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October 31, 2006
Volume 7  Issue 09
 Circulation 7,034 Subscribers

Skills for Change celebrates its 24th AGM
by Jane Cullingworth
Executive Director
 

Celebrating our Mentors
On October 24th we celebrated our 24th AGM and kicked off our 25th year of service to the community.

The event was a great opportunity to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments, to look forward to the year ahead, and to thank all those who make our work possible.

A particular focus of the event was the recognition and celebration of the agency’s mentors and volunteers.

There were many engaging speakers over the course of the evening. Our keynote address was given by the Honourable Mike Colle, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

The Minister spoke about systemic change in the lives of internationally educated professionals, and the potential that exists in Bill 124 (the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act) to increase the transparency and accountability of occupational regulatory processes.

View video excerpts from the minister's address here.

We were all moved by the personal stories shared by Olga Gagarina, a mentor, and her mentee, Natalia Sardyha. The program has made a significant difference in both of their lives.

Abha Siddiqui, a graduate of the Teach in Ontario program shared her positive experiences of the bridging program – and she is now successfully employed in her profession.
 
Yatendra Shah, Tony Da Silva, Eric Acuna, Michael Small, Anca Vatavu and Susan Taylor Simpson
We bade farewell to our outgoing board and gave special tribute to Gail Johnson, Board Chair, who has been a board member for six years. We also recognized the contributions of other retiring board members - Edwina McGroddy and Carol Osler - and those who had left during the year - Fred Chann, Gord Crann, and Will Molson.

We welcome new board members – Eric Acuna, Anu Bakshi, Tony da Silva, Tony Martino, Samar Mashadi, Sandra Yeung Racco and Anca Vatavu. We also congratulate the new Chair of Skills for Change - Susan Taylor Simpson.

We ended the night in true Skills for Change style – with a DJ! Staff and friends relaxed and celebrated till late in the evening.

Thank you to the many community supporters and partners who joined in our celebration. We look forward to our continued work with you.

New Pioneers Awards Nomination Launch
by Samantha Koon
 Fundraising Specialist, Resource Development Unit

Our New Pioneers Awards Press Conference held at Skills for Change on October 11 was an unquestionable success!
The Hon. Mike Colle, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and Kim Trinh (NPA 2006 Skills for Change Graduate Award Winner).

With onsite coverage from local media (newspaper, radio and television) and follow-up interviews by Jane Cullingworth on City Pulse 24 and Helen Tam and Samantha Koon on Fairchild Radio 1430, we have generated increased awareness for both NPA nominations and SfC services.

Guest speaker, The Hon. Mike Colle, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, announced that the Ontario Government will continue their sponsorship support of the NPA Awards event for 2007.

Kim Trinh (NPA 2006 Skills for Change Graduate Award Winner) shared her story as one of the many Vietnamese refugees who arrived by boat in the early eighties and faced numerous problems in settling in Canada.

The 15th Annual NPA Gala at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on March 22, 2007 will publicly recognize the outstanding accomplishments of newcomer immigrants to the GTA who have contributed significantly to their community and/or workplace.
 

Guiding the way for newcomers
UW Agency's mentoring program steered him toward career

Will Molson, left, was partnered with Kanchan Joshy in the United Way mentoring program, Skills for Change.

David Lucas/Sun

by Sandy Naiman (Toronto Sun)

Kanchan Joshy arrived in Toronto three years ago determined not to become a newcomer statistic.

In his native Nepal, the 36 year old was at the top of his field of at the Nepal Tourism Board, but was hungry for the challenges of a “bigger economy.”

Here, he felt he would be become “a nobody from a somebody,” but he also knew he wanted to be a Canadian Chartered Accountant “and nothing else.”

Prepared to struggle and sacrifice, he and his journalist wife moved into a basement apartment near Pearson. She sold gifts for $6 an hour at the airport and he focused on finding an accountancy firm to hire him, expecting it to take one year.

