Settlement Services
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LMNHS has a history of providing settlement services to newcomers and immigrants to Canada for several decades. Currently, with funding from both Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the BC Settlement, Integration Services (BCSIS) program, our settlement department is able to provide a wide variety of settlement services and programs to newcomers and immigrants to Canada.
Support for Ukrainians
LINC and free settlement services are available to temporarily displaced Ukrainians. Interpretation in Ukrainian and Russian is available upon request. Please reach out to any settlement staff for assistance.
Diane Wilmann
Manager, Settlement and Seniors Programs
604.879.7104 ext 303
Email Diane
Wen Ren
Settlement Services Supervisor
604.879.7104 ext 321
Email Wen
Rachel Yang
LINC Operations Coordinator
604.879.7104 ext. 308
Email Rachel
Arely Rodriguez
Latin American Settlement Worker
604.879.7104 ext 413
Email Arely
Kim Dang
Vietnamese Settlement Worker
604.879.7104 ext. 312
Email Kim
Silva Abkarian
Arabic Settlement Worker
604.879.7104 ext. 320
Email Silva
Alma Saplala
Filipino Settlement Worker
604.879.7104 ext 309
Email Alma
James Huang
Digital Literacy Facilitator
604.879.7104
Email James
Stephen Andrada
Facilitator, Mentorship and Employment Programs
604.879.7104
Email Stephen
Lynette Von Oelffen
Mental Health Navigator
604.879.7104 ext 304
Work Cell: 236.862.2903
Email Lynette
Annie Yu
Chinese Settlement Worker
604.879.7104 ext 314
Email Annie
Programs
One-on-one Settlement Support
Our settlement workers can offer one-on-one settlement information and service in 10 different languages including English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, Spanish, Armenian, and Turkish. You can contact our settlement worker directly for an appointment.
Our one-on-one settlement support covers but is not limited to the following topics:
Needs Assessments and Referrals: Assessing needs, assets, referral to resources and services and creating a plan to achieve settlement goals.
Employment: Job search, labour market information, preparing resumes and interviews, employment mentorship.
Health: MSP, Fair PharmaCare, Mental Health counselling support.
Education: school registration, child care, parenting, ESL classes.
Important Documents: PR card renewal, Canadian citizenship application and test preparation.
Benefits: Child Tax Benefit, Old Age Security (OAS), General Income Supplement (GIS), Senior’s Bus Pass program, subsidized housing, etc.
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)
Free basic English language courses for adult permanent residents. Level 2 (beginner) to Level 6 (Intermediate). Morning and afternoon classes are available. You will learn English to help you with living your life in Canada, and making friends. You will learn about health care, job market, Canadian Laws and many things that are important for life in Canada.
Registration required.
Contact: Rachel
Conversation Circle (Beginners Level)
Join us and speak English together. This is a class for learning and practicing beginner English with an experienced teacher and great volunteers. We will practice useful conversations for daily life.
*Childminding available.
When: Wednesdays Jan. 18 - Mar. 8, 2023
Where: LMNHS (3981 Main Street)
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: Free
LINC Classes Schedule from September 8 2022 - June 29th, 2023
LINC Level(s)
Days
Childminding
Time
Location
LINC Class Locations
LMNHS
3981 Main Street
Vancouver, BC
V5V 3P3
Bethel Church
739 East 33rd Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V5V 3A1
Fountain Alliance Church
101 East 24th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V5V 1Z5
Information and Orientation
We offer group Information and Orientation sessions to provide newcomers with the information, resources and knowledge needed to navigate the Canadian system, learn about cultures and life in Canada, gain general knowledge in topics like health, education, community resources, banking and more.
Our group sessions are offered in different languages. In-person sessions also provide free childminding and transportation support if needed. Please contact our Settlement Workers for more information.
- Transition Orientation Workshops: Settlement Workers facilitate orientation and transition workshops that raise newcomer’s awareness about settling in Canada. Topics may include: Intro to Canada; Rights and Freedoms, Canadian Law and Justice, Culture, values/norms, Employment Standards, Finance and Banking, Health, Housing, Education Systems, Community resources.
- New Country, New Culture, New Challenges: Workshops provide knowledge about raising a family in Canada and support for family adjustment issues. Topics are needs based and tailored towards mothers with an aim to reduce barriers to family integration. Focus is on practical information and discussion with differing perspectives.
