Saint John Learning Exchange 3.37

Programs and Services

The Learning Exchange is an organization that has served adults in the Saint John community for the last 30 years. We offer a variety of academic, employment and essential skills programs and you may encounter more than one of our services as you work towards your individual goals. We use a holistic approach when helping you decide what programs or services are best for you.

In the academic stream of The Learning Exchange we offer two programs:

Community Adult Learning Program (CALP) – This program provides basic literacy and numeracy skills to learners of various levels. For many it involves academic upgrading in preparation to write the General Education Diploma (GED) tests, to apply to programs at the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) or other post-secondary programs and to participate in work-related program such as WES (Workplace Essential Skills) or Worklinks. This program offers flexible schedules and individualized, self-paced programs based on your needs and space availability.

Basic Education Skills Training (BEST) – B.E.S.T is the most holistic program at the Learning Exchange. Adults generally attend on a full-time basis, Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm in preparation for employment or post-secondary education. Program goals are individualized and you can work at your own pace in a small class environment. Most of our participants are preparing for the GED or increasing their literacy/numeracy, as well as working on self-development and life skills, pre-employment skills, and community engagement. B.E.S.T also provides you with an opportunity to explore your next steps and helps connect you pwith other programs and services to support these endeavors.

In the employment stream of The Learning Exchange we offer one program and one ongoing service:

Workplace Essential Skills (WES) – The focus of this program is to increase literacy and employability by focusing on employment and life skills development, such as the 9 Essential Skills for success in work and life (numeracy, reading, writing, document use, computer use, problem solving, oral communication, working with others and continuous learning). This full-time program runs 12-weeks and offers a combination of volunteer placements and in classroom work to build employability skills.

WorkLinks- For participants of any of the programs at The Learning Exchange and external job seekers this service includes two Workforce Coaches and a Job Developer who assist job seekers in developing a plan for employment, and addressing all elements of job search and maintenance. The Job Developer works with community partners and employers creatively seeking new employment opportunities and matching employers’ needs with appropriate candidates. This service offers a number of employment related tools from cover letters and resumes to interview preparation and job shadow opportunities.

In addition to these programs and services we have two growing Social Enterprises: Stone Soup Catering and Voila! Cleaning Company. The Learning Exchange runs these two companies that employ learners and past clients of The Learning Exchange. Stone Soup Catering caters events around Saint John and provides healthy meal options for clients and students at The Learning Exchange. Voila! is an environmentally friendly cleaning company servicing residential, commercial and corporate clients. As we move forward clients of the WorkLinks program will have the opportunity to train within these social enterprises to build their soft skills and eventually move towards meaningful employment.