Toronto Centre for Community
Learning & Development (CCL&D)
Strong Communities Together
WHO WE ARE: The Centre for Community Learning & Development (CCL&D) is a
training and development organization that promotes increasing personal and collective
resources as a strategy for building community capacity. CCL&D promotes the use of
learning, digital storytelling, leadership development, and building healthy
organizations, as vehicles for responding to community-based challenges, and promoting
initiatives that lead to positive social change.
VISION: “Strong Communities Together”
MISSION: Creating a strong culture of community engagement through capacity
building, progressive learning and innovative training.
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STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Building high quality training/services relevant to today’s technologies.
Collaborating through partnerships to develop change-oriented leaders, develop
individual skills, and build community.
Communicating the need for literacy and training and speaking out of clear language and
design.
Building a strong organization.
CCL&D Board of Directors 2009-2010
Hanifa Mamujee , Board President
Christine Hughes, Board Vice President
Cynthia Leung
Leolyn Hendricks
Shinta Martina
Jehane Adam
Kathleen S. Keefe
Thomas Jeung-Gyun Pak
Sarita Bhatta-Ojha
Anthony Curtis
Brief History
The Centre for Community Learning & Development
(CCL&D), (formerly known as East End Literacy) was
founded in 1979 as a community-based literacy organization
serving downtown east Toronto. Over the past three decades,
we have evolved to respond to changing community needs,
including the growing demand for initiatives that promote
active learning and active citizenship at the neighbourhood
level. As a result, the organization’s work has expanded and
includes adult literacy programs (academic upgrading), leadership training,
community needs assessments, digital storytelling, and organizational
development, in partnerships and communities across Toronto.
CCL&D PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
CCL&D's programs and activities are designed and delivered
as vehicles for responding to community-based challenges;
promoting individual growth, and positive social change.
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Academic Skills Upgrading (Literacy & Basic Skills)
Funded by the Ministry of Training & Colleges (Literacy & Basic Skills Program),
upgrading is provided for adults who have a desire to improve their literacy and
academic skills: reading, writing, numeracy, communication management, and
computer skills, leading to further education and training, or employment. The
program is student-centred, goal-oriented, and tailored to each individual’s learning
needs.
CCL&D PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
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Immigrant Women Integration Program (IWIP):
A one-year intensive training course for immigrant women with
focus on community engagement and leadership development.
Participants are trained to strengthen their analysis of issues,
develop their knowledge of governance structures, build their
capacity to organize, and participate in local organizations and/or
public institutions.
Trainees receive structured coaching and participate in sessions, dialogues,
critical reflections and other activities to develop their skills, knowledge,
attitudes and values. A 3-month internship is also included.
CCL&D PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
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CLAD is a public education program of
CCL&D geared toward raising public
awareness around the impact of inaccessible
language on the population in general, but more
specifically on people with low literacy skills.
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Through this service CLAD continues to work
with public and private sector organizations
(including pharmaceutical companies, the City
of Toronto, Ministry of Health & Long-term
Care, just to name a few) to help make their
materials more accessible to their own staff and
the general public.
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CLAD provides editing, writing, training, and
consulting on a fee for service basis.
Clear Language and Design
CCL&D PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
CCL&D’s Digital Storytelling unit
is an innovative partnership
supporting the goal of assisting
people in using the tools of
digital media to craft, record, share,
and value the stories of individuals
and communities, in ways that
improve lives.
CCL&D PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Capacity-builders.org
Through Capacity-builders.org,
CCL&D is able to engage in technical
assistance partnerships that help
develop resources and help strengthen
capacity at all levels of an organization,
including governance, management,
staff, and policies, including guidance to
various agencies and resident-driven
organizations; strengthening leadership
at all levels of the organization including
access and equity.
What’s new?
Regent Park: Centre of Learning
CCL&D is collaborating with several organizations, including University of
Toronto, George Brown College, Ryerson University, Pathways to Education
and Dixon Hall to open the Centre of Learning in the first phase of the
Revitalized Regent Park.
