Please have a look at the latest edition of "Tough Times", a local newspaper. The July/August edition featured a piece on the Newcomer Centre of Peel and our Executive Director, Effat Ghassemi!
OUT OF A SUITCASE INTO LIFE
When
Ellie and her two daughters arrived in Canada, their whole lives were packed in
suitcases.
Leaving
the world you know and foraging forward in a new country isn’t for the faint of
heart. Ellie remained resilient in the face of difficulties. Her eldest
daughter, Mariana, was starting school in September. Ellie didn’t know how to
access healthcare because of her limited English. Sophia was a toddler, which
prevented single mother Ellie from finding a job.
But
Ellie discovered Newcomer Centre of Peel (NCP) – a treasure trove of support.
NCP had everything she needed, all in one place. Ellie isn’t alone in her need
for assistance when
first
arriving in Canada. Many struggle to learn the official language, find
employment and find viable
housing.
In some cases, individuals may need mental health or crisis assistance. Caring
for children can make these endeavors more complex and urgent.
From
English language classes, employment assistance and settlement advice, NCP
provides new immigrants to Canada with the support they need to make the Region
of Peel their home. Like Ellie, a newcomer’s experience at NCP begins with a
needs assessment. It identifies a client’s specific struggles upon first
arriving in Canada. Based on this assessment, newcomers learn about NCP’s
various settlement programs and are referred to any services they need. For
Ellie, it was finding a high school close to home, getting help with government
documents and navigating through the healthcare system. NCP’s childcare
services enabled Ellie to attend English language classes and build the skills
to access NCP’s employment services.
Each
client’s situation is complex and unique so everyone receives customized
support. Youth may fall through the cracks of our educational system, sometimes
enduring bullying and isolation at school in a new country. When Mariana
started high school, she ate lunch alone. Although she had been part of the
volleyball team back home, she didn’t take on any extra-curricular activities
here in Canada.
Her
grades fell as she continued to keep to herself and not complete homework and
assignments.
NCP
settlement workers suggested that Mariana join the organization’s youth
Community Connections program. Mariana was paired with a Canadian youth and
began to make friends. She joined the Photography Group, Karaoke Night and
Girls Night Out events at the organization, received homework help at NCP after
school, and her grades improved.
Often,
the quality of life for a new immigrant depends on finding a job. Work to bring
in money, or employment within their profession, or self-employment. For Ellie,
NCP’s eight-week Workplace Integration class gave her the skills she needed to
become a contributing team member during her 10-week work placement, after
which she was offered a full-time position. With a job and her family’s needs
attended to, Ellie’s new start in Canada began.
NCP
helps thousands of new immigrants every year, and successes like Ellie’s are
not uncommon. With perseverance, a willingness to adapt and the right kind of
guidance from agencies like NCP, newcomers are able to establish themselves in
Canada and become active participants in their communities.
For more information on
Newcomer Centre of Peel and its services, phone 905-306-0577 or visit online at
www.ncpeel.ca
Effat Ghassemi is Executive Director of Newcomer
Centre of Peel and has been involved with immigrant and refugee communities
since she came to Canada from her native Iran in 1988. In addition to her
duties at NCP, she is working towards a PhD in Family Relations and Human
Development at University of Guelph.
To view the full newspaper online please visit: Tough Times
