The provincial government is investing nearly $11 million over three years to expand the Living Classrooms program that helps students train to become personal support workers on-site in local long-term care homes.
The investment will allow the program to double the number of living classrooms from 20 to 40, which will support the training of up to 1,300 new personal support workers by 2026.
Unlike traditional PSW training programs, where students start with a classroom education and then move on to clinical placements, living classrooms integrate education into a long-term care home.
Students alternate between in-class learning delivered at the care home or nearby to applying what they learn as they work with residents within the home.
The program is especially beneficial to rural, remote and northern regions, as homes can grow their staff and students can train without having to leave their communities.
Currently, in northwestern Ontario, there are 3 living classrooms operating in Kenora, Fort Frances, and Dryden.
