Canadian immigration helps foreign school children settle in
September 02 2009 by Matt Jones
A Canadian immigration NOW session
Children in Canada returned to school this week and young immigrants found themselves being given a helping hand settling in.
Canadian immigration launched a program a year ago to help children of immigrants who made the move to Canada to settle into school more easily. This week the program has been taking place again.
The Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW) is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and is run by Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA Cross Cultural and Immigrant Service.
NOW involves school children mentoring their immigrant friends. Many of the mentoring children started their previous school year as a part of the program and re-joined as a mentor to help new students that are in the position they were once in.
NOW lasts for four days and during the sessions the young immigrants are shown where the lockers are, how to use them and what wing their classes are taking place in. Often the students attending have had trouble with their English and so simply learning what “wing” is makes a big difference in feeling comfortable in the school.
Making friends is a big part of NOW as well. Games are played, including quizzes and treasure hunts around the school helping them learn their way around and make friends all at the same time.
Jane Wei, a settlement worker at Dr. Norman Bethune CI said: “The program was designed to provide information and friendship, for sure. But we also have a guidance councillor coming in to talk about the school system, the credits you need for graduation. Peer leaders teach newcomers how to read their time table, how to use the agenda, what materials they need for classes.”
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