Settlement Services in Schools
Child, Youth & Family Services – Settlement Practioners specializing in education assist schools, newcomer students, families and cultural communities to connet with one another.
While Settlement Practitioners are available to all immigrant youth in Edmonton, they are most active in serving six ethno-cultural communities: Sudanese, Karen, Somali.
Settlement Practitioners
-Facilitate communication between home and school
-Provide interpretation and traslation services for students, parents and teachers during meeting, conferences and interviews
-Provide information for parents and students about the Alberta educational system
-Link newcomer families to community resources and services
-Help teachers communicate with and better support parents and students from different cultures
-Plan and deliver culturally sensitive workshops and presentations to ELL and refugee students, their parents, to schools, and to educational institutions.
-Provide information to parents on how to advocate effectively for the education needs of their children
-Encourage and facilitate parents`involvement in their children`s schooling
School-Based Programs
Family and Youth Counselors provide lay caunseling, facilitate communication between immigrant parents and school and organize after school programming at Queen Elizabeth High School.
English as an Additional language teachers and Settlement Practitioners organize homework clubs to provide academic support to student after school at Queen Elizabeth High School, Balwin School and Dickinsfield Junior High.
Settlement Workers in School provide support to newly immigrated families and their children on education and settlement related issues at Balwin School
Becoming a Youth in Two Cultures
Yoth in Two Cultures is a program designed to help immigrant and cultural youth to better integrate into Canadian society. The program provides training and information to youth on a variety of topics such as helth, leardership and employment. The program is offered at Queen Elizabeth High School on Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00
Trauma Counseling
Trauma counseling is available from immigrant youth and children who seek psychological support in dealing with trauma and loss as a result of refugee experiences or while adjusting to life in Canada.
How do we provide our services?
-Home and school visits
-Advocacy support to individuals, groups, and communities
-Telephone counseling and referral
-Consultation regarding cross-cultural issues
Partners and Supporters
The program is currently supported by:
-Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers
-Queen Elizabeth High School
-Newcomer youths, parents and communities
-The Winspear Fund
-Catherine Donelly Foundation
-United Way Region 6
-The Royal Bank of Canada Foundation
-Generous donors
