Students in Niagara College’s Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) program have a new space to learn in, thanks to a generous $100,000 donation from the Ontario Paper Thorold Foundation.
The CICE Experimental Learning Lab offers students a comfortable environment where they can improve their skills (academic, social and employability) to help them foster greater independence.
Launched back in 2017, the CICE program offers individuals with developmental disabilities and other learning challenges the chance to experience college life.
The learning space is located at the Daniel J. Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Sue Birch, President and Chairperson of the Ontario Paper Thorold Foundation, commented on the donation.
“Education is one of the priority investment areas, and we have funded many worthy initiatives at Niagara College over the years,” said Birch. “Contributing to the CICE program feels very meaningful and it’s wonderful to see how students are using the new lab to support their goals.”
Over the past 47 years, the Ontario Paper Thorold Foundation has contributed more than $700,000 to Niagara College to help fund scholarship and bursaries for initiatives ranging from environmental studies to capital campaigns to gifts-in-kind. The Foundation therefore has several spaces named in its honour across Niagara College campuses.
“The Ontario Paper Thorold Foundation has made a significant impact at Niagara College and we are grateful for its long-standing support of our students,” said Gord Arbeau, Vice President, Advancement. “The Foundation’s latest gift toward the CICE program continues that remarkable legacy through the College’s Together campaign.”
Students in the CICE program take a combination of academic courses and modified electives with support from learning facilitators. They also complete field placements that enhance their employability skills.
Academic Portfolio Manager Katrina Frausel said the creation of the CICE Experimental Learning Lab has improved students’ experience in the program.
“The lab is a versatile space where students can transfer their stills from the classroom to real-life situations through simulated and scenario-based learning,” said Frausel. “It has given students an opportunity to learn key employment skills to set them up for future placement success through workstations, entry-level tasks, role-plays, customer service scenarios, and time management skills.”
The CICE lab can be turned into a learning environment, where students can practice life skills, including safe food handling, storage, hosting friends, or work settings. Other key tasks they can practice include preparing drinks, serving, bussing, dishwashing, cashier skills, and more.
The Ontario Paper Thorold Foundation’s donation is one of the two contributions that funded the construction and redevelopment of the lab, which was also supported by CIBC.
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
