Steps to Opportunities, Academics and Readiness

Program Details

Length: 1 to 4 years

Total Credits: There are no credits for this program

Intake Terms: Fall

Delivery Method: In-person

Campus: All Campuses

Credential:

Cost:

There is no cost for this program.

Student Loans:

This program qualifies for the Adult Upgrading Grant

Credential Received

Steps to Opportunities, Academics, and Readiness Program has the following Certificates of Completion:

· Goals: Transitions in Adult Living

· Foundations: Skills for Adult Living

· Discovery: Skills for Employment

· Mastery in Food Service

· Mastery in Retail Service

· Mastery in Applied Arts

· Mastery in Agriculture and Sustainability

· Mastery in Entrepreneurship

· Mentorship: Skills for Transitions to Community

Overview

Program Summary

Selkirk College has a diverse offering of programs to meet the learning needs of adult students. There are many options available that lead to certification and develop transferable skills for adult living and employment. Our mission is to nurture interdependence and independence through meaningful learning. Our programs build upon learners’ unique personal strengths, confidence, awareness and skills.

Our Teaching and Leaning Philosophy

Transitional training programs include hands-on, experiential education designed to prepare students for success in a variety of workplace, volunteer and community settings. Students are exposed to a blended learning platform that includes foundational academic and life skills that are essential for developing life-long learners.

Program Outcomes

Learners participating in the Steps to Opportunities, Academics and Readiness (SOAR) Program at Selkirk College will finish their studies being able to demonstrate the following program outcomes:

1. Build on strengths and interests boosting self confidence

2. Identify, create and achieve personal goals

3. Build self-awareness and participate effectively as part of a team and in society

4. Develop and use effective strategies for handling conflict, change and stress,

and problem solving

5. Develop resource and support networks

6. Demonstrate resilience, creativity and critical thinking in challenging situations

7. Enhance employment readiness and develop useful and transferable workplace skills

8. Identify and practice appropriate health, personal and work safety procedures

9. Increase numeracy, literacy and technology skills

Program Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements

The applicant must meet the following SOAR Program requirements to be considered fully qualified.

The program does not have academic prerequisites, however, the instructor will assess the student’s capacity to succeed in the program. All students must:

Participate in an intake interview with the instructor
Have the ability to learn and participate in a group setting
Have had no behavioral or emotional problems that would significantly interfere with the learning or safety of self or others
Have a commitment to learning
Have a medical condition affecting cognitive ability

Selection

Instructors will balance the needs of the classroom in regards to the following guidelines that determine capacity.

For a class with maximum enrollment of 12:

a. 1-2 High Needs Students (no more than 20% of total students): severe cognitive disability, or are required to have a support worker with them at all times.

b. 3-4 Moderate Needs Students (no more than 30% of total students): moderate cognitive disability and extra attention to adaptive functioning skills. No support worker required, but extra attention for location of students, activities done independently, and interactions with others.

c. 6 Low Needs Students (50% of total students or higher): mild cognitive disability, higher adaptive functioning level. No support worker required, and minimal attention regarding students’ independent choices.

Additional Requirements

Before an applicant’s file is considered to be complete, a student must:

Complete a Selkirk College Application for Admission Form
Conduct an interview (in person or by telephone) with the SOAR instructor
Provide at least two of the following (students must provide documentation at their own effort and expense)

- A psychological assessment
- A copy of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or transcript from school
- Documentation of disability from a physician or medical specialist
- A referral from Community Living British Columbia (CLBC)
- A recommendation from an instructor in a SOAR Program at Selkirk College, another college or high school
- A referral from a community agency

We believe in giving learners the chance to flourish in a supportive college setting. It is important we take the time to get to know a prospective student, so an individual plan is developed to foster success and appropriately meet the needs of the student and programming.

Graduation and Promotion

Selkirk College awards certificates of completion at the Goals, Foundations, Discover, Mastery & Mentorship levels.

PROMOTION

In the SOAR Program, it is not necessary to obtain a level certificate in order to take courses in the next level. However, courses within a certificate level are sequential and must be completed in order.

Courses in the program by level

Common Mastery Courses

Code	Title	Total Hours
CASH20	Cash flow, Money and Inventory I	120
CASH23	Cash flow, Money and Inventory II	120
CPRJ20	Community Project I	120
CPRJ23	Community Project II	120
CUST20	Customer Service I	120
CUST23	Customer Service II	120
JOBS20	Job Search II	120
SAFE20	Safety on the Job Site I	120

Goals: Transition in Adult Living

Code	Title	Total Hours
GOAL01	Goal Setting for Transitions in Adult Living 1	60
GOAL02	Goal Setting for Transitions in Adult Living 2	60
GOAL03	Goal Setting for Transitions in Adult Living 3	60
GOAL04	Goal Setting for Transitions in Adult Living 4	60

