Settlement Services

Provides parenting workshops for new immigrants as a part of counselling services. Participants have an opportunity to meet other parents, share experiences, and receive support. Covered topics include:

• Active parenting skills
• Building family relationships
• Overcoming challenges related to parenting in a new culture
• Building self-esteem and more

• Immigration process and documentation
• Citizenship
• Finances
• Housing
• Food and shopping
• Transportation
• Communication
• Health
• Employment and education
• Legal matters
• Culture and community

Helps new immigrants to Canada though orientation, translation, interpretation, referrals to community resources, para-professional counselling, and general information. Specific areas of assistance may include but are not limited to:

• Immigration and travel: Help applying PR, changing immigration visa, arranging appointments with immigration officers, dealing of misinformation on documents and more
• Taxes and tax benefits: Help contacting CRA on behalf of clients for various purposes, providing general tax information, arranging appointments at the volunteer tax clinic and more
• Health and medical: Help arranging medical appointments, interpreters, health card, application for eligible programs and more
• Social services and child and family services: Help as a liaison between clients and the social workers for obtaining services, facilitating meetings, contacting for any questions and more
• Other services: Search for daycare facilities, coordinate translation of driver's licence, act as a mediator between clients and their landlords and more.

Intake Workers help newcomers by determining eligibility for services, conducting a needs assessment, and developing a settlement plan for each eligible client. Services include:

• Collecting the personal information needed to provide further services
• Initial help applying for certain important documents and services
• Providing relevant information to assist with settlement
• Making referrals to internal or external programs, based on individual needs

The intake process is required to become registered clients and access other programs offered. Family members can register altogether at the same appointment.

Counselling support workers help newcomers deal with challenges of adapting to life in Canada. The counsellor can help with pre-existing or new concerns and help with problem solving and working towards goals and personal skills.

Counselling supports are given at IRSA offices or at client's home, through individual interventions or the coordination of small support group sessions.

• Pre-departure services
• Welcome and orientation
• Social, educational and workplace integration
• Advice, referrals and support
• Language learning programs in English and French

• Welcome new residents
• Help answer questions and connect to local resources and services
• Connect newcomers to individuals and families who want to help others settle in and feel welcome to their new community
• Receive feedback from businesses about hiring needs and labour shortages