In the first intake, there were twenty-six women from diversified employment-related and economic backgrounds ranging in ages from nineteen to forty-seven; from this initial group, twelve women entered the job market and twelve women entered training programs.

When participants have been selected, they meet individually with the counsellor to sign a contract and set a tentative time frame for program attendance so that child care and other arrangements can be set up. All new participants attend a two-week orientation phase which includes not only a general introduction to the program, but also sessions with guest speakers and a workshop on math and science. Following orientation, participants finalize their contract with the program by choosing which combination of program components they will take and the length of time they will assign to each.

"I have been involved in other adult education entry and re-entry programs where the goals were to train people in skill areas for direct entry into the workforce," says Sylvia Ash, WISE instructor. "The philosophy was that if a person had the required educational prerequisites, she could acquire the skills necessary to enter the workforce and should not have any barriers in doing so. But since other factors often impinge on a person's life, skill training alone does not always result in successful employment, neither does it provide vocational planning, exposure to employment, or other training options. The WISE bridging program recognizes and addresses the individual needs of adult learners and, in particular, the unique learning needs of women. It approaches the learning needs of women 'where they are'."

For many participants, increased self-confidence is the most immediate benefit of the program and staff play a major role in creating a positive environment.

The instructors are great. They're helpful. They're terrific. A lot of us haven't been in school for years. It's difficult at this stage to go back and have somebody lecture to you. You don't want that. The instructors at WISE don't teach us in a student/teacher relationship which is great. It's very casual.

Participants also emphasize the importance of the relationship with others in the program: how valuable it is to be part of the group and to know that others share similar experiences and challenges.

I remember getting up in the morning and not knowing what to do and feeling so isolated. You feel that you can't go out and tell anybody how you feel because they won't really understand. Then when you get in here you realize that everybody has felt like that.

I think it's the group that makes it special. We're all so different. If there is something you want to know, there is usually somebody here who really has done it or knows somebody who has.

The program components participants identify as most valuable are job search and computer training.

THE FUTURE OF WISE

With the success of the program and the enthusiastic response of the participants, CCLOW-Newfoundland is seeking funding to continue the WISE program beyond its initial two-year phase. There are numerous obstacles. Currently, lack of funding threatens the program's nature and its very existence.

Primary funding was secured from the Employment and Immigration Canada Innovations Program for a two year period, with a 10% contribution from the provincial government; space and facilities were provided by the St. John's Campus of Avalon Community College. Since then, the project has been evaluated internally and externally with positive results.

The Innovations funding ends in October 1989. "When we developed our original proposal we had hoped that the program would become a permanent part of the Avalon Community College in St. John's and eventually similar programs would be established at other community college campuses," explains Dorothy Robbins, founding member of WISE. But the post- secondary system of education and training in Newfoundland and Labrador is currently undergoing reorganization and community colleges are just beginning their second operating year as board-administered institutions. With the colleges still in their formative stages and given the limited fiscal capacity of the provincial government, it is unlikely that the colleges will be able to fund WISE. In the interim, the Avalon Community College is committed to the WISE concept and will continue to provide facilities for the program.