Engaging in volunteer work benefits both the individual and the community and has the potential to bring a positive change in our lives. Volunteering as a newcomer can provide you with a rich and meaningful experience. It serves as a gateway to cultural exchange, personal growth, and skill development.

Canada offers a welcoming environment for newcomers. Volunteering in Canada as a newcomer opens up a world of opportunities and rewards. Here are some of the benefits of engaging in volunteer work as a newcomer.

Build Your Network

Volunteering can give you great opportunities to connect with new people. You can boost your social skills by interacting with fellow volunteers and meeting professionals from different fields of work. These people can help you settle in your community by providing valuable insights and sharing their experiences, which can benefit you as a newcomer in Canada.

Improve Language Skills

As a volunteer, you can improve your English or French language skills. Regular interactions with native speakers can enhance your fluency and confidence in language speaking.

Gain Canadian Work Experience

Volunteering benefits newcomers by enhancing their employability. Those searching for jobs can add volunteer experience to their resume, which counts as Canadian work experience. Volunteering can also help you bridge gaps in your work history while you look for a job. You can ask the company you volunteered with to provide reference letters, which can be useful in your job applications.

Discover Your Career Path

Volunteering not only adds meaningful work experience to your resume but also provides you with valuable career information regarding your preferences and work habits. It can help you determine whether a career path interests you so you can make the right career choice. Volunteering can provide practical work experience in your field of interest.

Learn New Skills

With volunteer work comes the advantage of developing and enhancing a wide range of skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and organizational skills. These working skills can be used in your professional job in the coming times to improve your work efficiency. If you are a student, you learn to balance your school, work and home life at the same time. Even though it sounds challenging, it can be a great opportunity to develop your time management skills.

Contribute to Personal Growth

With volunteer work, you gain self-confidence that contributes to your personal growth. It provides opportunities to step out of your comfort zone, take on new challenges and gather positive life experiences. Volunteering is also a great way to discover new interests and hobbies and visit different parts of the city. It can help you reduce stress and provides a sense of purpose. 

Community Involvement

As a newcomer in a foreign land, away from your friends and family, it’s very easy to feel isolated. Volunteering can help keep yourself occupied by being involved with the community. Volunteering allows you to give back to the Canadian community that has welcomed you as a newcomer. By offering your time and skills to local organizations, you can make a positive impact on individuals and communities in need. This sense of contribution can be fulfilling and rewarding.

Gain Recognition

Volunteering is highly valued in Canada, and your efforts will likely be recognized and appreciated by both the organization you volunteer with and the broader community. This recognition can further strengthen your sense of belonging and make you feel more integrated into Canadian society.

Some people may prefer home-based volunteering due to a lack of transportation, time constraints, a disability or other reasons. Some organizations may offer remote volunteering opportunities via phone or computer. They may also require you to attend initial training or periodic meetings.

Volunteering is an integral part of the Canadian work culture. It allows you to interact with people from diverse backgrounds, enabling you to immerse yourself in Canadian culture.

As a newcomer to Canada, you can search for volunteer opportunities depending on your interest and career goals. You can volunteer at your local community centre, schools, libraries, hospitals and animal shelters. Volunteer opportunities can be searched online or by visiting some of these places in person. You may also ask your friends or family to refer you to an organization for volunteer work.

At Achēv, our newcomer services offer a wide range of services to help newcomers settle smoothly in Canada. Contact us today to register for our free newcomer services.

Back-to-school can be an exciting time for children in Canada. For parents, it’s often a time with a few added responsibilities to ensure that their children are ready to learn. With this in mind, we wanted to offer some back-to-school tips for newcomer parents. 

Check with Their School for Essential Items 

One of the time-honored traditions is back-to-school shopping. Different schools and grade levels will require students to be prepared with specific items. Be sure to check in with your children’s school to find out exactly what is needed. Many schools will provide parents with a list of required items. You should also check to see if you will need to provide lunch or any specialized clothing.  

