The Surrey Schools Welcome Centre is once again hosting a series of Newcomer Networking Nights, designed to help immigrants, refugees and new families adjust to and navigate school life in Surrey and White Rock.
The multilingual sessions provide a supportive, engaging and empowering environment for families that are new to Surrey and Canada to learn about the district, including available services and staff assistance, school routines and norms, and support offerings from the Welcome Centre.
See the poster in the following languages: English | Arabic | Burmese | Dari | French | Hindi | Kinyarwanda | Korean | Pashto | Punjabi | Simplified Chinese | Somali | Spanish | Swahili | Tagalog | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese
Key topics of the sessions include:
- transitioning to life in Canada;
- digital literacy and online safety;
- personal hygiene and self care;
- navigating friendships and building social connections;
- volunteering; and
- employment opportunities.
Each session is offered in collaboration with English language learner (ELL) teachers and delivered by multilingual settlement workers in schools (SWIS) and multicultural workers (MCW) from Surrey Schools. The events also provide parents and students the opportunity to network with other parents and people in their communities.
The nights also feature a Q&A session so parents can get more specific information.
The Newcomer Networking Nights are being offered in different neighbourhoods on six evenings as follows:
- Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025 - Guildford Park Secondary (10707 146th St.)
- Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 - Princess Margaret Secondary (12870 72nd Ave.)
- Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 - École Kwantlen Park Secondary (10441 132nd St.)
- Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 - Grandview Heights Secondary (16987 25th Ave.)
- Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 - Johnston Heights Secondary (15350 99th Ave.)
- Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 - Queen Elizabeth Secondary (9457 King George Blvd.)
All sessions are open to families with children attending early learning programs, elementary schools or secondary schools. Participants may attend any session as the information presented is the same at each night.
Registration and networking is from 5:30 to 6 p.m., with the presentation and Q&A from 6 to 8 p.m.
For more information, contact the Welcome Centre at SWIS-Office@surreyschools.ca or call 604-543-3060.
