Literacy Basics - Community Literacy of Ontario

Step Three: Improving Results

Looking at the results of what we achieve in our programs is part of CIPMS. But it is not enough to just look at those results; we have to use them to help set next year's targets, revise expectations and tell people what we do and how we do it. We can use the results to clearly and definitively show the impact we are making and how we contributed to that impact. We can show clients and stakeholders our processes and our CIPMS plan, but all of that just says what we expect and hope will happen. What we really need to tell them is what did happen and why we know that it did, and how we contributed to that. What evidence can we use to answer those questions? Good tracking and documentation can help you do this. Anecdotal evidence is also important because it helps you tell the story.

Northern Connections Adult Learning Centres in Eastern Ontario has developed an excellent CIPMS planning tool that has proven to be very helpful. The tool is based on MTCU's Program Monitoring Report and clearly lays out what the agency needs to accomplish for each of the criteria and how they will demonstrate that they have met expectations. This document clearly identifies what will be evaluated, how the agency will demonstrate what they have achieved, who will do what activities and when. We have included this document in Word format so that you can download it and use it in your program. We have provided both a blank copy and a completed copy so you can see how it might look.

Although this type of plan may seem overwhelming at first, it is important to remember that you don't have to do everything all at once. Choose two or three areas that are priorities or that are within your current capacity to achieve and focus on those. The planning sheet from Section 5 of the 2008/2009 LBS Business Plan is an excellent tool for this type of plan.

For Example …

The Renfrew County District School Board has put a lot of effort into implementing CIPMS throughout its agency. Staff feel that the efforts have been well worth it, and they are confident that their programming has improved and that learners are reaping the benefits. They have worked towards clearly summarizing their activities, goals and objectives, action plans, results and timelines. Because it is difficult to plan until you know what you have already achieved, this agency went back into its records and documented what had already been accomplished. Although this required a significant time commitment from everyone involved, they all agree that it was time well spent and has helped them move forward.

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