SWIS Workers Help New Families Find Sense of Belonging
The start of a new school year can be a busy time for families, as they work to return to a new schedule and get students signed up for school programs as well as extra-curriculars. And that can be doubly true for new students and families who are recent arrivals to not just the Langley School District, but Canada in general.
That’s why the District’s Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) staff play such an important role – helping newcomer families adjust to their lives.
“My main role is to meet new families in Langley School District and help them to settle here,” said Olena Balkashynova, a SWIS staff member. “We’re supporting kids at school. We provide information about all school programs…we help register for school programs.”
After being greeted at the School Board Office’s Welcome Centre – often in their own language, as SWIS workers speak many languages, including Punjabi, Mandarin and Ukrainian, and more – families will meet with a SWIS department staff member. SWIS staff will help with everything from registering for school and connecting with school administrators and teachers; applying for a permanent resident card; signing up for adult language classes and referring them to community resources.
This week is also Welcoming Week across the country, which shines an even bigger spotlight on the work that SWIS workers do every day in our District. Welcoming Week is an initiative championed by the federal government’s Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and “is an annual opportunity to recognize and celebrate the people, places and values that help everyone feel welcome and give them a sense of belonging in their local community, no matter where they come from.”
The work that SWIS workers do extends well beyond the school day, too – all in service of helping families feel comfortable in their new homes and community.
“I run some lunch and after-school activities to help students make connections… and just kind of get a sense of belonging here,” said Gurnaaz Randhawa, another SWIS staff member.
“When I see that in some time, my families can smile, and then their kids can share their success, I’m feeling very rewarded,” Balkashynova added. “It’s my main motivation for me to wake up and go to work every day.”
Learn more about the District’s SWIS department here.