2. Honourable mentions
The honourable mentions highlight the leadership by ministries and government agencies to promote a broader offer of quality services in French. Each of them will be the subject of a blog post by the Commissioner throughout the coming year.
First Francophone Open Education Resources Seminar
For the very first time, eCampusOntario held the Francophone Open Education Resources (OER) Seminar in Ontario. The seminar sought to stimulate the establishment, adoption, but especially the adaptation of these resources to the learning environments of students in French. It also sought to establish a community for learning and sharing best practices. In the last year, eCampusOntario developed and adapted about thirty online courses in French to enhance the 700 courses offered in French on the portal.
Online training of the Advantage Ontario consortium
The Advantage Ontario consortium launched an online training program in November 2017 in order to support its members in the adaptation of their French-language services intended for international students. The training, composed of six online modules, is dispensed by on-site experts and is addressed to front-line personnel, to professors and administrators of the 10 postsecondary institutions that promote Ontario’s French-language education system in Francophone countries like France or certain countries in Africa.
Francophone planning table on social services
In 2017-2018, the Ministry of Community and Social Services implemented a Francophone planning table. Specifically, the table, led by community organizations, gathers providers from the Developmental Services sector and French- language service providers to discuss issues about services in French and to share best practices.
Workshop on the active offer of health services in French
Together with Reflet Salvéo, the Central Toronto LHIN presented, in the spring of 2018, a three-day workshop for managers of 70 health-service providers who have Francophone human resources or who use medical interpretation in the context of the Language Services Toronto program. Developed in partnership with Health Nexus, Collège Boréal and the RIFSSSO, the training provided participants with strategies for the implementation of a systematic active-offer approach for health services in French.
Designation of the Maison McCulloch Hospice
In September 2017, the Maison McCulloch Hospice in Sudbury was designated a French-language services provider under the French Language Services Act. The Hospice offers palliative care services in French equivalent in quality and accessibility to the services offered in English. The designation was obtained in collaboration with the North East LHIN and the Réseau du mieux-être francophone du nord de l’Ontario.