Blog News

Succeeding in Canada... With a Little Help

Written by Artan Spahiu, Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services Tuesday, 03 January 2012 11:29

By Artan Spahiu, Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services

Yamy De La Cruz is a PICS and LINC success story.

With a background in Computer Science and Web Design, Yamy moved from Cuba to Canada in 2009. Her husband had been living here for three years and working as a Computer Technologist before she arrived with their then 11-year old son. With almost no English, Yamy found her early days in Canada to be challenging and difficult.

“When I first came here it was a little frustrating,” says Yamy. “I didn’t know the language, the culture was different, and the winter was harsh, so I realized I had to do something.”

Yamy recognized that an important first step to helping her assimilate into her new home was to improve her English. Yamy says, “It was difficult for me to start talking because I felt embarrassed. I didn’t like making mistakes. I knew I had to work on my English and get used to the culture here, so I started attending LINC Classes.”

Yamy started LINC in Level 3, and after a year of hard work she graduated and went on to volunteer at Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services. She assisted PICS with designing their website and creating a database. She also helped PICS staff create PowerPoint presentations, covers for magazines, flyers, and other materials. At the same time, with the encouragement of PICS staff, Yamy began attending ELT classes run by Margaret, also in Etobicoke.

As part of her ELT program, an 8-week co-op position was arranged for Yamy at Audmax Inc., a local Mississauga training and consulting company. “I helped them from scratch to develop their website,” says Yamy. “I felt a little uncomfortable at the beginning in the workplace because I had never worked before in Canada, but they helped me a lot to adapt.”

At the end of her Co-op term, Audmax offered Yamy a 1-month contract to finish building the website. This contract was followed by another 3-month contract that she has just recently completed. With her excellent English skills and some Canadian work experience under her belt, Yamy’s resume is significantly stronger than it was when she first arrived in Mississauga two years ago. She is now interviewing for full-time positions and doing free-lance website design in the interim.

She credits LINC and PICS with helping her settle into her new life here in Canada. “I have to be grateful to Polycultural because they put me on the track to getting a job….I got my Canadian experience, which is important to getting another job, so I’m very grateful.”

We at PICS wish Yamy continued success.

To find out more about similar programs at the Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services (PICS), please visit their website at www.polycultural.org, or phone 416-261-4901 (Scarborough), 416-233-0055 (Etobicoke) or 905-403-8860 (Mississauga).

Two New Resources on Settlement Roadmap Help You Find Health Care and Enjoy Life

Written by Administrator Monday, 23 January 2012 11:31

Newcomers to Canada who are looking for resources now have two additional Guides.

Settlement Roadmap, our online tool for finding newcomer resources, has recently expanded. The site already features Guides to help you find Settlement, Language, and Employment Services, along with Ethnic Groceries, Rental Apartments, Government Services and Help for Assaulted Women.

Now we've added two more Guides to make your new life in Canada easier. Our Events Guide will help you find things to do, see, and enjoy in cities and towns all across Canada. And our Health Care Guide helps you get into the health care system in your province, find a family doctor who's accepting new patients, and find a hospital in your area.

All our Guides are constantly expanding, too, so keep checking back with us for more useful content. Settlement Roadmap also features daily articles, videos, and an archive of how-to information. And don't forget to subscribe to Newcomer Newsletter, our free e-newsletter, bringing diverse content to your email inbox twice a month.

Check out Settlement Roadmap at www.settlementroadmap.ca or at www.srmap.ca.
Subscribe to Newcomer Newsletter at www.vengeo.com/cnmag/subscription.

Bridging Program Bears Fruit in Northern Ontario

Written by CNM

The seeds for Professions North/Nord (PNN) were sown at the Faculty of Management at Laurentian University’s Management Development Centre, when they identified the need for a support program that integrates internationally-trained professionals (ITPs) into the workforce in Northern Ontario.

Achieving this goal would enable new immigrants to find employment and get Canadian experience in their field, while providing Northern Communities with the skills of knowledgeable professionals.

But the ground was rocky and needed some grooming and fertilizing. An infrastructure had to be put in place to ensure that newcomers would receive the supports they need to thrive. So, partnerships were created across the North. Economic Development Corporations let the public know about the opportunities for newcomers. Settlement and employment organizations, including North Bay & District Multicultural Centre, YMCA Sudbury, Employment Ontario (Timmins), Thunder Bay Multicultural Association and Sault Community Career Centre (Sault Ste. Marie), came on board as PNN’s frontline service providers.

Funding from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration enabled PNN to offer both English and French language services free of charge to eligible candidates and supported Northern Ontario in maximizing the benefits of hiring and supporting ITPs. These services include:

Portfolio Development

This tool provides a clear and concise presentation of an individual’s work experience, education and skills. It proves useful in accreditation and job search so employers and evaluators can become quickly familiar with the candidate’s background.

Intercultural Communication for the Canadian Workplace(ICCW)

The ICCW addresses common Canadian norms and nuances in order to enhance internationally-trained professionals’ culture-based professional communication and soft skills.

Bridging to Accreditation

We offer online/distance courses toward certification in accounting and financial services, specifically for the CGA, CA, CMA and CFP designations.

Networking, Mentorship, Work Placement (new in 2012)

ITPs can look forward to interacting with a professional in their field and gaining valuable insight and networking as well as the ability to apply what they have learned at work placements.

By teaching you how to navigate the norms, culture, nuances and lingo in the Canadian workplace, PNN’s services can help you build a network, meet a mentor or find a work placement. Visit the Professions North website to register. Professions North wants to give you a chance to blossom by becoming a valuable member of one of Ontario’s Northern Communities.

Ten Ways You Can Save Energy and Money This Winter

Written by Ontario Ministry of Energy - News Release Wednesday, 28 December 2011 11:55

Conservation helps manage energy use and cut costs. Here are ten ways you can save energy and money this winter, courtesy of the Ontario Ministry of Energy:

Install a programmable thermostat: When properly set, a thermostat can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10 per cent. Set your thermostat to 20 degrees Celsius when you're at home and 18 degrees Celsius when sleeping or away.

Protect against drafts: Install weatherstrip around doors, fireplace dampers, attic hatches and air conditioners. Reducing drafts can save up to 30 per cent a year on heating costs.

Flip your furnace filter: Change your furnace filter monthly. It's also a good idea to have your furnace serviced by a professional every year to ensure it is running at maximum efficiency.

Go off-peak: Take advantage of lower energy prices during off-peak hours. Run your dishwasher, washer and dryer early in the morning, in the evening or on weekends when electricity rates are lowest.

Unplug it: Be sure to unplug electronic items not in use. Devices like computers, TVs, and cell phone chargers continue to consume small amounts of electricity unless they are unplugged. Try plugging these items into a power bar with a switch or timer, so you can easily turn them off when they are not needed.

Lock in the heat: Block heat from entering unused areas of your house, like a storage room or crawlspace, by closing doors. Keep closet doors shut too.

Opt for efficient lighting: When it's time to replace a light bulb, choose energy-efficiency compact florescent lights (CFLs, LEDs), rather than incandescent lights.

Let the sun shine in: During the day, keep your curtains open to draw in sunlight. Solar energy can help naturally warm your home.

Clean your fridge coils: Be sure to regularly brush or vacuum your refrigerator coils to make them more energy-efficient.

Ditch the drip: Make an effort to quickly repair leaky faucets. Even a small drip can waste litres of water per month and add to your water heating costs.