On September 19, Health and Humans Services staff were joined by community partners as well as members of the public to celebrate the launch of the Graduate Brantford Strategy that was formally approved by Brantford City Council at its meeting on Tuesday September 18, 2018. The Graduate Brantford Strategy: Building a Community of Learning was released to support continuing education and encourage lifelong learning for residents. The plan includes three focus areas: early learning, school success, and inspiring a community of learning and career exploration.
The strategy includes 18 recommendations, including increasing access to EarlyOn Child and Family Centres through additional sites and expanded hours, building awareness of learning and career opportunities, increasing internship placements within the City of Brantford, expanding education-focused programming through the Neighbourhood Hubs, and creating a Graduate Brantford Task Force comprised of community leaders. Over the past three years, the City has been actively involved in developing education-focused projects such as CityStudio Brantford, the Neighbourhood Learning Services, the development of the EarlyON Child and Family Centres, and the creation of the Major Ballachey Hub, one of the first school-based community hubs in Ontario.
The Graduate Brantford Strategy: Building a Community of Learning was developed through research and consultation with partners within the education and skills training sector such as the Grand Valley Education Society, Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie, Boards of Education, post-secondary institutions, and a wide range of health and human services providers. The plan is available online at brantford.ca/GraduateBrantford.
Quotes
"It's important that the City take an active role in supporting educational success. We've worked with the post-secondary sector and the Province to bring educational institutions to Brantford, and we've developed programs that create learning opportunities for students of all ages. I'm very proud of the work our partners are doing, and how the community has come together to focus on these goals."
City of Brantford Mayor Chris Friel
"Our school boards and post-secondary institutions are the education experts. Our role in the community is to help every child be ready to start school, and to support individuals and families so they can be successful in their educational and career goals. Higher levels of education are directly linked to higher incomes, better health, and lower crime rates, so working together on this Strategy will have important benefits for the entire community over the long-term."
Josephine Atanas, General Manager, Health and Human Services, City of Brantford
