Understanding the Canadian Education System
At Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre, our team consists of 9 Settlement Workers serving schools both in the Peel Board and the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board, speaking many languages including Amharic, Arabic, Cantonese, Dari, English, Farsi (Persian), Gujrati, Hindi, Mandarin, Pashto, Punjabi, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Spanish, Swedish, and Urdu.
The first few years in Canada can be difficult for new immigrants. It is particularly challenging for newcomer students and their families to navigate the Canadian education system. To overcome these challenges, the Multicultural Settlement and Education Partnership (MSEP) allows Settlement Workers to be placed in Schools and Assessment Centres to provide access to information and resources for newcomers.
Through the SWIS Program, families and youth are able to receive relevant information and referrals, immediately after their initial registration in the school. This helps with their settlement in Canada as well as fostering student achievement.