Then he heard about Skills for Change, a United Way agency committed to helping newcomers find meaningful employment and featuring a mentor program that matches Canadian professionals with immigrants in the same field.

Continued...
 

Parkdale Job Fair
by Michele Raposo
Web Developer, SfC Employment Resource Centre

On October 24, job seekers roamed the Masaryk - Cowan Community Centre searching for that perfect job opportunity.

Many job seekers attended this successful Community Services Information and Job Fair organized by Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Corporation.

In addition to Skills for Change, many community organizations attended and provided participants with information on their programs and services, as well as answering questions related to job search techniques, training and career information. Participating agencies facilitated a variety of 30-minute job search workshops.

Nelson Briceno (pictured) from the Skills for Change Employment Resource Centre, delivered two workshops on Networking.

For more information on upcoming job fairs, including Parkdale Liberty's Spring 2007 Job Fair, please visit www.erc.skillsforchange.org and if you have a chance, review the Job Fair Tip Sheet.
 

Skills, Jobs and Immigrants:  What's Working, Who's Working?
by Shabnum Budhwani
Co-ordinator, Teach in Ontario
This was the topic of the conference organized on October 12 – 13, at Hart House, University of Toronto by The Centre for the Study of Education and Work (CSEW), OISE/UT and The Toronto Training Board (TTB).

The goal of the conference was to bring together labour, community, business and academic representatives to share best practices and analyze existing policies in place for the effective and equitable integration of immigrants into the Canadian labour market.

The conference comprised various notable dignitaries, well-respected in their various fields; the keynote speakers were Mike Colle, Ontario Minister of Citizenship & Immigration and Toronto Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone.

Panel and small group discussions, film and drama presentations and collective brainstorming were the media through which existing policy frameworks were reviewed and critiqued, challenges were highlighted and partnerships and collaborative actions were explored to overcome systemic barriers hampering the integration of skilled immigrants equitably into the Labour Market.

Developments at the global level were reviewed and examined in context with local developments at the municipal, provincial and national levels.

Skills for Change co-presented with the Ontario College of Teachers as part of a panel presentation, highlighting the Teach in Ontario bridging project.

Teach in Ontario was profiled as an example of a successful model and partnership between the Ontario Government, the regulatory body, the professional association, and community organizations.

Best practices of the model were shared and discussed in an engaging panel discussion.

All in all, the conference was a coming together of like-minded individuals from across the board, culminating in collective energy and passion, to address and advocate once again for the fair access and integration of Internationally Trained Individuals into the Canadian economy.
 

Newcomers, Talk your Way to a Job!
Newcomers practice communication skills to enhance their job search
by Nafeesa Afridi and Stephen Beaupre
Resource Officers, SfC Employment Resource Centre
Group members from the ERC's inaugural presentation of its workshop series "Newcomers, Talk Your Way to a Job!"
Back row left to right: Theo, Menyi, Jaspinder. Front row: Nafeesa, Stephen (facilitators)

The Skills for Change Employment Resource Centre (ERC) has just completed its first series of workshops entitled “Newcomers, Talk Your Way to a Job!”

These six workshops served as a springboard for newcomers to practice the communication skills needed to perform an effective job search.

Nafeesa and Stephen, Resource Officers/Facilitators at the Employment Resource Centre, presented this series of workshops.

The workshops emphasized the importance of job seekers reflecting on their skills – both job related and transferable skills - and making an inventory of these skills so that they can effectively articulate them to potential employers at interviews.

Other job search techniques including networking and cold calling were also stressed and rehearsed. The facilitators encouraged participants to adopt a proactive approach in their job search rather than a passive method of sending out numerous resumes and waiting for employers to call back, as this approach often results in disappointment.

The newcomers took part in a variety of relevant activities that included preparing and rehearsing an effective 30-second commercial that would grab the attention of a potential employer, setting up voice mail, phrasing appropriate responses to tricky interview questions, using the STAR technique to relate their transferable skills and participating in a simulated job fair.