The Centre of Learning - a place to meet and learn. Where education turns
dreams and hopes into realities. And where education changes lives and builds
new futures - will provide a range of learning opportunities for residents of
Regent Park.
Regent Park: Centre of Learning
Guiding Principles
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Further enhance cultures of learning in the Regent Park
community;
Support social inclusion strategies and the promotion of community
engagement;
Participate in training related to community capacity-building;
Facilitate opportunities for active participation in the areas of
community and individual empowerment and improvement;
Serve as a gateway to further educational opportunities (e.g. colleges,
universities, apprenticeships)
About Regent Park…
 In 2004, Regent Park was identified by The United Way as
one of Toronto’s poorest neighbourhoods with an average
income of $22,901 in comparison to a city-wide average of
$54,399.
 This diverse community has an especially high number of
new immigrants with over 50% of recent new immigrants
coming from mainland China and Bangladesh.
 Other cultural communities include the Sri Lankan,
Caribbean, Somali and Vietnamese. Forty-seven (47)
languages are spoken in the area!
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A significant number of newcomer adults in Regent Park
are highly educated, yet their qualifications are not always
being recognized in Toronto.
Despite the importance of continuing education, as
identified by the residents of Regent Park, “adult learning
systems remain complex, fragmented and incomplete,” and,
like many communities across Canada, “access to learning
opportunities… is generally poor for less-educated adults,”
(Canadian Policy Research Networks, 2007).
Regent Park families, like those in communities anywhere,
“need streamlined and seamless access to information,
intake, assessment and referrals to meet specific needs,”
(Toronto Community Housing, 2007).
The Centre for Learning…
 will provide a much needed one-stop space for Regent Park
residents, current and new, to access information on learning and
education opportunities.
 is the cornerstone of a vision to improve access to education,
both formal and informal, and to be a gathering place for existing
and new members of this diverse and vibrant community.
 will promote active citizenry, and link into opportunities for
actual participation and engagement; ensuring that learning is
relevant, purposeful and accessible to people as part of their
everyday lives.
 will also link into wider networks, and encourage participants to
contextualize their individual experiences in relation to those of
people across Toronto.
To this end, the Centre will engage in the following:
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Courses: These will be provided by a wide variety of agencies and will
offer opportunities for residents both to pursue topics of general
interest, and to acquire skills related to e.g. finding and holding jobs,
writing, critical thinking, volunteering, and serving on boards of
directors. Colleges and universities will provide courses, some of which
will be for credit.
Special Lectures and Seminars: The Centre will provide a place for
public lectures, seminars, readings, and a neighbourhood forum.
Academic Supports and Tutoring: Space in the Centre of Learning
will be available for individual and small group tutoring; counselling
about educational matters such as access, further education, financial
support, and academic skills (e.g. literacy, numeracy, study skills, etc.)
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Drop-In: The Centre of Learning will be open as many hours a week as
possible to serve as a drop in centre, where Regent Park residents with
educational interests can meet each other, make use of Centre facilities,
such as access to the Internet and reading materials.
First-Stop Education Hub: The Centre of Learning will provide a
much needed first-stop space for residents to access information on
education opportunities and supports, including intake, assessment and
referral processes. Information and referral databases will be
maintained, as well as links to a wide range of educational facilities and
opportunities in the community, and the city as a whole.
Connection to Employment Hub: There is currently a pilot program
of an employment hub - Regent Park Employment Engagement (RPEE)
- located in Regent Park Neighbourhood Initiative’s office at 415
Gerrard Street East. The Centre and the Employment Hub will explore
strategic linkages to ensure programs and services are seamless,
complementary and part of a continuum of supports linking to
employment for residents of Regent Park.
Proposed Programs and Activities
Centre for Community Learning and Development
Academic Upgrading
 For individuals with a desire to improve their literacy and academic skills:
reading, writing, numeracy, communication management, and computer skills,
leading to further education and training, or employment. The program is
student-centred, goal-oriented, and tailored to each individual’s learning needs.
