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Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)

swis logoSettlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)

The Settlement Workers in Schools Program was designed to facilitate:

  • Better and faster integration of immigrant families into Canadian society
  • Students are more focused on education and academic issues
  • A school culture that is more inclusive of newcomer families and their cultures and beliefs
  • Better integration of services for newcomer families

Intended Goals:

Newcomer students will

  • receive valuable information about school programs, after-school activities, future education, summer employment and other community resources
  • receive help in accessing school and after-school activities
  • be supported in conflict resolution

Newcomer Parents will be

  • more familiar with Canadian culture and the school system
  • more involved in school activities and their children's education
  • supported in conflict resolution
  • more aware of community and government resources
  • assisted in accessing services/programs/networks within school and community

School will

  • have increased cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity of teachers and school staff
  • have increased knowledge about community resources and needs of newcomers

Settlement Agencies and other Partner Agencies will

  • provide improved outreach and access to newcomer families
  • have a strengthened relationship with schools and other partners
  • have increased referrals between school and community agencies
Eligible Service Recipients

The priority target groups for the program are students and parents in both elementary and secondary schools who are permanent residents, including refugees or protected persons, and are within their first year of settlement in Canada.

However, subject to the availability of resources, services may be provided to students and families if they:

  • are Permanent Residents, including refugees or protected persons, that have been in Canada for more than one year; or
  • are Naturalized Canadian citizens; or
  • are Refugee Claimants; or
  • are in Canada on Temporary Work Permits or Study Visas but are not fee-payers to the School District

The services to be provided by settlement workers in schools are:

Systematic outreach to all newly-arrived families

  • In collaboration with school staff (principals: administrators and teachers), settlement workers should obtain contact information from, and reach out to, all newly arrived immigrant parents and students to inform them about the program and assess their settlement needs;
  • Work with school staff to contact 'hard to reach families'

Settlement counselling for student, parent or family

  • Assist newly arrived immigrant families develop goals and actions to address their particular settlement needs;
  • Provide information and orientation to newly arrived immigrant families about services and resources available to them through government and community program and initiatives;
  • Provide information and advice to secondary school-age immigrant students and their parents on educational programs;
  • Refer immigrant students or families to appropriate school/community programs, workshops or support groups organized by school district, community agencies, social services, health authorities, etc., and volunteering opportunities (note: the school-based settlement worker should assess clients' need such that referrals are made to relevant programs and services; referrals should not be made to community-based settlement workers for assessment orientation/information service);
  • Service linking (assist immigrant families to access relevant services and resources through appointment-making, form filling, arranging for the interpreters/translators to accompany clients when needed).

Workshop and group activities

  • In collaboration with multicultural workers and other school staff, organize and conduct workshops on settlement related issues (eg. cultural profiles, schools culture, Canadian culture, citizens' responsibilities etc.);

Client/School Liaison

  • Facilitate constructive and culturally sensitive communication between school staff and the immigrant students and their families over non-educational issues;
  • Inform and orient school staff about settlement related needs and issues of immigrant students and families, in particular, the needs of vulnerable populations such as refugees;
  • Assist school staff with establishing and maintaining contact with immigrant families.
  • Cultural interpretation for all parties, school staff and immigrant parents and children (educate teachers on the behaviours, beliefs and culture of the children and parents, and educate parents on the BC education system, the schools' culture and policies).

Service bridging

  • Assist other service providers to better serve immigrant families;
  • Develop networks and build partnerships with community agencies and government programs.

Service support

  • Develop program resources
  • Perform administrative duties (data tracking and reporting);
  • Participate in policy and program development, government consultations, and professional development;
  • Partcipate in program monitoring and evaluation (provide input and narratives for reports, assist in client surveys).