The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)

The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program places settlement workers from community agencies in elementary and secondary schools that have high numbers of newcomer students.

There are 11 SWIS programs active in Ontario, approximately 250 settlement workers from 22 settlement agencies based in 22 school boards. SWIS is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Each SWIS program is guided by a Steering Committee that meets quarterly to address project issues and plan new services. Each steering committee adopts operational guidelines and has representation from the school boards, the settlement agency(s) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Each program adopts its own name. Collectively, they are known as SWIS programs.

The settlement worker:

•proactively contacts newcomer parents (and youth in secondary schools) to assist them with their settlement needs;
•refers the families to more specialized community resources as needed;
•provides group information sessions for newcomer youth and parents, often in partnership with school staff,
•provides orientation about the settlement needs of newcomers for school staff.

During the summer when schools are closed, SWIS workers are placed in other locations in the community, such as public libraries, where newcomers are likely to encounter them.

For additional information goto:
http://swisontario.ca/Find-Swis

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http://immigration-in-canada.blogspot.com/