All participants were audio/video taped. They critiqued themselves and one another. The facilitators also provided them with valuable feedback after each activity.

At the end of the workshops, the newcomers left not only with more confidence in themselves, but also with an awareness that good verbal and non-verbal communication skills are essential in getting a job.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our six ‘pioneer’ participants who did a wonderful job through their active contribution and at the same time communicated invaluable feedback to the facilitators.

As one participant remarked, “The workshop has furnished me with confidence to face the Canadian job market. It also gave me a concise picture of what the Canadian employment setting is. I was able to assess myself and some hidden talents in me were brought out during the practical interview sessions. I am GLAD I was part of it.”

Such feedback will serve us well in our ongoing development of the workshop materials and methods.

Looking ahead, the SfC ERC will hold its second “Newcomers” workshop series from November 27 to December 1, 2006.

Contact the Skills for Change Employment Resource Centre at (416) 572-0790 for details. Spaces are limited.
 

Putting our "Best" Face on the National Job Fair
by Dave Lovelock
Manager, Resource Development Unit

With our new tagline in place (Skills for Change - Diversity at Work), we put our Best face forward at the National Job Fair that took place September 27-28 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Of course, “best” also refers to Holly Best (SfC Intake, Assessment and Training Department) who is seen here answering inquiries from one of over 12,000 job seekers who attended the National Job Fair.

Also, at our SfC booth we offered a free draw for $1000 worth of computer-based business training, courtesy of TechSkill’s program delivery partner, HiTech Institute.

Congratulations to Babatunde Adebajo who was the fortunate winner of our booth prize! We wish you the best in your course and employment endeavours!
 

SfC Consults on LHIN Report
On March 1, 2006 the Ontario government passed a new law that gives 14 local Health Integration Networks the authority to plan and co-ordinate specific health services, as well as to ensure that health care organizations work together for the benefit of residents.

Skills for Change and other community agencies participated in a consultation done by ACCESS Alliance back in July for the Toronto Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).

The consultations were designed to contribute to the information needed to implement LHIN and ensure the health care system reflects Toronto’s community.

Here here to download the report that resulted from the consultations.
 

SfC attracts hundreds at Job Fair
by Gener Pagkanlungan
Co-ordinator, TechSkills

Skills for Change was an active participant in the recent Job Fair held at the International Centre, Airport Road in Mississauga.

Held October 26, the Job Fair attracted hundreds of job seekers not only in the Peel Region but also from Toronto.

Jemima Sabapathy, Coordinator of the Job Search Workshop and, Gener Pagkanlungan, Coordinator of Techskills Program, attended on behalf of Skills for Change.

A popular part of the Job Fair was a Resume Clinic wherein job seekers could get assistance and feedback from job counselors.

Jemima was involved in this Resume Clinic and commented that an individual to whom she had provided a resume critique came back right away showing off her updated resume, thanks to the computer stations which were made available to the public.

Skills for Change actively promoted the different programs and services of the agency, including the fee-based TechSkills courses.

The agency’s participation was made possible through the sponsorship of the CET, Centre for Education and Training.
 

Dr. Giggles puts the "T" in TESL: Tickling his way into their hearts with laughter!
by Nelson Briceno
Resource Official, SfC Employment Resource Centre

We all know laughter is a great medicine, especially when it’s prescribed and administered by Dr. Giggles!

On Saturday. October 14, Dr Giggles (a.k.a our own Nelson Briceno - SfC Employment Resource Centre) and his trusty sidekick nurse (Barbara Nero -SfC Employment Resource Centre) took their “Laugh or Go Bananas “medicine show on the road to the Annual TESL Toronto Fall Conference.

With more than 30 participants in attendance, they motivated and encouraged teachers to use techniques learnt in the workshop with students and in their personal life.

The workshop was a great success and included hands-on de-stressing exercises and techniques to help teachers and students increase their positive energy and goal-setting.

Dr. Giggles’ prognosis is that TESL is looking forward to now inviting them back to deliver this workshop to their students.

