Toronto, ON – August 24, 2026 – CESBA (the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators) is pleased to announce the launch of the PSW District School Board Bursary Program, an $18-million investment by the Government of Ontario that will help up to 6,000 more adults complete personal support worker (PSW) training over the next three years.

Funded by the Ministry of Long-Term Care, the initiative will provide eligible students with up to $2,000 in bursary support while also strengthening and sustaining local PSW programs across the province.

In addition to financial assistance for students, the program will provide wraparound services and funding to strengthen student retention and sustain local PSW program delivery, while featuring a provincial awareness campaign and marketing initiatives to help connect more Ontarians with school board PSW training opportunities.

CESBA’s network of PSW Champions will also support recruitment efforts by attending Level Up! career fairs and community events while connecting with employment agencies, newcomer-service organizations and other community groups to reach prospective students.

“Ontario’s school boards play a vital role in workforce development and are uniquely positioned to deliver high-quality, community-based training. With a long history of supporting adult learners to overcome barriers to education and employment, school boards create pathways to meaningful careers while responding to local workforce needs. Through this important investment, we’re creating more opportunities for people to pursue rewarding careers as personal support workers while helping build stronger, healthier communities.”

–Paul Cox, Executive Director, CESBA

With nearly 20 school boards and one Indigenous Education Authority (IEA) offering PSW training in Ontario, these programs provide flexible, community-based education that supports the needs of diverse learners, including newcomers, second-career seekers, and those facing barriers to education and employment. Many programs also provide students with the opportunity to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma while completing their PSW training.

The bursary program will also help strengthen access to PSW education in rural, remote and Northern communities, including support for IEAs.

The PSW District School Board Bursary Program is part of Ontario’s broader $75-million investment to strengthen the province’s long-term care workforce.

About CESBA

CESBA is a provincial, non-profit professional association that represents, advocates for and supports adult and continuing education program staff working in more than 60 school boards across Ontario.

Media Contact

Brittany Howlett
Communications Consultant
CESBA
bhowlett@cesba.com

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Class valedictorian Saleema shared, “Today is not just about finishing a program. Today, we are proud—proud of what we studied, and proud of who we are becoming.” She reminded her classmates that Early Childhood Assistants create safe, caring environments and they are, “the reason a child smiles when they walk into daycare.”

After 18 weeks of full-time study, including nine weeks of hands-on placement in childcare centres, the graduates are now ready to begin meaningful careers supporting and educating young children.

Visit this site for more on the program.

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The segment featured callers who praised their local learning centres, mentioning credit, Get SET and PSW programs. They also expressed the importance of access to in-person classrooms and well-funded schools. The impact felt across generations was brought home through moving personal stories.

Principal Mario DiVittorio, from St. Charles Adult and Continuing Education (HWCDSB), also joined the program to offer his front line perspective from his Hamilton school. 

Listen to Ontario Today: Stories about the journey to graduate high school as an adult

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Friends and family members were not the only ones in attendance wanting to celebrate this milestone.  Not only were the Associate Director and Superintendent present as honoured guests, the Adult Credit program and Get SET program staff filled the stands, celebrating each grad.

In the decade that I managed the program, I always found it difficult to succinctly describe the role that Get SET plays in the landscape of adult education.  The name change this year didn’t make it any easier.

But, sitting in the audience, watching the physical embodiment of CaMS files walk across the stage to claim their diploma, I saw it – the role that Get SET played in the lives of our learners.

Our Get SET practitioners stood at the bottom of the stairs, offering a steady hand as each grad mounted the stairs to the stage.   That’s it, that’s exactly what the Get SET program does – we are there to provide the support needed for our learners to move forward towards their goal. Just like that day, that offered support looked different for each learner.

On this graduation day, the support was available and willingly offered to each graduate.   As some individuals moved across the stage to shake the Associate Director’s hand, Get SET instructors sat up a little straighter, acknowledging “That was my student.”

Overall, 16% of the graduates this day came through the Get SET program, with multiple Ontario Scholars and two subject awards. The most visible Get SET moment came when the class valedictorian gave a shout out to the program for starting him off on his secondary school journey by not only teaching him the content he needed, but creating a safe environment in which he could learn at his own pace without feeling judged.

The post Grad Story From a Proud Peel Get SET Instructor appeared first on CESBA.

Submissions are now closed.

CESBA is excited to announce the Call for Presenters for the CESBA Conference 2026. 

Our conference takes place over two days. The first day is “Sector Day”, which is for CESBA members and other stakeholders to focus on the key priorities of their sector. The second day is “Workshop Day”, a day that draws a diverse audience of educators and administrators, adjacent organizations, and anyone with an active interest in adult and continuing education (A&CE).  Proposals submitted through the form linked below will be considered for Workshop Day, December 3, 2026. 

Theme & Streams

This year’s theme is Learning that Lifts | L’apprentissage qui élève 
Adult and Continuing Education (A&CE) lifts individuals, families and communities!

We have six streams this year to support this theme and offer relevant topics for our membership:

1. Models for small and medium boards, and rural or mixed rural/urban boards
2. Cross-sector collaboration (e.g. ESL to Get SET pathway or adult credit and apprenticeships)
3. Summer school
4. International and Indigenous Languages Elementary (IILE)
5. Registers & Funding
6. Explore!—Anything that’s broadly relevant, such as AI, mental health and wellness or equity and inclusion. Topics can range widely as long as they further the support and development of A&CE administrators and professionals in Ontario.

Submission Guidelines 

We are seeking proposals from CESBA members, organizations that work in or support A&CE in Ontario, and thought and practice leaders in A&CE. 

A successful workshop proposal need not come from an “expert”—a passionate professional with an experience or a learning to share is equally welcome.  

Workshops should be relevant to A&CE and include tangible learning take-aways that participants can apply to their work after their conference. This could include new practices, new tools, new resources and more.

Each proposal should include: 

1. a title (please keep it short and interesting!) 

2. a concise and accurate description of your workshop that may be used for promotion on the conference website (maximum 75 words)

3. a description of the learning objectives, audience, presentation format, any activities planned for the presentation, and other relevant details for the selection committee (maximum 250 words)
   
4. Notice to conference organizers about whether something unique is required to support workshop activities (i.e. access to nearby sinks for clean up after a hands on activity).
   
5. a headshot of the presenter(s) (maximum of 2 presenters) 
   
6. a biography of the presenter(s) (maximum 75 words) 
   
7. at least 3 learning outcomes for participants in the proposed workshop 
   
8. the A&CE sectors/audiences your workshop applies to: i.e. , Credit, ESL/FSL, Get SET, International & Indigenous Language Education, Summer School, Employment, Personal Support Worker Training, Principals, Superintendents/Directors, Teachers, Program Leaders, New to A&CE 

Please note:

• Submissions must include acceptance of the conditions (below). 

• The deadline for proposal submissions is 11:59 pm on June 19, 2026. 

Speaker Terms & Conditions 

1. CESBA and its members appreciate the contribution that presenters make in sharing their professional knowledge and expertise to strengthen the A&CE sector. To acknowledge these contributions, presenters will be provided with a ticket to attend Workshop Day free of charge.  If your submission is accepted, you will be manually registered by CESBA and are not required to self-register for the conference.  CESBA does not provide payment for workshop presentations.
   
2. Workshops may feature up to two presenters, and CESBA’s selection committee will select a balanced mix of both single- and dual-presenter sessions.
   
3. Presentations should not promote specific products or services. 
   
4. Session Preparation Call: Successful applicants must make themselves available for a session preparation call to be scheduled in the fall. This call will provide an opportunity to discuss logistics and session format, as well as allow presenters to ask questions.  
   
5. Presentation Format: Workshop sessions will be 60 minutes long and should include time for Q&A to engage participants. 
   
6. PowerPoint Template: CESBA will provide successful applicants with a PowerPoint (PPT) template for their presentations. Presenters are encouraged to use this template for consistency across sessions. 
   
7. Confirmation of Participation: Accepted presenters must confirm their participation in the conference by Friday, September 4, 2026. Failure to confirm participation by the deadline may result in the re-evaluation of your proposal. 
   
8. Presentation Submission: Presenters must submit their final presentations to CESBA in advance of the conference. This ensures that presentations are properly formatted and ready for presentation, including the addition of a post-event QR code for the conference survey.  
   
9. Travel and Accommodation: Presenters are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements. CESBA will not cover travel expenses or provide accommodation for presenters. 
   
10. Audiovisual Equipment: CESBA will provide standard audiovisual equipment for presentations, including a laptop pre-loaded with presentations, screen, microphone and AV support staff available. Special AV requests will be considered, but not guaranteed. 
    
11. Copyright and Permissions: Presenters are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for copyrighted materials included in their presentations. By submitting a proposal, you affirm that you have the necessary rights to use all materials included in your presentation. 
    
12. Code of Conduct: Presenters are expected to adhere to the CESBA Conference Code of Conduct, which promotes a respectful and inclusive environment for all participants. 

What happens after I submit a workshop proposal? 

Proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Program Committee for:  

• Relevance to professional development needs of the sector and CESBA Members  

• Clarity of content and learning objectives  

• Diversity of perspectives and presenters  

• Practical and relevant examples and how to apply learnings to A&CE settings in Ontario. 

CESBA reserves the right to make suggestions to improve proposals, which could include expanding your topic to include other examples, or merging your session with one that is similar. This would be proposed to provide the best overall program for conference attendees. CESBA reserves the right to cancel workshop sessions with at least six weeks’ notice prior to the conference.

Successful Applicants 

Successful applicants will be notified of acceptance by July 24th, 2026. 

Accepted presenters must confirm their participation by September 4, 2026 . 

Important Dates 

• Proposal Submission Deadline: June 19, 2026 

• Notification of Acceptance: July 24, 2026

• Participation Confirmation: September 4, 2026 

• Workshop Conference Date: December 3, 2026

• Conference Location: The Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, Ontario 

For inquiries or further information, please contact Erinn Graham-Barter at egraham-barter@cesba.com. CESBA is excited to announce the Call for Presenters for the CESBA Conference 2026. 

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Conference feedback was overwhelmingly positive, particularly in response to several new features introduced this year. Participants were encouraged to move between sectors for greater networking and collaboration. We hosted our first Principals and Vice-Principals Sector Day. Attendees also enjoyed professional head shots, caricatures and the opportunity to pose on the red carpet.

Our keynote speaker, Dr. Samra Zafar, shared her powerful connection to adult education. As a teenager in a forced marriage, she attended Peel Adult Learning Centre with Peel DSB, which became the first step on her journey to freedom and ultimately to success as a resident psychiatrist, author and speaker.

We are proud to serve our vibrant and dedicated community of adult and continuing educators and administrators. We can’t wait to host you next year!

Check out our red carpet photos here.

Thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors.

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Jen is part of our outstanding team of PSW Champions who visit schools and long-term care homes to promote PSW school board programs and encourage students to pursue a career in long-term care. Like all of our Champions, Jen is not only a passionate advocate but also an excellent PSW currently working in the field.

Before earning her RPN diploma, Jen supported her family by working as a PSW, completing her certification through the Thames Valley District School Board.

Congratulations, Jen! We are so proud of you and wish you every success in your career as an RPN.

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In the document, the Alliance recommends the creation of a National Literacy Strategy to address recent findings from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which report that one in five adults in Canada has difficulty with simple reading tasks.

More than 65 organizations have endorsed the Case, with representation from all three territories, nine provinces, and First Nations and Inuit organizations.

Download the Case for a National Literacy Strategy here (PDF)

Click to read the United for Literacy news release on their site.

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