Much work is underway across the District to support children, youth, and their families who are new to Canada. The District's Settlement Workers in Schools or SWIS program offers help - often in people's first language - resources, programs, and connections with the wider community through partnerships. What follows are some recent examples.
Connecting After School Through Joy of Art
A group of newcomer students are part of an after-school group called Joy of Art that's arranged by SWIS staff and held at Westridge Elementary. The class includes children aged 6 to 11 from Mexico, the Philippines, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.
Natalya Khan, the Manager of Settlement Workers in Schools, says the program has many benefits:
Its purpose is to create a space for newcomer students to express themselves through art, as well as to create an opportunity for them to connect with each other. These students are from all over the world. Art is like a therapy that transcends borders and languages."
The community-building activity is led by Olena Bahonovets, a parent volunteer and recent newcomer who began teaching art classes to children in Ukraine.
Seizing Opportunities and Making Friends Through Simon
Nearly 200 newcomer students from 12 different elementary and high schools participated in a SWIS-led field trip providing post-secondary exposure. As part of the Friends of Simon program, a District community partner, the students worked on a variety of projects as they visited multiple faculties at Simon Fraser University.
Activities for the children and youth from Grade 1 through 12 included a science project about DNA, engineering a catapult, and a scavenger hunt. The event was also a chance for newcomer students to build community with one another.