Stay tuned for scenes from their next show!
 

What a United Way!
Partnering of Deloitte and SfC for the United Way Impact Day
by Nasra Abdi
Job Developer, Clerical Employment Services

Held on September 8th, Deloitte participated in its 2nd Annual United Way Impact Day with SfC and spent a day away from their offices, helping the community. The Deloitte United Way Impact Day was a great success!

“We really thank everyone at Deloitte for their commitment and support for United Way and Skills for Change,” states Jane Cullingworth, the Executive Director at SfC.
Cullingworth is clear about the importance of fostering connections between community and business, but also about the role of Skills for Change in bridging those connections. “Part of the role of SfC is to provide a bridge between employers and clients,” comments Cullingworth.

The day began with a meet and greet session, and a speech from Kanchan Joshy, a current Deloitte staff and a former Mentoring program client. He related his story of coming to Canada and learning to embrace Canadian job search strategies to find employment on his field. His relationship with a mentor added to his growth, particularly in being able to network.

Under the tutelage of Glen Mitchell, a Senior Manager at Deloitte, the staff participated in three different panels: Accounting, HR/Admin Support, and Technology, and conducted mock interviews with 33 clients.

“They have incredible experiences,” related one Deloitte staff, as they commented on the clients’ interview skills.

“Get out there”, advised another Deloitte staff, “and be proactive (in your job search)!”

Most of the Deloitte staff commented that the majority of clients were exemplary and need to focus a little more time of identifying their key skills and accomplishments.

Perhaps, the most impactful statement of the day was when one Deloitte staff, Frank (Guiyang) Liu stood up and declared, “I came to impact others, but I was impacted!”

It was obvious to the Skills for Change staff that when Deloitte brought its staff that morning, they were well on their United Way! Thank you to our friends at Deloitte.
 

Welcome Armina!
by Nasra Abdi
Job Developer, Clerical Employment Services

SfC’s mission is to recognize the varied experiences and skills of internationally-trained professionals and newcomers. The hiring of Armina Mauricio for the maternity leave Accounting Assistant position with the Accounting and Financial Reporting department is a perfect reflection of our commitment of “diversity at work”!

“I am happy to welcome Armina to our staff team,” states Executive Director, Jane Cullingworth.

At Skills for Change 1 in 5 staff were previously clients or volunteers.

“Diversity is really at work here at SfC and it really reflects our tagline, “Diversity at Work.” This is how we demonstrate as an organization the importance of diversity in the workplace,” Cullingworth adds.

Mauricio, a CES (Clerical Employment Services) client, contacted Norma Bernal (CES Facilitator/Counsellor), when she read her article at the Filipina Bulletin about SfC.

“Armina is very resourceful and its that resourcefulness that resulted in her contacting the editor at Filipina Bulletin and contacting me thereafter,” explains Norma.

“She has quiet confidence and is she is the type of person who is not in your face but very competent. She is real and sincere” claims Dave Foster, her CES Workshop Facilitator and Counsellor.

In my interview with Mauricio, I realized the commitment and strength she will bring to the Accounting and Financial Reporting department. Mauricio has over 11 years Accounting experience and has recently completed her Accounting and Payroll Diploma at CDI College.

Manoj Paul, the Accounting Manager, explained, “She is very honest and I appreciate that. In the field of accounting, integrity is key!”

Mauricio joins a high caliber SfC staff who understand the mission and dedication of Skills for Change. Below is our interesting conversation about her job search process and her secrets to success.

Nasra: Please tell me about your job position and its duties?

Armina: I was employed as an Accounting Assistant with SfC for the Maternity Leave position. My daily work here at SfC is reminiscent of my past employment as an Accountant for 11 years in Dubai (Middle East). What I do at SfC is part and parcel of the complete accounting cycle, which includes analyzing the outstanding invoices, issuing cheques, receipt of collections (cash, cheques, deposits), checking emails and deadlines.