Communications, Management and Techniques
 CMT is an intensive, comprehensive six month self-direction/self-management
course where participants are challenged to explore self and community
relations through 4 foundational components: Self-Awareness, Tolerance &
Diversity, Assertiveness, & Group Dynamics. Participants are engaged through
collaborative group projects, independent presentations, creative writing, life
skills coaching, and class discussions, utilizing face to face instruction and a
variety of online learning tools.
Dixon Hall
Homework Club
 Volunteers provided by Dixon Hall will provide two tutoring/academic help
sessions a week to assist the youth in Regent Park and its surrounding
neighbourhoods in their school work.
Entrepreneurial Development Seminar Series
 The Entrepreneurial Development Program would be aimed at adult newcomers in
Regent Park who are interested in launching a small business. The programs
primary aim would be to assist participants in writing developing a business
concept and writing a business plan. The completion of a business plan is essential
to the development and growth of any small enterprise and a key document required
by potential lenders and investors.
 Participants would be assisted in this task through a series of weekly business
seminars. These group learning sessions would be facilitated by a small business
course instructor and tailored to meet the needs of emergent entrepreneurs.
Participants would progress from refining their concept, to developing their
marketing strategy, and completing a financial plan. They would also be provided
assistance in honing their presentation skills and public speaking so they can
effectively leverage their business plan with potential financiers, suppliers, and
customers. Participants would also be matched with mentors to support their
business activities after the program has been completed.
George Brown College
Academic Upgrading
 The Academic Upgrading program at George Brown College is free for students who
need to upgrade their English, math and computer skills in order to prepare for postsecondary programs, further skills training for apprenticeship, or employment.
Students are placed in courses according to assessment results and their academic or
employment goals.
 Academic Upgrading includes LBS (Literacy and Basic Skills) 4 and 5, as well as
ACE (Academic and Career Entrance, formerly Ontario Basic Skills), which includes
English, Math, Self Management/Self Direction and afternoon programs in
Chemistry, Biology and Physics. The Academic Upgrading program also offers
academic and vocational counselling. Students may be eligible for a transportation
allowance.
Speaking with Confidence: General Education for Pathways Students
 This program will further enhance cultures of learning in the Regent Park
Community, facilitate opportunities for active participation in the areas of
community and individual empowerment and improvement and serve as a gateway
to further educational opportunities.
University of Toronto
Liberal Arts and Business Courses
 The University of Toronto Learning Exchange Programme offers
courses to post-teen Park residents on a variety of topics selected in
dialogue with those in the Park. The courses are taught by professors
from the University. Though the courses are non-credit ones, tutoring
is provided for residents who seek post secondary educational
opportunities. Also, future involvement of the University’s Transitional
Year Programme will provide some pre-university credit courses as
well. Child care and refreshments are provided as well as reading
material free of charge.
Centre for Learning: Preliminary Program Schedule
Centre for Learning: The Advisory Committee
Mission:
 To facilitate and foster learning partnerships, information sharing, innovation and creative
thinking between community members and stakeholders in planning and maintaining the
Centre for Learning.
Description:
 The Advisory Committee’s primary function will be to maintain programmatic oversight,
ensuring that the programs and activities remain true to our ideals, and helping with
fundraising initiatives. The committee will draw membership from college and university
sectors, residents, and agencies involved in community, adult and continuing education.
This committee will provide a forum for sharing information, seeking input, developing
advice and examples of outcomes, and opportunities for networking.
Members:
 Community Agencies (Centre for Community Learning & Development, Dixon Hall,
Pathways to Education)
 Educational Institutes (York University, Ryerson University, George Brown College,
University of Toronto)
 Government Agencies/Organizations (Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Regent
Park Employment Engagement Office)
 Community Residents
Organizational Chart
Dixon Hall
Pathways to
Education
Toronto
Community
Housing
Corporatio
n
Educational Institutes
include…
George Brown College
Ryerson University
University of Toronto
York University
Community
Agencies
Centre for
Learning
Educationa
l Institutes
Advisory
Committee
Community
Residents
Government
Agencies/Org
anizations
Centre for
Community
Learning and
Development