Foundations: Skills for Adult Living

Code	Title	Total Hours
COMU13	Communication Skills for Adult Living	60
DISC13	Discovery of Self for Adult Living	60
EMPS13	Beginner Employment Skills	60
LLIT13	Beginner Living Literacy Skills	60
LMAT13	Beginner Living Math	60
WELL13	Healthy Living Skills for Adult Living	60

Discovery: Skills for Employment

Code	Title	Total Hours
COMU15	Effective Communication I	120
COMU17	Effective Communication II	120
DISC15	Discovery of Self, Others and Community I	120
DISC17	Discovery of Self, Others and Community II	120
EMPS15	Employability and Workplace Skills I	120
EMPS17	Employability and Workplace Skills II	120
INTS15	Interpersonal Skills I	120
INTS17	Interpersonal Skills II	120
LLIT15	Living Literacy I	120
LMAT15	Living Math I	120
WELL15	Health and Wellness I	120
WELL17	Health and Wellness II	120

Mastery in Food Service

Code	Title	Total Hours
FSWF20	Food Handling I	120
FSWF23	Food Handling II	120
FSWS20	Space Management I	120
FSWS23	Space Management II	120

Mastery in Retail Service

Code	Title	Total Hours
RETC20	Retail Sector in the Community	120
RETE20	Exploration of Retail Skills	120
RETS20	Retail Sector Skills	120

Mastery in Applied Arts

Code	Title	Total Hours
ARTC20	Art Appreciation and Community Connections I	120
ARTC23	Art Appreciation and Community Connections II	120
ARTE20	Exploring the Arts I	120
ARTE23	Exploring the Arts II	120
ARTS20	Creating Art - Skill Building I	120
ARTS23	Creating Art - Skill Building II	120

Mastery in Agriculture and Sustainability

Code	Title	Total Hours
AGRC20	Invasive, Native, Local and Imported Plants	120
AGRC23	Invasive, Native, Local and Imported Plants II	120
AGRE20	Exploring Garden Basics	120
AGRE23	Exploring Garden Basics II	120
AGRS20	Planting Gardens	120
AGRS23	Planting Gardens - Skill Building II	120

Mastery in Entrepreneurship

Code	Title	Total Hours
ENTB20	ENTB 20 My Business Development - Skill Building I	120
ENTB23	ENTB 23 My Business Development - Skill Building II	120
ENTC20	ENTC 20 Connecting to Community Members I	120
ENTC23	ENTC 23 Connecting to Community Mentors II	120
ENTE20	ENTE 20 Exploring the Market 1	120
ENTE23	ENTE 23 Exploring the Market II	120

Mentorship: Skills for Transition to Community

Code	Title	Total Hours
MENT30	Exploring Mentorship Skills 1	120
MENT33	Exploring Mentorship Skills 2	120
PTFO30	Portfolio Building 1	120
PTFO33	Portfolio Building 2	120

Electives

Code	Title	Total Hours
COLL12	College Success – Skills for Transitioning to College Life I	60
COLL13	College Success – Skills for Transitioning to College Life II	60
ESSI01	Expression of Self through Sign 1	120
ESSI02	Expression of Self through Sign	120
ESSI03	Expression of Self Through Sign	120
ESSI04	Expression of Self through Sign	120

Additional Program Policies

Effective Term: Fall

Effective Year: 20240801

Advanced Standing:

A. ADVANCE OR TRANSFER CREDIT AND PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

1. A student may obtain credit for a maximum of 75% of program requirements by Transfer Credit, Advanced Placement, Prior Learning Assessment or combination thereof.

2. SOAR Inter-centre transfer

a) Students may transfer from one SOAR centre or campus to another.

b) Ideally, students will complete their current courses before transferring to another centre.

c) Students should plan in advance and apply early for better positioning on the wait list. Normal entry will be by date of application as seats open up.

Re-Entry Instructions:

Re-entry to the SOAR Program is permitted at any time subject to space admissibility (see above) and limitations due to changes in curriculum.

Assessment:

Grading will be based on Competency Based Grades Table found in Selkirk College Policy 8612: Grading.

Grading Table: Competency-Based

Types of Assessments:

All courses taught in the SOAR program are classified as Adult Special Education (ASE) courses. Progress in ASE courses is obtained by fulfilling the course specific Skills Checklist through use of individual portfolios which may include small group projects (e.g. poster presentations), individual projects (e.g. goal setting using the BC First Nations Perspective on Wellness), written and/or pictorial assignments (e.g. skills and abilities lists), and classroom-based work experiences (e.g. popcorn sales).

Attendance:

Attendance at all scheduled classes, field trips and other learning experiences is mandatory.

Students may risk losing their placement in a program if attendance of less than 80% and/or there is unsatisfactory progress through course activities and course skills checklists.

Other regulations:

APPEAL

Most disagreements should be resolved through informal discussion between the parties involved before beginning the appeal procedures. This would typically involve the Instructor and the School Chair or designate. For more details refer to College Policy 8400: Student Appeals.