 11).
  • Future in Focus: builds students’ resilience, helping them develop support networks, explore the value of community engagement, and learn how to work through unexpected challenges (Grade 12).
  • Post-Secondary Ambassadors, which introduces participants to slightly older students who are currently enrolled in a provincial post-secondary program to share information and their experiences.

Students are offered about 40 hours of workshops over three years dealing with career education and detailed information about the importance of post-secondary studies.

The interventions explore all post-secondary paths – apprenticeships and vocational training as well as college and university.

FTD participants in Explore Your Horizons also have access to a members-only Web site and receive biannual issues of a specially prepared magazine. These tools provide concise, targeted information and testimonials about opportunities in and benefits of post-secondary education.