Microsoft Office Specialist Certification Offers Homeless Youth Opportunities to Improve Circumstances
Not-for-profit Canadian literacy program provides resources for certification success

At-risk, street-involved, and homeless youth have recently been given the opportunity to earn Microsoft® Office Specialist certification at Beat the Street, a literacy program in Toronto. With the certification in hand, participants are ready to continue their education, pursue meaningful employment, and experience improved self-esteem and communication skills.

BACKGROUND
Beat the Street is a service program within Frontier College, a national literacy organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that teaches people of all ages to read, write, and learn. Beat the Street’s learning center, which is located in downtown Toronto, was established in 1985 to provide services for youth aged 16 to 29 who are at-risk, street involved, or homeless. With the mantra, “Education beats the street,” the program is commissioned with assisting out-of-school youth to obtain literacy skills and improve the conditions in which they live.

The program focuses on improving literacy, establishing and advancing computer skills, and preparing students who have dropped out of high school to earn their General Equivalency Diplomas (GED). Participants who are new to computers are offered the opportunity to learn basic computing and keyboarding skills. Office Specialist certification is available to students who complete advanced Microsoft Office training.

Office Specialist certification was chosen to give Beat the Street participants an advantage in the competitive job market. With this certification, youth have employment opportunities, greater earning potential, career advancement, and increased job satisfaction. “M ost participants are focused on obtaining employment, education, and learning,” said Robert Davis, manager of Beat the Street. “We hope participants use computer skills now, to go on to college, or to gain employment. Office Specialist certification deepens the value of computer training. It was the right product for us to take on.”

PROCESS
Beat the Street participants must meet program criteria to be eligible to participate. To qualify, individuals must live in a shelter , be homeless, or be street involved. Referrals often come from social agencies and other youth employment and counseling centers. Frequently, participants who have dropped out of high school begin by earning their GED and then move on to learning computing skills.

Periodic information sessions recruit participants to the Office Specialist component of the program. In its computer lab, Beat the Street administers assessment tests to evaluate participants’ current computing knowledge and skills. The results of the assessments help determine where they fit into the training program. “Sometimes keyboarding and basic computing skills are more appropriate first,” said Davis.

When they are ready to gain Microsoft Office expertise and pursue Office Specialist certification, participants begin a six-week session that ushers them through the skills required to earn certification. Participants use computer-based training and textbooks along with instructor and volunteer mentoring to prepare for the certification exams. “We work with the learner—based on his or her learning style—and we support what they need,” said Davis.

Earning Office Specialist certification is critical to participants’ success. “Completing a goal is a very big thing,” said Davis. “Students are expected to take the Office Specialist exam and earn the certification.”

Beat the Street was recently awarded a grant from the Microsoft Unlimited Potential program, a global initiative designed to help narrow the technology skills gap and aid global workforce development through community-based technology and learning centers. “M icrosoft visited us, and we had the opportunity to make a proposal to have them help fund our programs,” said Davis. “Then the federal government, via the City of Toronto, matched the grant funds through an initiative to alleviate homelessness. Thanks to these donations, we’ve been able to offer computing skills and GED training in a very concerted way.”

Beat the Street needs equipment, hardware, and human resources to run effectively. Its computer lab has 10 workstations and is consistently full. Davis expects Office Specialist certification to be a worthwhile program. “I’m glad we decided to go this route and offer something tangible and important. It’s a good use of our resources,” he said.

Participants may train and certify at Beat the Street at no charge. "This is a huge opportunity for these folks," said Davis. "Funding for the program is based on meeting specific target goals. Our participants will exceed our expectations."

CERTIFICATION
After only two months of offering Office Specialist certification to Beat the Street participants, three individuals have earned the Office Specialist certification for Microsoft Word.

“The world works on certifications,” said Davis. “Certification is attractive to people. It means more than just showing someone a skill. It is a piece of paper that is proof.”

In addition, Davis said the certification also improves a participant’s self-esteem. “Certificates are important to people. Recognition is important. The Office Specialist certificate is the epitome of recognizing someone’s success. It is an acknowledgement of what someone’s computer skills are. It is definitely an advantage when they are seeking work.”

RESULT
Two Beat the Street participants who have earned Office Specialist certification are now training to serve as volunteers to mentor other participants in the program.

“The certification is a tangible outcome,” said Davis. “Improved self-esteem, better ability to relate and communicate with others, and having the responsibility to show up and call when late are less-tangible results of the program.”

Davis also emphasized the importance of proving one’s skills with a structured program like Office Specialist. “We have to have flexible offerings, but we have to be able to manage them,” he said. “We’re really enthusiastic about the Office Specialist program. It’s manageable and worthwhile. We’re happy about it.”