Diversity in background and interest is characteristic of students enrolled in CCA courses. “It doesn’t matter who you are, when you come to VCC, there’s a spot for you”, assured Ted Hougham, the department head for CCA. He highlighted that many of their prospective students are older and want to come back to school. For them, taking courses in college is seen as a fresh start. Residents of the Downtown Eastside (DTES) community are highly represented in CCA’s prep courses for VCC’s community counseling program. Graduates in this particular career program have an 85 per cent success rate of finding work, largely as front line workers in the DTES.
The CCA department aims to achieve approximately 1,200 course registrations each academic year and has already surpassed that number this year, says Hougham.
Hougham’s enthusiasm around the diversity and size of CCA’s student population is supported by VCC’s 2011-2014 strategic plan. According to the plan’s first pillar, student access and success means being a welcoming college that is reflective of students’ needs. For example, the strategic plan points towards redesigning VCC’s enrollment services to create a more effective, open, and inviting college experience.
CCA courses are accessible to students at any time in the year, and students are able to register in a course regardless of the academic calendar. Once enrolled, instructors develop personalized programs to meet each individual student’s needs and goals. CCA courses are tuition-free, with the exception of student union and enrollment fees. Students who are unable to pay these additional fees can access the adult basic education student assistant program (ABESAP) offered by the B.C. government, through a simple application process.
There are many advantages of taking self-paced classes, especially for the diverse student population enrolled in CCA’s courses. Sandra McKay, a CCA instructor, reflected that she has worked with students with a wide variety of learning differences. Many of these students would not receive the support necessary in a traditional college classroom and/or would find the expectations around the academic calendar difficult to adjust to. In contrast, the one-on-one instruction format of the self-paced courses enables students to work at their own pace, and have direct and frequent access to instructors. The CCA courses are made even more accessible for students as attendance is not mandatory; rather, instructors only keep records on their students’ progress in class. Typically, CCA students juggle family life, full-time jobs and other life commitments. The self-paced courses offer a way for students to create a study schedule that works for them. They come in when they can and receive one-on-one support from instructors. The hours during which instructional assistance is available are accommodating. The CCA classrooms at the Broadway campus, for example, are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Sept.-June) and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (July- Aug.).
Of course, self-paced courses may not be suited for all students as they require a certain degree of self-discipline and motivation. CCA offers two of its courses—communications for health sciences and language skills access—via a more traditional, regularly scheduled classroom delivery.
VCC’s strategic plan also supports community engagement. The CCA department works in partnership with the Broadway Youth Resource Centre to deliver the adult basic education (ABE) intermediate program for youth. This program provides at-risk youth, ages 15 to 19, with individualized self-paced instruction in intermediate level ABE, upgrading and GED.
The CCA department also provides support in the DTES community through the Harbour Light and Vancouver Community College Learning Centre in partnership with the Salvation Army. The learning centre offers basic literacy and math skills, computer skills and GED preparation. Students at Harbour Lights take the self-paced courses while participating in a residential drug and alcohol treatment program. Some of the students who completed their GED prep coursework at the learning centre later transferred to VCC to pursue further education. In addition, CCA provides career planning and job search courses at the downtown campus, as well as computer courses. CCA is currently exploring the possibility of a women’s only career program that could be offered off-campus, and particularly at different locations around the DTES.
The college and career access department at VCC is a place for students to begin their journey to reach their academic and career goals at their own pace. For more information about the CCA program, call 604-871-7366 or visit vcc.ca.
