The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program is a school-based settlement service that has welcomed and integrated newcomers to schools and communities since 2007. SWIS helps immigrant, refugee, and eligible temporary resident students and their families meet immediate and ongoing settlement needs after they arrive in Canada. The service is provided by MOSAIC in partnership with New Westminster Schools.
Ways SWIS can help
1. General language support
- 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 and information sessions, referrals to various resources, including community, health, and other government service providers.
- Provide 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.
2. Help with filling forms
- Social insurance
- Child tax benefits
- Medical Services Plan
- LINC registration
- Affordable Child Care benefits
- BC Housing/rental assistance
- And many others.
3. Providing referrals to services and resources
- 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
Joining the SWIS 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.
OR
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.
For more information:
Meet the SWIS staff at New Westminster schools
Specific SWIS staff are assigned to support each school, but the team works together when needed to provide services such as language translation.
Program manager
Maniya Rafiei
- Location: Welcome Centre at New Westminster Secondary
- Language: Persian, Turkish
- Phone:
- Office: 604-517-6309
- Mobile: 236-818-2706
Settlement workers
Amanuel Asgodom
- Location: New Westminster Secondary, Lord Kelvin Elementary, École Glenbrook Middle, Connaught Heights Elementary
- Language: Tigrinya, Amharic
- Phone:
- Office: 604-517-6309
- Mobile: 604-561-8390
Alin Arakelian
- Location: École Herbert Spencer Elementary, Fraser River Middle, École Qayqayt Elementary, Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary
- Language: Arabic
- Phone:
- Office: 604-517-6309
- Mobile: 236-818-7595
Frishta Hassani
- Location: Queensborough Middle, Queen Elizabeth Elementary, Lord Kelvin Elementary
- Language: Dari, Pashto
- Phone:
- Office: 604-517-6309
- Mobile: 236-808-9883
Dina Palamar
- Location: Skwo:wech Elementary, F.W. Howay Elementary, New Westminster Secondary
- Language: Ukrainian, Polish, Russian
- Phone:
- Office: 604-517-6309
- Mobile: 236-818-4154
Youth settlement and engagement workers