- Citizenship Test Preparation Classes: A group series of tutorial-based workshops help newcomers prepare for upcoming citizenship test. It is a preparatory class that encourages discussion and client engagement.
Employment Related Services
Our Employment Program Facilitator works with Settlement Workers to provide newcomers with the support needed for employment. One-on-one sessions focus on career planning, employment information, worker’s rights, referrals to employment training, job search, resume writing, interview preparation and more.
For more information, please contact Stephen.
Newcomer to New Leader: Leadership and Employment Readiness Training:
A full circle employment training to enhance newcomers’ workplace readiness with workshop topics such as: personal branding, effective resumes, networking, interviews, volunteering & leadership. participants network, meet professionals and participate in essential skills development for entry to labour markets.
Employment Mentorships and Career Coaching:
This program provides newcomers with opportunities to receive 1-1 support from professionals in a chosen field. Mentors will act as ‘career coaches’ and support clients in job searches, resume writing, online work search, or assist in exploring new career fields & other employment related goals
Community Connections
Community Connections programs are the ones that promote social integration and well-being. Activities will provide opportunities for newcomers to integrate and contribute to their new community as well as facilitate dialogue between newcomers and Canadians, including Indigenous peoples.
Culture. Cooking and Communication for Middle Eastern Women:
The program focuses on health and well being of Arabic speaking newcomer woman by providing a safe space for women to learn about Canadian culture and cooking. This program will enhance their English through informal language learning opportunities. Participants will take on leadership roles by planning menus, meal prep and budget food costs.
Please contact Silva for more information.
Newcomer Women’s Art Therapy Workshops:
The program helps women work through mental health issues they experience in adapting to their new community. Art expression bridges the gap between a newcomer’s old and new life. Art facilitates self-reflection on the many challenges and hopes for the future and builds capacity to solve problems related to settlement adjustment process. The Art Therapy workshops are offered in three different languages.
Please contact Annie (Chinese), Arely (Spanish), or Silva (Arabic).
Stories of Little Mountain/Riley Park:
This dialogue project will foster understanding between newcomers and Indigenous peoples with an aim of greater inclusion and advocacy towards reconciliation, forging new dynamics/relationships/partnerships. The project will explore ways to imagine a world beyond colonialism and fear that hinders communication between communities where meaningful dialogue and change to take place.
Please contact Wen for more information.
Food Skills for Families:
This program is offered in collaboration with BC Centre for Disease Control. It is a hands-on skill building program developed by dietitians and educators. The program strives to create welcoming environments where food, food knowledge, practices, skills and traditions are shared amongst, and between, participants and facilitators in the community. All participants experience the rich social benefits of cooking and eating together while learning and sharing cooking skills, food knowledge and basic nutrition.
For more information, please contact Alma.
Mental Health Support
To address the increased needs for mental health support since the start of the pandemic, our Mental Health Navigator can provide free basic counselling to newcomer clients. Basic communication level English is needed to access the service. However, interpretation service may be available depending on staff availability. Mental Health group sessions (with interpretation) are also offered throughout the year.
Please contact Lynette for more information.
Our Mental Health Navigator also organizes a Mental Health and Well-being Drop-in program from noon to 2 on Fridays (except the last Friday of the month). The drop-in is an open-ended program that provides a place for newcomers to learn positive ways of managing the stressors of immigrating by building on past skills, managing self-care and understanding the importance of a support network. Capacity building is combined with reducing the stigma related to mental health while ensuring cultural safe components are in place.
Digital Literacy Class for Beginners
This program is an 8 week class for immigrants, refugees, and naturalized citizens to learn about how to use the basic functions of a computer. You need no prior knowledge to join. We will learn computer basics, such as recognizing hardware, keyboarding, managing files, and Internet basics. We have two classes to choose from.
Contact James by Oct 17th for more information or to register for either the morning or evening class by email linc.dl@lmnhs.bc.ca or call 236.863.0050
Morning Class
Where: LMNHS (3981 Main Street)
When: Not available winter term (2023)
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Evening Class
Where: LMNHS (3981 Main Street)
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 31 - Mar. 9, 2023
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 PM