A new Whitby PSW Living Classroom will let adult learners complete personal support worker education inside the Glen Hill Terrace long-term care community.
The Durham Catholic District School Board launched the partnership through its Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre. The program combines classroom instruction with practical experience and mentorship from long-term care professionals.
Students learn inside long-term care
Training areas include resident-centred practice, dementia care, infection prevention and control, communication, mobility support and palliative care. The school board says learning in the care setting is intended to strengthen readiness for jobs in long-term care and community health.
Glen Hill Terrace administrator Kathryn Pilkington said the model turns the Whitby home into both a residence and a learning environment. Students will apply classroom lessons under the guidance of experienced health-care workers.
Resident Jo Grant said people living at Glen Hill Terrace can also participate by sharing their experiences, perspectives and life stories with learners.
Partnership builds on 20 years of training
The continuing education centre has delivered PSW training in Durham for more than 20 years. Superintendent Jim Wilson said the new partnership adds an immersive format intended to build practical skills and an understanding of compassionate, person-centred care.
The program is funded by the Ontario government and led by the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging in partnership with the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators.
Whitby MPP Lorne Coe said the project is connected to the province’s $26-million investment in front-line training. The broader initiative is intended to expand health-care education and address staffing needs in long-term care.
Prospective students can find application details through the continuing education centre and should confirm eligibility, scheduling and placement information directly.
