LEF’s Settlement Department provides a variety of supports to newcomers to ease their transition and support economic integration into a new country. For more details of each program, including times and dates they are available, contact us at 416-769-0830.
One-on-One Settlement Information and Supports – Everyday we provide one-on-one supports and counseling to newcomers on a variety of issues and topics. These supports including information around documentation and status, support with sponsorship of family members, education, employment and housing, translation services, and escorting to community services. Our settlement staff are all qualified to support all of the needs of newcomers and ease their transition into the community. For those services which are not available at LEF, we can refer to large network of community partners.
Workshops and Information Sessions – We run a variety of workshops on different topics related to the needs of newcomers. Workshops we have run include settlement matters such as immigration, early childhood development, the Canadian income tax system, Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, Professional accreditation, rights and responsibilities and housing information. If there is a topic you would like more information about or would like to know what workshops are upcoming, contact us.
Computer Training Sessions – We offer computer-training sessions for newcomers. These provide basic information about Internet use and programs including the Microsoft Office Suite.
Soccer Program for Newcomer Children – In partnerships with local schools and Toronto Community Housing Connections, we offer soccer for children under 12 years of age. This is offered in local schools and is supervised by staff of the Settlement Department. This program is always expanding and new children are always welcome.
Income Tax Clinics – As tax season approaches, we offer supports for newcomers filing their taxes. This involves workshops and supports, as well as a clinic providing more individual supports.
International Doctors Network (IDN) – The IDN was created to formalize the work of International Medical Graduate’s self-study group, and to provide more specialized support to its members. This serves as a social and professional network that provides internationally trained doctors access to professional supports in their field, and connects them to various dimensions of Canadian society.
As you may know, the Post TESL Certificate Training (PTCT) Framework project was released at the TESL Ontario Conference in October 2011. The framework provides guidelines for advanced professional training that allows TESL Ontario Accredited Instructors to go beyond initial TESL training and develop the knowledge and skills to meet the changing landscape of English a Second Language training programs. PTCT implementation is well underway now. Currently, two Learning Enrichment Foundation ELT participants are working with the TESL Ontario web development team in the testing phase of the PTCT Web-based Administration System and gaining meaningful Canadian experience through their collaboration. This invaluable contribution of skilled newcomer volunteers’ expertise brings the rollout of the PTCT Online Administration System much closer.
TESL Ontario has been finding innovative ways to fulfill its mandate by developing new projects such as the PTCT Framework, reaching out to the community language training settlement agencies such as LEF, supporting its membership, and helping Internationally Educated Professionals succeed in Canada.
