SfCeNews
Volume III.  Issue 02.  February 28, 2002

Skills for Change (SfC) is a non-profit agency based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Our mandate is to "provide learning and training opportunities for immigrants and refugees so that they can participate in the workplace and wider community".
In this edition...
New Pioneers Awards Gala
Black History Month
Program and Services Updates
New Pioneers Awards
10th. Anniversary Gala
Celebrating those who have gone first
and so prepared the way for others

 Thursday, March 21, 2002
Westin Harbour Castle

General Information

Ticket Sales
For additional information,
call 416 658-3101 x231

 Silent Auction
Donations to our Silent Auction welcomed.
Call 416 658-3101 x208 or e-mail
Black History Month
 
The SfC Diversity Committee was formed to recognize and celebrate the cultures of the staff and participants in our programs. For the week of February 25-28, the group chose to celebrate Black History Month.

The committee came up with several ways of educating people about Black History including a colourful display of artifacts, linens, books, food, games, posters, and profiles of people who contributed significantly to Black History. In the collection of linens, you found Kinte cloth lined with an array of colours that brightens any outfit. There was also a drum that was used for music and dancing.  More>
Programs and Services Updates

 

n  The next Job Search Workshop (JSW) begins March 11. JSW needs to serve just 9 more clients to reach the target of 180 for this year.  Sixty-seven percent of clients served found employment by the end of January 2002. JSW program coordinator, Jemima Sabapathy, attended the YMCA's Life Skills Coaches training program February 24. E-mail
 
n  A new session for Sector Terminology Information & Counselling (STIC) started on February 18. This group consisted of Accountants, Engineers, and IT professionals.
 
n  Chantal Symes is working with OCASI as an on-line Facilitator for a discussion forum on Access to Trades and Professions. She will be doing this through OCASI's Extranet. Anyone who wishes to join the discussion should contact OCASI to obtain an user ID. OCASI would like to start the discussion forum during the week of March 4, 2002.
 
n  Skills for Change hosted its second workshop on Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) in partnership with Toronto Worker's Health and Safety Clinic on February 28. The focus was to educate participants about ergonomics in the workplace. Facilitator Syed Naqvi also talked about preventative measures in order to avoid potential injury in the workplace.
 
n Farida Zuberi (Mentoring) and Roland Rhooms (STIC) traveled to Ottawa in late January to participate in the National Conference on Career Development (NATCON). A model entitled Success Strategies for Foreign-trained Professionals was presented and was well received.
 
n  The Job Development Unit organized its' first Career Journey Forum for accounting clients from the STIC, CES and EAS programs on February 21. We invited three renowned speakers from accounting field to speak to our clients: Nat Vora, Controller,Toronto.com; Amit Deodhar, President, Invitech Corporation, and, Candice Taskar, Recruiting Manager, Robert Half Canada. Over 60 clients attended the event.
 
n  Clerical Employment Services (CES) welcomed a new group of 30 clients this month. Eighteen will go on to work experience placements with the Bay (Sherway Gardens, Bay and Bloor, Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Fairview Mall). E-mail
 
n  Job Preparation for Internationally Trained Accountants and Bookkeepers (ITAB) program is a new initiative in partnership with the City of Toronto.  Participants of this program upgrade their technical skills, become familiar with Canadian Accounting/Bookkeeping system and obtain work experience in Canada. This 26 week program is funded through the City of Toronto. A five week job placement is included in this training. For more information, call 416 658-3101 x226.
 
n  Lots happening at our Employment Resource Centre in the Dufferin Mall. Click here to read about: Workshops to Attend, Dear Resource Officer, Speakers Series, Resource of the Month, Tips, Tricks and Cool Stuff, Be Your Own Boss, Job Search Tools, Information Sessions and Cool Sites of The Month.
Changes
 
Welcome to...
· Ko-kwan Shum, volunteer, with the Job Search Workshop program
· Sathya Ghnania, volunteer, with the Sector Terminology Information & Counselling program
 
Acronym Soup

Confused? Don't be. Here's a list of our agency acronyms, what they mean and (where applicable) a link to the program web page.
 
CES - Clerical Employment Services
EAS - Employment Assistance Services
EPRS - Employment for Retail Services
ERC - Employment Resource Centre
FOAP - Finance & Office Assistant Program
IAT - Intake, Assessment and Training
JSC - Job Search Centre
JSW - Job Search Workshop
LINC - Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
NPA - New Pioneers Awards
STIC - Sector Terminology Information & Counselling
Comments

If you have a comment or suggestion,
we would like to hear from you. More>
 

 Subscribe/Unsubscribe
 
Search

 WWW Skills for Change only
 
Skills for Change
791 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada  M6C 1B8

A United Way member agency
 
Skills for Change is a
registered non-profit organization

Charitable registration #121471858RR0001
 
Telephone 416 658-3101 · Fax 416 658-6292