A cross-generational thing; teenagers make a connection with the seniors - through creative co-op experience
March 12, 2010
The lifeblood of cooperative learning
By Chris Simon
Photo by Chris Simon Volunteer Jean Flewelling drives Nantyr Shores Secondary School students to and from their cooperative education placements five days per week. Photo by Chris Simon
Volunteer Jean Flewelling drives Nantyr Shores Secondary School students to and from their cooperative education placements five days per week. Every weekday morning and afternoon, Jean Flewelling becomes the lifeblood of cooperative education for several Nantyr Shores Secondary School students.
The Sandycove Acres resident climbs into her car, picks up four students, and ensures they arrive at their cooperative education placements on time, at locations throughout the area. She runs students to and from sites in Stroud and Barrie, regardless of weather or health.
"It gives me something to do," she said, sitting in the Nantyr library last week. "It's reason to go out."
In fact, her commitment has been put to the test. Since she began volunteering last February, Flewelling has broken her wrist and suffered a heart attack. Those medical issues could hardly deter her though; she knew the important responsibility of driving. She quickly returned from each ailment to volunteer, when others likely would have stepped away.
Flewelling is among three full-time and five on-call volunteers who drive Nantyr students to the co-op placements throughout the school year. Between 70 and 80 Nantyr students enroll in the co-op program each semester, with about 15 requiring daily transportation assistance. Without the volunteers, those students simply wouldn't be able to participate, said teacher David Hooper.
"Co-op shouldn't be an elitist thing, where people who have a car can do it, and no one else can," he said.
We looked at bussing and (taxi) cabs, but they were to cost prohibitive. We were trying to find alternative solutions. I had this idea of knocking on Sandycove doors, because teenagers have a bad reputation in the community. My pitch was a cross-generational thing; the teenagers could make a connection with the seniors."
Grade 11 student Nickisha Hardware agrees. Last semester, she had a placement at Susan Morrison Chartered Accountant in the Innisfil Heights area. Without Flewelling, she would have been forced to drop the school's Specialist High Skills Major program, which requires the successful completion of a co-op placement.
"I wouldn't be able to have a co-op placement at all," said Hardware. "Innisfil doesn't really have public transportation. It's convenient timing, to have someone bring me there at take me back at the end of the day."
The volunteers receive compensation for fuel, said Hooper.
"It's working out fairly well," he said. "Relationship building is a huge spin-off effect of having these people involved. The commitment level is awesome."
The program still requires volunteers. For more information, contact Hooper at 431-5950, ext. 459.
http://www.innisfilscope.com/news/2010-02-24/Lifestyle/The_lifeblood_of_cooperative_learning.html