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Supporting Newcomers Supporting Newcomers in Needin Need
An Opening Doors WorkshopFebruary 4, 2010
Aurora Public Library
Presented by: Lisa McBride, Coordinator,
Tiziana Knox and Shereen Mir, Outreach Specialists, Immigrant Information Services
Job Skills
AgendaAgenda
• About Job Skills• Learning Outcomes• Newcomers in York Region• Cultural Barriers and Adaptation• Services Available to Newcomers• Questions & Answers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Job Skills’ OverviewJob Skills’ Overview
• Job Skills has 12 sites throughout York, Dufferin, Halton, Peel and Toronto
• Services are available to all unemployed residents• Currently serves more than 25,000 individuals annually• Job Skills receives funding from the Government of Canada,
provincial and municipal governments and the United Way of York Region
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Summary of Programs & ServicesSummary of Programs & Services
Employment Services & Programs• Employment Assessment Centres• Youth Outreach & Employment Services • Job Finding Club
Newcomer Employment Services• Practice Firms• Immigrant Information Services• Welcome Centre Immigrant Services
Job Search Workshops Employment Settlement Supports
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Summary of Programs & ServicesSummary of Programs & Services
Self-Employment Services & Programs• Self-Employment Benefits Program (SEB) • Opportunities Fund - SEB Program• Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP)
Special initiatives are also developedto address local labour market needs
Employment Services provided since 1988, Business Services since 1995,
Newcomer Employment Services since 2003
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Job Skills' Mission StatementJob Skills' Mission Statement
Job Skills is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing people’s capacity to participate in the labour market, thereby contributing to the economic and social
viability of our community.
For more information visit:
www.jobskills.org
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes
A. Learn more about the services and support available to newcomers
B. Assist newcomers by providing an appropriate and timely referral
C. Enhance your knowledge of the social service support network in York Region including “hidden” service providers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• Approximately 900,000 people live in York Region. • About 45% of people in this region were born outside of Canada.• Immigrants, especially those who have been in the country for
five years or less, are the fastest growing segment of York Region’s population.
• Since 1981, there has been a shift in the main place of origin of York Region’s recent immigrant population from Southern Europe to Asia and Eastern Europe.
Newcomers in York Region
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• Between 1991 and 2001, 69% of Canada’s population growth was a result of people immigrating to Canada.
• Between 1991 and 2001, the number of recent immigrants increased by 132 per cent, while non-immigrants increased by only 31 per cent.
• Immigrant population accounted for about 60% of the growth between 2001 and 2006.
• By 2011, immigration will account for 100% of Canada’s net labour force growth.
Newcomers in York Region
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Languages Spoken• In 2006, York Region had the second highest percentage of
residents who could not speak English or French in the GTA, which has increased since 2001.
• In 2006, York Region was one of the only municipalities in the GTA that had Russian and Farsi among the top five non-official languages most commonly spoken at home.
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• The top five languages spoken at home in 2006: • Chinese • Italian • Russian • Farsi • Tamil
• BUT: In 2006, the most commonly used language in the workplace in York Region was English.
• WHAT THIS MEANS: Helping immigrants improve their English is important to their success in the workplace.
Languages Spoken
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• York Region’s recent immigrants have a higher rate of enrolment in courses that lead to post-secondary accreditation than the total population.
• York Region’s recent immigrants are generally highly educated. They have a higher or equal level of education than non-immigrants.
Education
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• BUT: York Region’s recent immigrants generally earn significantly less than non-immigrants who have the same level of education. For example, a recent immigrant with a university education earns an average of $38,400, compared to $63,800 for a non-immigrant.
• WHAT THIS MEANS: Education levels of recent immigrants need to be more appropriately recognized.
Education
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• Recent immigrants to York Region are almost twice as likely to be living with relatives, as part of an extended family, than the total population.
• Like the general population, most recent immigrant families (87%) are home owners. This compares with 90% of the general population.
Housing
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• BUT: In York Region, residents spend a higher level of their income on housing than families in other parts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
• Recent immigrant families, perhaps due to lower income, are even more likely to spend more of their household income on housing than the total population, regardless of whether they are owners or renters.
• WHAT THIS MEANS: There is a need for more affordable housing options in York Region.
Housing
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• Despite having generally higher education, recent immigrants regardless of ethnicity are almost three times more likely to be low income earners than are non-immigrants.
• The average median employment income for recent immigrants is about two-thirds of the employment income for non-immigrants.
• They are three times as likely to be within the low income cut-off.
Employment and Income
Supporting Newcomers in Need
• WHAT THIS MEANS: They are economically and socially vulnerable during the first years after their arrival.