Nasra: Tell me about your journey to the Accounting Assistant position with Skills for Change?

Armina: I read Norma Bernal’s (CES Facilitator/ Counselor) article in the Filipina Bulletin about SfC and contacted her, while enrolled at CDI College to compete a diploma in Accounting and Payroll for 7 months (despite my previous B.A. in Accounting). After my graduation, I was desperate to find employment in my field. Norma related that taking the CES Workshops would introduce how to modify my resume, put the proper objectives, and so forth.

Nasra: Tell me about your job search strategies?

Armina: I networked. I spoke to people at the bus, bus stop, neighbours, friends, etc. I went to recruiting agencies; I searched websites, company searches and read newspapers for job postings. I actually came
across the Accounting Assistant position here at SfC when I was searching for a QuickBooks course.

Nasra: How did CES help you overcome certain barriers to employment in your field?

Armina: Through the CES Workshop, Dave Foster (CES Facilitator/Counselor) taught us to modify our resume to gear to job postings, networking, job search strategies and mock interviews. Only after undergoing the CES Workshop, I got several interviews from employers. But then I was not proactive enough in the interviews. So when I was called for the Accounting Assistant position, I went to Nasra Abdi (CES Employer Outreach Specialist) for a one-on-one interview. There I learnt that I needed to be positive, to cite more examples, and to answer situational questions in an interview. I was able to discuss difficult questions and be prepared and be confident at the Accounting Assistant interview. Before at interviews, I was mentally blocked – I could not cite examples. But after the one-on-one session, I was able to realize that I did have extensive experience and that I could cite those examples if I focused on understanding what the goal of the questions is, what skill they are asking for and then using the proper structure to answer it effectively.

Nasra: What is your advice to other newcomers who are looking for employment in their fields?

Armina: It is best for them (newcomers) to continue applying and not to lose heart or grow discouraged at their job search process – that’s the way of getting jobs in Canada! In time, they will be able to learn that Canadian way of doing things here. Take computer upgrading courses, do lots of networking and talk to lots of people outside your comfort zone - people waiting at the bus stop, neighbours, and employers. On top of that, you should not grow your life away from your spiritual basis, because everything is possible with faith and perseverance. There is always for a better tomorrow!

Nasra: What are your current goals now?

Armina: So, now I want to do a good job here at SfC! And I want top focus on getting my credentials as an Accountant – certification and taking my CGA courses and QuickBooks. Employers are always looking for QuickBooks – which is offered here at SfC!

I want to commend the SfC staff and the funders of SfC for the commendable programs and services offered here for internationally-trained newcomers. SfC needs to advertise more, though. Lots of newcomers would benefit from the programs and services offered here – the courses are competitive, the programs offer many incentives and there are many excellent technical courses.

Nasra: Thank you Armina for being a great client, interviewee and now colleague. On behalf of SfC, I am so proud to see your journey in your career goals with SfC!

Armina: Thank you Nasra for helping me with the interview preparation for the Accounting Assistant position. I was afraid of the panel interview, and almost gave up. You remember, when I came to your office, I was very nervous. But you helped me overcome that negativity and stay positive. Now I am here.

Nasra: You took all the initiative, thank you and welcome again
 

Free Information Sessions
  • Information Session for Accountants - Tuesday, November 14 at 1:30 pm. Guest presenters will be the Certified General Accountants of Ontario (CGA – Ontario)
     
  • Information Session for Accountants - Tuesday, December 5 at 1:30 pm. Guest presenters will be the Certified Management Accountants (CMA – Ontario)

For more information, click here.
 

About Skills for Change
Established in 1983, Skills for Change (SfC) is a registered, non-profit agency providing learning and training opportunities for immigrants and refugees so that they can participate in the workplace and wider community."

It is located at 791 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario M6C 1B7.

We can be reached by phone (416 658-3101), fax (416 658-6292) or email.
 

Skills for Change
is a United Way Member Agency


Registered Charitable Organization #121471858 RR0001
 

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