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Who can partner

Partner Think Tank event

Building the future of care, together.

The Living Classroom (LC) is an innovative partnership model that integrates healthcare education directly into long-term care homes. At its core, the success of each LC depends on a deep, intentional collaboration between its partners—the educational institution and the long-term care home. The LC is more than a shared space; it is a shared commitment in which educators and care providers work in lockstep to align clinical standards with an innovative professional curriculum. Success is rooted in the understanding that the long-term care home is not just a host, and the school is not just a tenant. Both partners must be equally committed to the dual goal of academic excellence and enhanced resident care.

Eligible partner organizations

To establish a Living Classroom in Ontario, partnerships typically involve a lead educational institution and a host long-term care home.

These are the Organizations Who Can Apply Together to Create a LC for Personal Support Worker (PSW) Programs

Applications are welcome from the following partnering organizations in Ontario:

  • Long-term care (LTC) homes, or their corporate offices
  • Public colleges and career colleges
  • School boards and the Indigenous Education Authority (IEA)
  • Indigenous Institutes

These are the Organizations Who Can Apply Together to Create a LC for Practical Nursing (PN) Programs

Applications for PN cohorts require a specific partnership structure:

  • Public colleges, or Indigenous Institutes, must serve as the lead applicant
  • Long-term care (LTC) homes, or their corporate offices, serve as the essential clinical partners

Partner readiness and support

We are committed to helping our partners establish, maintain, and sustain thriving programs. To support your journey, the Living Classroom team provides:

  • A Comprehensive Resource Hub: Access practical planning and implementation aids, including organizational checklists, curriculum integration toolkits, lab equipment lists, and many more.
  • Implementation Guidance: Our team offers support through webinars and one-on-one consultations to walk you through the application and setup process.
  • Ongoing Expert Support: The LC team includes experts in Partner Engagement, Evaluation, Program Management, Education, and Communications to help you successfully navigate the journey from application to the operation of a sustainable Living Classroom program.
  • Data-driven Evaluation: Evidence-based results are important to all of the stakeholders involved in this program. The LC team evaluates numerous factors to gauge success, measure impact, and apply those insights to continuously improve the program.
  • Funding Opportunities: The program is currently funded by the Government of Ontario through March 2029, with recurring funding waves available to help establish or enhance a Living Classroom.

Ready to transform healthcare education?

If you are interested in building a Living Classroom or want to learn more about the application process, our Outreach Team is here to help.