Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)
The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) Program is a school-based settlement service that has welcomed and integrated newcomers in schools and communities since 2007. SWIS helps immigrant, refugee, and eligible Temporary Resident students and their families meet their immediate and ongoing settlement needs after they arrive in Canada. MOSAIC, in partnership with New Westminster Schools (SD40) , provides these services to eligible students and families in the community.
How can MOSAIC’s SWIS staff help my family?
MOSAIC’s Multilingual Settlement Workers in Schools:
- Help newcomer parents and their children adjust to Canadian educational rules and practices.
- Provide information on available services in the community, conduct workshops, school orientation & information sessions, referrals to various resources, including community, health, and other government service providers.
- Translation and language support in school meetings and parent-teacher interview sessions.
- Support ongoing cultural communication between newcomer parents and school staff and assist newcomer families in adjusting to Canadian educational rules and practices.
SWIS services are provided on an individual, family, and group basis. Support is available in the following languages:
- Farsi
- Dari
- Pashto
- Armenian
- Arabic
- Spanish
- French
- Turkish
- Amharic
- Ukrainian
- Polish
- Russian
Other languages are available with interpretation.
Other ways we can support you and your family
- Social insurance
- Child tax benefits
- Medical Services Plan
- LINC registration
- Affordable Child Care benefits
- BC Housing/rental assistance
- And many others
- Parks and recreation
- LINC/ELL support services
- Adult continuing education
- Public libraries
- Places of worship
- Youth services
- Employment services
- Legal information and services
- Parenting and preschool programs
- Low-cost/Free groceries and food resources
- Family and counselling services
- Volunteer opportunities and community involvement
- Youth Peer Buddy Program
- English conversation circles
- Lunch clubs and after school programs
- Youth field trips
- Youth pre- employment program
- Youth sports
Two ways to join the program
- When enrolling your child at their new school, tell the registration team that you’d like to be connected to the SWIS team, and they will pass your information on to us.
- Fill out and submit the SWIS application form and the SWIS team will contact you to start a conversation about how we can support your needs.
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For more information: