Schlegel Villages and Mohawk College expand partnership, establish a dedicated training location in Burlington

Mohawk College and Schlegel Villages today launched a new satellite college campus location, embedded in The Village of Tansley Woods retirement and long-term care home in Burlington, ON.

The new Living Classroom replicates the successful teaching model that Mohawk College has operated with Schlegel Villages at The Village of Wentworth Heights in Hamilton. By constructing a training centre in the residence, Schlegel Villages and Mohawk College are providing students the opportunity to learn and gain practical experience as they provide supervised care for the Village’s residents.

The Living Classroom at The Village of Tansley Woods will become the home training location for students who choose to study there for the Personal Support Worker (PSW) and the Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physiotherapy Assistant (OTA/PTA) programs. Students will spend their entire program at the residence as they prepare for their careers. The Living Classroom includes classroom space, a skills lab, faculty offices, a student lounge and a mock apartment identical to those at the long-term care home.

The Living Classroom at Tansley Woods will be open in September 2023 to accommodate 24 OTA/PTA students and 24 PSW students.

“We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Mohawk College with the new Living Classroom at Tansley Woods, because we know this type of experiential learning creates exceptional caregivers. When we combine the hands-on experience students gain alongside our team members and the lived experience they learn from our residents, graduates begin their careers with a true understanding of what relationship-centred support looks like.”
-      James Schlegel, President and CEO, Schlegel Villages

“This new training centre offers a great example of how strong, innovative collaboration can benefit the whole community. Mohawk College is proud to extend its partnership with Schlegel Villages to provide students with an exceptional training facility and unique experiential learning opportunities in their fields of study. Based on the success we have experienced with the Wentworth Heights Living Classroom, we are confident this training approach will provide the students in Burlington with a proven pathway to fulfilling careers in community care.”
-      Paul Armstrong, Chief Operating Officer, Mohawk College

FAST FACTS

• The Personal Support Worker program is a one-year certificate program at Mohawk College
• The Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physiotherapy Assistant program is a two-year Ontario College Diploma program at Mohawk College
• In addition to new the Mohawk College community campus at The Village of Tansley Woods, the Living Classroom at The Village of Wentworth Heights (Hamilton) was opened in January 2019, supporting the PSW program. Both programs are offered at Mohawk’s Institute for Applied Health Sciences at McMaster University
• Schlegel Villages currently serves approximately 5,000 residents in its Long-Term Care and Retirement homes.
• The Living Classroom at Tansley Woods is the fourth project of its kind for Schlegel Villages