In response to the increased enrollment of new students in local schools, the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program has stepped up its services to match this influx of enrolled newcomers.
The SWIS program for North and West Vancouver is a beacon of support for newcomer students and their families, providing essential services to help them settle into the local school system and community. Through our valued partnership with North Vancouver School District (SD44) and West Vancouver School District (SD45), SWIS has expanded its program to meet the growing needs of immigrants with school-aged children.
SWIS offers a variety of workshops about the Canadian school system and information specific to North and West Vancouver school communities. These workshops provide valuable insights and guidance to newcomer families, helping them navigate the complexities of integrating into a new education system as well as connecting families. For a list of current and upcoming workshops, please visit our workshops page.
One of the most valuable and accessible support from SWIS are their family-school communication services. SWIS workers help families communicate effectively with schools through in-person meetings with school staff, support with written communication, and more. This support is invaluable in ensuring that newcomer families are able to effectively advocate for their children’s education and well-being.
Another vital aspect of SWIS’s program is its services for youth and children to support them in their settlement journey. These services play a crucial role in helping younger newcomer generations to integrate into their new community, develop communication and leadership skills, and build social networks.
Due to the increasing mental health needs of immigrant youth, parents are increasingly seeking ideas and information on how to support the wellbeing of their children. Youth mental health sessions for parents on how to understand and support their teens’ mental health were delivered in Farsi, Ukrainian and Mandarin to a record number of 79 parents. This participation rate has doubled since the previous school year.
To stay up to date and learn more about SWIS, check out our website.
