This project involved planning, developing and researching the impact of PLAR tools and resources for young adults who are at risk of disengaging from education, training, and/or employment. Training, and on-going support was provided to young at risk adult service agencies in the delivery and evaluation of the new tools and resources.

What is Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition?
A process that gives individuals an opportunity to identify and get credit for learning acquired through education, life or work experiences. It involves the identification, documentation, assessment, and recognition of competencies (skills, knowledge and abilities) that have been acquired through formal or informal learning. Prior learning assessment may be applied toward academic credit for a diploma/certificate or admission to secondary or post-secondary schools.

Our PLAR Project helped develop and test Prior Learning Assessment packages and assessment tools designed for young at risk adults. These assessment tools are used by PLA practitioners to help the PLA candidate identify his/her transferable skills in comparison to previously established standards, job criteria, or learning outcomes.

Previous Research
This project was preceded by the paper "It really gets you thinking..." Prior Learning Assessment for young at-risk adults 18-29." (Darville, Coombs, & Baker-McDonald, 2004) which sought to address two main research questions…

• Does PLA hold potential for young at-risk adults in their search for employment?
• What characteristics would PLA require to effectively engage young adults at risk?

The paper targeted young at-risk adults and found that Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) presents a potential pathway for self-development and increased employability. The study identified that young at-risk adults, by sheer fact of their age, face chronic difficulties in their early employable years: low pay, frequent short-term jobs, part-time and seasonal jobs, lack of credibility compared to more mature workers, and generation gap issues. Furthermore, current job market evolutions are no less problematic: globalization of markets and opening trade environments has yielded an increase in part-time employment. Young adults face typical difficulties inherent in establishing themselves in life. Those with notable vulnerabilities and a difficult job market endure a heightened degree of difficulty. Key to the role of PLA is its ability to provide interface between the life reality of the individual and the cultural reality of the institution or organization.

Based on its findings, the study’s authors recommended guidelines for successful formatting, language usage, and conceptual hooks such as the need for immediate short-term benefit and no lengthy tracking mechanisms. Key to the notion of engaging effective PLA for job-seeking young adults is a shift in the way we as a society traditionally view knowledge as demonstrated by credentials.

Project Phases
The findings from the 2004 study provided the knowledge base through which the PLAR youth project piloting evolved. Phase one included the completion of a gap analysis to cross-reference the previous study’s findings with current adult PLAR tools and YA resources, creating a reference and resource base for the design and development phase. This was then followed by the design, development and piloting of “pre PLAR” preparation materials, prior learning assessment tools and PLAR promotional materials that supported PLAR practices for the YAs, and tailored for the distinct characteristics of identified national delivery venues.

Eight potential venue types have been identified and included:

• Young adults incarcerated or in correctional facilities
• Young adults living on the street
• Disabled or handicapped young adults
• New Canadian young adults
• Young adults in residential settings
• Young adults dropping out or exiting schools before graduation
• First nation and aboriginal young adults
• Young adults actively seeking employment

The Research Framework posed four questions:

1. Who is the target audience?
   • What are their characteristics?
   • Where are they located?
   • How can they be accessed?
   • What are their needs in relation to PLAR?
     
     
2. Who are the PLAR practitioners for the target audience?
   • What are their characteristics?
   • Where are they located?
   • How can they be accessed?
   • What are their training needs in relation to PLAR and what is the best format for meeting those needs?
     
     
3. What is the best method for implementing PLAR with Young Adults?
   • What form or structure would be the most appealing to them?
   • What format would be the most effective with this population?
     
     
4. What are the terms and phrases that are unique to or needed for PLAR with Young Adults?
   • What effect, if any, will the creation of a vernacular unique to PLAR with Young Adults have on the world of PLAR within the professional community as it exists today?
     
     
5. What effect, if any, does PLAR have on young at risk adults?
   • Are the promotional tools created effective with this population?
   • Are the pre-PLAR tools created effective for:
     1. Introducing PLAR to young at risk adults?
     2. Motivating young at risk adults to enter in to the PLAR assessment process?
   • Is the PLAR assessment tool created effective in allowing young at risk adults within the venues to:
     1. Identify their prior learning skills?
     2. Relate these skills to their future goals?

Venue site selection was based on relevance in terms of accessibility to YAs.
Pilot site selection criterias

Read the Project Final Report

Click here to review the PLAR tools used in this project

For further information please contact:
Jane McLaren, Project Coordinator
Maryse Lapointe, Research Project Assistant