A Warm Welcome at SBO

September 20, 2024

This week is Welcoming Week across the country – an initiative championed by the federal Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship – and while the Langley School District always strives to be a welcoming, inclusive environment, there is one department in particular that takes a lead role in welcoming newcomers to both the school district and the wider community.  

The District’s Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) help immigrant and refugees families adjust to their new lives. After being greeted at the School Board Office’s Welcome Centre – often in their own language, as SWIS workers speak many languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Punjabi, Mandarin and Hindi, among others  – families will meet one-on-one with a department staff member. SWIS staff will help with everything from registering for school and connecting with school admin and teachers; applying for a permanent resident card; signing up for adult language classes, and pointing them to community resources and services they may need.  

“The Welcome Centre is designed to be inclusive and supportive,” said Joanne Neveux, District Principal ELL, SWIS and Modern Languages. “A SWIS worker will support them, register the student, and also support them to know about the school district, know about education in Canada, and inform them about the community.”  

While the work of SWIS workers can change on a case-by-case basis, it is very rewarding to know that they have made a positive difference in the lives of new immigrants as they navigate what can sometimes be a daunting, confusing process of adjusting to life in a new country.  

“The number one thing that I love about my job is when I make a difference in newcomers’ lives. When they come back in a few years, and they tell you that how much you helped them, that helped them to shape their life in a better way, that really makes me happy,” said Mahek Dhaliwal, who is a member of the District’s SWIS team. 

Ahmad Hamedi, also a District settlement worker, added that families often feel a sense of comfort and belonging when they come to the Welcome Centre and realize there is someone there who speaks their language.  

“People, when they show up here, they’ll think that they don’t have a person who speaks their language. When they show up here and then they see me and I speak their language, they open up and they tell me what problem they have, and not only the school but also outside of school,” he said. 

“We want them to feel safe and included,” Neveux added. 

For more information about the District’s SWIS department, click here.