Prelude - A game of discovery and learning.

Classroom Connections

www.classroomconnections.ca

Classroom Connections is a non-profit organization dedicated to initiating positive societal change by producing progressive educational resources for Canada’s youth. Its award-winning resources are ready-to-use, curriculum-aligned and innovative in content and pedagogy. Since 1997, it has provided more than 15 free support resources to 80% of schools nationwide.

Classroom Connections is collaborating with the Bigstone Cree First Nations Education Authority and Heliotrope to adapt Prelude for use Aboriginal community education and enterprise. As a first stage, the game is being introduced to the Bigstone Cree middle school. Initial training and successful implementation has commenced.

Eastern Townships School Board

www.etsb.qc.ca

The Eastern Townships School Board (ETSB) is an Anglophone school board in the province of Quebec that oversees twenty elementary schools, three secondary schools, one alternative secondary school, two vocational education centers, two adult education centers, and one center of excellence. It serves approximately 7000 students. ETSB’s Enhanced Learning Strategy (ELS) provides all students in Grades 3 to 9, with their own laptop computer. It’s also partnered with the Cirque du Soleil to provide remote education to young artists and the artist’s children at elementary and high school levels. 
ETSB recently signed a partnership with the government of Uruguay to provide assistance in better integrating ELS 1:1 technology in Uruguayan schools. 
Further partnerships with Paraguay and Peru are planned.

In 2007, ETSB asked Heliotrope to adapt Prelude for Grade 7 students. This led to a robust two-year pilot within various schools and grade levels. The pilot was highly successful. This has resulted in ETSB introducing Prelude as part of the curriculum for all students in Grade 7. It’s been adopted as a key resource in a new strategy to address rising dropout rates in the region.

Resiliency Initiatives

www.resiliencyinitiatives.ca

Resiliency Initiatives [RI] is an independent consulting organization whose mission is to advance the well being of individuals and their families by generating knowledge and promoting its application through both empirical research and applied community-based initiatives. It has extensive experience collaborating with various service providers, health-based organization, government agencies and academic institutes with the goal of promoting long-term community and social change that supports the well being and healthy development of individuals and families. RI has developed a proprietary resiliency assessment protocol being used internationally.

Dr. Wayne Hammond, the founder of Resiliency Initiatives, recognized that Prelude complemented his organization’s work. As a result RI and Heliotrope are collaborating on using both the game and assessment together. This involves two pilot sites; the Bigstone Cree Education Authority as well as two middle schools within the Calgary School Board.

Flowork International

www.socialnetworkaudit.com

Flowork is an organization that works with individuals, organizations and communities to develop their social capital and more importantly increase their ability to access social resources. Dr. John-Paul Hatala is the founder. He is also currently a Visiting Professor at Louisiana State University in the School of Human Resource Education and Workforce Development, Baton Rouge. His research focuses on social networking behaviours, social capital, human resource development, career development and the transition to the labour market.

Flowork and Heliotrope are collaborating in the development and implementation of a new back-to-work workshop and career support program for the unemployed. This uniquely integrates their respective proprietary offerings in one overall efficient and transformative system. It’s been initially piloted with the Toronto District School Board Career Skills Program. Funding is being sought to pilot Prelude with several agencies.

Green Enterprise Toronto

www.greenenterprise.net

Green Enterprise Toronto (GET) works to strengthen the resilience of communities, environments and economies in the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario through support of the independent business sector and public education. GET helps locally owned businesses to thrive by being part of the ‘green’ solution. Its founder, Chris Lowry, M.Ed. is an entrepreneur in both independent media production businesses and non-profit organizations. He has won many awards for his films and social marketing work, including the Peter F. Drucker Award for Canadian Non-Profit Innovation. Chris Lowry is collaborating with Heliotrope to adapt and introduce Prelude for staff development within environmental sector organizations.

Wikiworkforce

www.wikiworkforce.com

Wikiworkforce is an online forum that empowers individuals to discuss business challenges and ideas within an anonymous global network. Wendy Melvin, who has a successful track record in executive management search, founded it in 2007. Wikiworkforce asked Heliotrope to collaborate on introducing Prelude as part of a suite of online professional development tools to support members.