• More emphasis needs to be placed on matching recent immigrants with suitable employment and settlement services.– These services are more critical in the first few years after
immigration.
Employment and Income
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Need a Break?
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Activity OneActivity One
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Needs:• Food• Housing , including Social Assistance• Employment (SIN card, accreditation, labour market
information, job search strategies, training, “Canadian Experience”, Rights and Employment Standards, etc.)
• Child care (care, schools, etc)• Health care (hospitals, medical, dental, therapy)• Citizenship/Permanent Residence• Legal services
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Barriers faced trying to meet needs:
• Isolation, lack of social supports• Language / Communication• Cultural shock (including stress) and cultural adaptation (attitude and
length of time)• Lack of information (rights, standards, etc.)• Access to services: Lack of information,
misinformation and “falling through the cracks”• Low income: Need job to get food, need
transportation to get job, need money to get transportation
• Child care, no social supports, cannot afford
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Key Findings:• Newcomers report their early years in Canada as characterized
by isolation, vulnerability, and a lack of civic engagement.• Employment is an immigrant's primary need — once employed,
many other barriers can more easily be overcome.• Communication barriers impede access to key services (health,
education, legal) for many.• Current language training and translation services fail to help
immigrants overcome barriers to accessing services.
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Culture Shock...• Is an emotional rollercoaster that someone experiences when
living in a new country;• Will be experienced in some way by anyone that has worked
and lived in a foreign country;• Grows out of the difficulties in trying to assimilate in the new
culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is appropriate and what is not.
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Stages of Culture Shock:• Experts agree that culture shock has stages, and once people get
beyond the initial and most difficult stages, life in a new country becomes a lot better.
• There are four distinct phases (or stages) of culture shock:– Excitement– Withdrawal– Adjustment– Enthusiasm
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Adaptation and Adjustment
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Stage 1: Excitement
• The individual experiences a holiday or 'honeymoon' period with their new surroundings.
They:• Feel very positive about the culture • Are overwhelmed with impressions• Find the new culture exotic and are fascinated• Are passive, meaning they have little experience of the culture
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Stage 2: Withdrawal
• The individual now has some more face to face experiences of the culture and starts to find things different, strange and frustrating.
They: • Find the behaviour of the people unusual and unpredictable,• Begin to dislike the culture and react negatively to the behaviour,• Feel anxious,• Start to withdraw,• Begin to criticize, mock or show animosity to the people.
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Stage 3: Adjustment
• The individual now has a routine, feels more settled and is more confident in dealing with the new culture.
They:• Understand and accept the behaviour of the people,• Feel less isolated ,• Regain their sense of humour.
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Stage 4: Enthusiasm
• The individual now feels 'at home'.
They:• Enjoy being in the culture,• Function well in the culture, begin to feel comfortable and take
steps to become more familiar with the culture, • Prefer certain cultural traits of the new culture rather than their
own,• Adopt certain behaviours from the new culture.
Cultural Barriers and Adaptation
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Activity TwoActivity Two
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Timely and Appropriate ReferralsTimely and Appropriate Referrals
Services Available to Newcomers
Settlement Services
Family Support Services
Local Library
Local Food Banks
Early Years Centres
Schools and School Boards
Community Legal Clinic of York Region
Women’s Shelters
Ontario Works
Inn from the Cold
Housing/Childcare
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Services Available to Newcomers
Healthcare
Settlement Services
Community General Health Organizations Community Health-Specific Organizations
Walk-in Clinics
Hospitals
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Food
Settlement Services
Local Food Banks
Community Organizations
Community Run Programs
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Education
Settlement Services
Schools , School Boards
Accreditation Centres
Universities/Colleges
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Some Ontario school boards have newcomer reception centres which may assess language skills of students and help them find schools with specialized language training support.
Banking
Settlement Services
Settlement.org
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Transportation
Settlement Services
Driving and Vehicle Licensing Offices
Local Library
Malls (Service Ontario Kiosks)
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Citizenship
Settlement Services
Local Library
Any York Region Member of Parliament’s office
(http://foundlocally.com/yokr/local/Gov-FederalMPs.htm)
Settlement.org
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Employment
Accreditation Centres
Local Service Canada Centre
Employment Assessment Centres
Employment Resource Centres
Community Legal Clinic of York Region (Employment Laws)
Ontario Works
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Language (ESL/LINC)
Language Assessment Centres (i.e. A-LINC)
Local Library
School Board
Colleges
Services Available to Newcomers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
Questions & AnswersQuestions & Answers
Supporting Newcomers in Need
in partnership with:
Employment Ontario programs are
funded in part by the Government of Canada
Supporting Newcomers in Need