National Adult Literacy Database

Igniting the Power Within (ITPW) is a series of certification workshops on Essential Skills (ES) and Recognizing Prior Learning (RPL) for Aboriginal communities.

This document, the first in a series of four, is the curriculum for a two-day workshop for advisers and counsellors who want to plan and implement ITPW certification training in their communities.

By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to explain the concept of the nine Essential Skills; connect community priorities with ES training needs; identify and contact provincial ES coordinators; explain the concept of RPL; interview clients and learners to identify prior learning from both formal and informal situations; and explain how informal learning is transferable from one job setting to another.

The authors have included a detailed workshop agenda; instructions for facilitators; a discussion of best practices; interactive exercises; and handouts from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) about Essential Skills.