Update Your Child’s School on Medical Conditions 

An important aspect of preparation for many parents is ensuring that the school has sufficient information about medical conditions and needs. If your child has any specific needs, such as specific medication to take or severe allergies, work with your school’s administration to help ensure that they are prepared should your child experience an urgent medical need during the school day.  

Label Your Child’s Belongings  

Children tend to misplace items from time to time. Even if you have a very organized kid, it helps to label your child’s belongings as it will make it easier for your child to keep them organized and for teachers to identify them. Using stickers or even a label maker is an effective way to do this. A little extra effort can help reduce your need to replace lost items.  

Talk About Concerns Your Child Has 

It’s normal for any student to be concerned about returning to school, particularly if this involves transitioning to a new school. Be sure to encourage your child to speak to you about any of their worries when it comes to starting the new school year. Encouraging your child to be excited about school and learning can help create a positive learning environment. Meanwhile, ensuring that your child feels comfortable chatting with you about school issues is always an effective strategy for helping them be successful.  

Find Out About School Fees 

It’s fairly typical for schools to have small fees that parents need to prepare for as it gets closer to the start of the school year. This can include things like paying activity fees for your child or buying special equipment such as indoor shoes for sports. Checking for school fees is important and can keep you from being surprised later.  

Consider Being Involved with a Parent’s Organization  

Many schools have parent advisory councils or other organizations to support the school. These groups often fundraise or organize different programs and events for students. If you want to meet other parents, becoming involved in these organizations is a great way to do so. Getting involved can also help you learn more about the school. Typically, these organizations are happy to allow you to volunteer as much or as little of your time as possible.  

Talk About a Homework Routine 

Homework can be one of the more unpleasant aspects of school for some students. After all, many students are anxious to play after spending a day learning. However, you will find that discussing homework routines and goals with your child ahead of time can help with their expectations. Create rules appropriate for your child when it comes to completing their homework. For example, setting rules for things like TV and internet usage will help ensure your child has enough time to do homework.  

Consider Child Care After School 

Working families will need to consider childcare after school in many situations. If you are looking for childcare, consider asking other parents you know for recommendations. For older children, after-school community sports programs can also be great options. Regardless of what your kids do after school, chat with them about the importance of following rules and listening to supervising adults.  

Final Thoughts 

Back-to-school is always a very exciting time of the year as your children get ready to transition back into the learning environment. These eight tips for newcomer parents to Canada can help ensure that you and your children are well prepared for school.  

At Achēv, our Newcomer Services offer a wide range of services to help newcomers settle smoothly in Canada. Our Newcomer Information Centres are located across the Greater Toronto Area, including Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville. Contact us today to register for our free newcomer services. 

Achēv, in collaboration with Blue Branch, is excited to introduce the new Labour Mobility Program (LMP). Funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, this new initiative connects and facilitates entry-level career opportunities for newcomers in the construction/manufacturing sectors in Southwestern Ontario.

Entry-level positions with opportunities for advancement in construction/manufacturing

Southwestern Ontario cities have a high demand for positions to be filled in entry-level jobs. The Labour Mobility program aims to connect newcomers to Ontario within the last five years to employment opportunities within larger companies in designated cities. The program aims to achieve long-term advancement potential to the successful program participants. To learn more about the program’s eligibility criteria, please click here.

Concierge services and lodging provided to program participants

The Labour Mobility program helps support the transition into a new place of residence by providing subsidized living expenses for up to six months as participants settle into their new roles. Achēv, in partnership with Blue Branch, also provides personalized concierge services for additional support, including newcomer settlement and information support.

Explore a new city in Southwestern Ontario

Ontario is a large province with one of the highest population densities in the country. Southwestern Ontario cities can offer a high quality of life with the potential for career advancement. These cities offer parks and recreation, arts and culture, events, restaurants, and other local amenities.

The LMP program hosts regular information sessions.  To learn more about this exciting opportunity and to see upcoming sessions dates, please click here.

To apply for this program, email mlopes@achev.ca to begin.