Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau

The Transition program is a one-year college-credit integration program offered by the Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau. Its goal is to enable Native students to acquire skills and confidence before undertaking full-time college studies in a regular pre-university or technical program.

A bit of history

Offered for the first time in the autumn of 1999, the Transition program as a project began as a means to provide educational services to the communities of the James Bay region. Parents from the community of Waswanipi indicated an interest in seeing their students pursue studies closer to home before heading out into the big, wide world. They felt their children would be better served in this way and that there would be less worry and expense all around. The guidance counsellor at the school made contact with the CECC and the initial project was born.

Creating a lifeline: What the program offers

The key to success
The primary function of the program is to enable students to increase their ability to preservere in school and all else they undertake and to help students decide what path they wish to follow, be it collegiate or vocational.

As of winter 2004, the Transition program has welcomed 81 students primarily from the inland communities of Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé-Bougoumou and Waswanipi. The rate of perseverance for these students is 96% overall since the inception of the program.

Discovering college in real-time
Many youg people feel ill-prepared to face the outside world at 16, 17 or even 18 years of age. Here in Chibougamau, many students often spend a year or two at the local college to begin their college studies and gain confidence in their abilities. It has also been noted that many students perform better in their post-secondary studies on the second or third attempt. This being the case, the staff at the Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau deem it appropriate to offer all students of the North with an English-language college preparatory program that provides a structured, supportive environment.

Il is also a known fact that by the time students graduate from high school, many are unsure where they want to be, what they want to do and how they intend to attain their goals. The Transition program provides the time and space students often need to clarify the choices that await them. It is also an opportunity to try college-level core courses and evaluate if college is the best direction for individual students to take. Some students discover that in truth they would rather pursue a vocational program or some other path rather than formal post-secondary studies.

Scheduling that respects cultural leaves and the call of home
Many students and their parents are hesitant about the life that awaits students in the urban areas where most schools are situated. By attending the CECC, students have a year of classes that are outside the community of origin yet close enough to enable them to return every weekend. In addition, classes are on a four and five-day weekly basis so that students may continue to participate in community activities. Time is built into the schedule to take the moose and goose breaks into consideration. Moose-break is per request and prior agreement with teachers but winter classes are scheduled in such a way so that classes may end a few days before goose break instead of in mid-May. A shorter academic week in the first semester and proximity to the home community provide the student and parent with the security of knowing that if something goes wrong (or right!), a visit home can be arranged without causing undue stress, expense or jeopardising the semester.

Gathering prerequisites and course options
Finaly, some students require pre-requisite courses or need to improve their grade point average in order to be eligible for the college program of their choice. By investing an additional year at the CECC before entering a full-time college program, students have the opportunity to improve their grades while acquiring additional study skills and gaining an edge and confidence by already evolving in a college environment.

Customized service and support
Each semester ushers in new tools and activities that enable students to take charge of their futures as well as increase their level of confidence in their study and "urban survival" skills.

Workshops are created to support student exploration of career choice and post-secondary study opportunities
In depth discussions and exercises with the guidance counsellor in collaboration with the academic advisor
Homework support is offered through scheduled work groups and outside groups are facilitated upon request
A project has been developed to provide coastal students visual contact with their families through video-conferencing when homesickness takes over
The program academic advisor is the resource person specifically dedicated to ensuring that students access and profit from the various programs and other resources provided by the College
In the past, a cooking and "urban survival" workshop was offered to provide students an opportunity to meet outside class, acquire new skills, increase their perception of wellness and balance a budget with their eyes closed

Courses offered

The Transition program offers some remedial credit courses as well as core and block C credit courses. Past course offerings include :

Physical education	Success
Remedial english	Remedial Math 536
Introduction to College English	Humanities: knowledge
Psychology: Interpersonal communication	Introduction to business administration
Basic french 1 and 2	Introduction to computer applications

For information

Anyone interesting in finding out more about the Transition program or The Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau can call :

Jo-Ann Toulouse, Transition program academic advisor
(418) 748-7637, extension 237
email : jtoulouse@cstfelicien.qc.ca