Sanctuary@Knox

I continue to be excited about the possibilities that are created with this new project. We are aiming our efforts at a group that is not served by any other agency. Though some of the participants may have been involved in other programs, or continue to be involved in other programs, we will be offering the unique one-on-one support for their continued learning. We want to provide opportunities for those individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 to improve their learning skills and pursue any learning they want to pursue with the support of experienced teachers and learners. Where participants have been involved with other programs, we will liaise with them to gather any information they have on learning styles, learning difficulties, strengths, abilities, etc. If they have had various learning assessments, we can use that information to further support our work with them. Where they haven't, we will either do our own informal assessments, or use standardized assessment tools to discover what we need to know to best support the learning.

The pilot will have our learning centre open for three days a week, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. It will have a minimum of one volunteer present for all those hours. The volunteer assists participants in learning whatever they want to learn. In some cases, it will mean only that the participant will have someone there if they have questions or to rely on for support. In other cases, we will help individuals to clarify what they want to learn and work with them to establish a plan for learning.

We will have access to various assistive technologies:

• speech-to-text software
• text to speech software
• on-screen dictionaries
• rebus composition software
• up to date Office Suite
• graphic organizers
• presentation software
• internet access
  

and others.

The research behind this project comes from my own doctoral studies exploring how various technologies support literacy development in 1st and 2nd languages. We discovered that technology has developed to a point where it can be used as a tool for those who have difficulties with one particular style of learning to easily access other forms of expression. For the non-reader, this means that they can access information, process it, learn from it, and use it to share with others from their own particular point of view. Traditionally, schools have operated out of necessity using mainly print-based information sources. Assistive technologies allow the non-reader to access information from print-based sources. However, we also honour individual strengths in other media and encourage individuals to get information from whatever sources they find and to use it. They can also use various media as an expressive or sharing format. I can provide anyone with many more details and more information if one wants it. I know that this is my passion, so I tend to go off the deep end.

We plan to set up our own network so that there is no potential hazard to the church's network and server. We will have our own server as well.

Unfortunately, there are costs to the upgrades. We need approximately $6,000.00 to upgrade the memory of the computers, establish the network, and buy the software.

If anyone reading this wishes to make a contribution to the Snactuary@Knox project, they can do so by sending a cheque payable to "Knox United Church" to:

Sanctuary@Knox
506 Fourth Street S. W.
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 1S7

If you mark "Sanctuary@Knox" on the memo part of the cheque, it will go into the designated fund and receive a charitable donation tax receipt.