Strengthening the future together: the partnership advantage
Building the future of care is a shared mission.
The Living Classroom (LC) is not just a shared space; it is a deep, intentional collaboration between forward-thinking educational institutions and long-term care (LTC) homes. The partners work in lockstep to align clinical excellence with an innovative professional curriculum. The physical space where students attend their lessons, both theory-based and lab practice, is located within the long-term care home. In this way, the students gain a seamless program of lessons combined with supervised experience, learning from direct interaction with the residents.
This innovative partnership integrates student learning “early and often” within the heart of the LTC home, creating a collaborative ecosystem that benefits everyone involved.
How the Living Classroom sets partners up for success
The Living Classroom model provides meaningful advantages for partnering educators and long-term care providers:
A direct recruitment pipeline
LTC homes gain access to workplace-ready graduates who are already comfortable with the home’s culture, residents, and daily rhythm.
Enhanced clinical excellence
LTC team members gain exposure to innovative clinical practices and the latest evidence-based care through student-team interactions.
Leadership and growth
Current LTC team members gain access to mentorship and leadership opportunities, fostering professional development and personal growth.
Increased educational value
Educators can enhance their PSW and PN program offerings by providing students with immersive, real-world learning that traditional classrooms cannot match.
More places to learn
Educators can offer students more options for learning, outside of their own campus, at one or more partnering LTC homes.
Community-ready graduates
In rural or underserved areas, the LC model can help students learn closer to, or within their own community, and graduate ready to care for their local seniors.
What our partners enjoy:
We are committed to helping our partners establish and sustain thriving programs through a variety of support mechanisms:
Ongoing expert guidance
Our Living Classroom administrative team provides specialized support for our partners in sourcing and maintaining collaborations, program management, educational resources, and communications to navigate the journey from initial application through successful operation.
Comprehensive resource hub
Access a “one-stop” online repository of practical planning aids, including curriculum integration toolkits, organizational checklists, and lab equipment lists.
Data-driven evaluation
We use evidence-based evaluation methods to continuously measure impact and success, helping partners improve their programs by drawing on experience from across the LC network.
Government-funded excellence
As an Ontario provincial priority program funded through 2029, the LC model offers recurring funding waves to help establish or enhance learning environments.
Partner FAQ
Which Ontario-based organizations are eligible to apply for Living Classroom funding?
For Personal Support Worker (PSW) programs, applications are welcome from LTC homes, public colleges, career colleges, school boards, and Indigenous learning institutes. For Practical Nursing (PN) programs, public colleges must serve as the lead applicant in partnership with a host LTC home.
Is the LTC home simply a host for the school?
No. Success is rooted in the understanding that the home is not just a host, and the school is not just a tenant. Both partners must be equally committed to the dual goals of academic excellence and enhanced resident care. With constant integration throughout the LTC home, Living Classroom students have the advantage of learning from their instructors, LTC team members, residents, their families and other care partners.
How does this model affect the current LTC workforce?
The Living Classroom promotes a culture of shared learning. Existing teams benefit from the “extra hands” students provide and the opportunity to refresh their own knowledge using on-site skills labs and new evidence-based practices. After graduation, LC students are statistically more likely to pursue careers in long-term care.
Is there support available for the application process?
Absolutely. Our Outreach Team offers one-on-one consultations and introductory webinars to walk potential partners through the application and setup process.