1. Transition to
Welcoming Communities
Presented and designed by:
Marilena Benak

2. Ice Breaker Exercise
• This is an exercise that will give us a
better understanding of the audience and
the organizations they are representing.

3. Strengths Of Our Services
• Flexible and individual oriented
• Time effective
• Cost effective (use of volunteers)
• Open to changes in environment and
other external influences (1)
• Easy to remodel and adapt
• Easy to deliver outside the main office

4. What We Want To Continue To
Do Well
• Building staff-client relationships
• Establishing community connections
• Engaging external resources
• Providing external referrals
• Being mindful in adapting to clients’ needs

5. Adding To What We Already Do
• Activities focused on:
 Age group segments (children, seniors)
 Gender interests (women, men)
 Professional goals (mentoring)
 Volunteering initiatives (create opportunities, create
connections)
 Civic participation interests (leadership training)
• Customized initiatives:
 Neighbourhood needs (language, faith, status)
 Local issues (economic trends, transportation) (1)
 Immediate needs for specific groups (massive
refugee inflow from one particular country) (2)

6. The New Model;
Our Role In The Framework
The active participation of Service Providers
in creating a diverse society that promotes
linguistic duality and social inclusion
• Promotion of cultural understanding
• Community development and capacity building
• Participation in community and civic life
• Fulfilling the immediate needs of immigrant clients and
helping with their long-term goals
(CIC website)

7. The Modernized Approach:
From A Suite Of Programs To
One Integrated Program
• Orientation
• Language Skills
• Access to The Labour Market
• Welcoming Communities
• Policies and Program
Development

8. Start Your New Service
Delivery Diagram
• Welcoming and Initial Assessment,
including short orientation and referrals to
language assessment
• Needs Assessment and Design the Case
Management (Service Pathway)
• Referral to support services and follow up
• Outcome Measurement evaluation
• Report to the organizational level

9. The Impact Of
The Modernized Approach
• Provide integrated services based on defined
results communicated by newcomers
• Retrain the staff and revise their duties to fit
the new delivery model
• Define the type of services provided outside
your main office
• Create the proper environment to deliver the
available posted services
• Document all the services provided

10. The Desired Results
• Clients can make informed decisions based
on the comprehensive information
• Clients have an understanding of social and
legal rights and know how to access
resources
• Clients have the official language skills to
function in Canadian society
• Clients have the skills – life skills to function
in Canadian society

11. The Desired Results (cont’d)
• Clients have knowledge of the Canadian
Labour Market and Workplace Culture
• Clients have the skills to apply for
employment
• Clients are connected in the community
and actively participate in diverse social
networks

12. Tools For The Modernized
Approach
• One door intake process in a computerized
version
• Database accessible to all staff engaged in
supporting client through their individualized
service pathway
• Effective use of volunteers

13. The Welcoming Community
• Strong desire to receive newcomers and
create a “feel at home” environment
• Ensure that newcomers are able to
participate fully in the community life
• Access to a full range of programs and
meaningful employment

14. Continuing To Build
Welcoming Communities
• Include “Creating Welcoming Communities”
in your long term outcome measurement
• Measure the impact of your services in a
professional manner utilizing a variety of
tools and means
• Communicate the results of your
assessments to others
• Celebrate your successes and spread the
good news

15. Advance A Critical Team
Approach For Building Support
• Get a wider perspective on how to attract
more clients through community
consultations and local research
• Identify champions to promote your cause (1)
• Create meaningful Partnerships
• Use advanced tools for building your
reputation (media, employers of choice)

16. Strategies For Building Support
• Make a list of the immigrant population’s
challenges in your community
• Do a SWOT analysis of your organization(1)
• Set objectives and practical goals (2)
• Share consensus with your partners and
collaborators
• Involve stakeholders from various sectors
and create new collaborations (4)

17. The Welcoming Community
Design Your Service Pathway
• Re-evaluate and reinforce the clients’
needs(1)
• Define with the client the projected success
• Design and implement your activities based
on the desired result
• Identify and record the outcomes in the
preferred format
• Evaluate your work; the outcomes should be
reflected in your evaluation

18. Expected Outcomes
• Create social inclusion
 forge new friendships
 connect with professional counterparts
exposure to and engagement with community
organizations for civic participation
• Increase your English ability
• Learn about ethics and cultural values
in Canadian society and the workplace
• Have a sense of safety and security
• Overcome issues by getting a better
understanding of Canadian society

19. Where Can We Expand The
Delivery Of Services?
• Schools
• Community Centres
• Libraries
• Heritage Places
• Business Sector
• Municipalities

20. The Activities That Will Meet
The Clients’ Expectations
• Youth related activities:
Learning activities:
o learning circles
o theatre projects
o ambassador groups
o leadership activities
Recreational activities:
o team sports and competitions
o environmental activities

21. The Activities That Will Meet
The Expected Outcomes
• General Activities:
 Conversation Circles
 Training, workshops, and presentations
oleadership training for civic inclusion
oself esteem workshops
osocial skills
oanger management
 Networking events and focus/support groups
o women/man focus group
o grief and loss support group

22. Factors Affecting Clients’
Connections
• Organization’s reputation
• The need of services provided
• Family ties
• Organization’s marketing strategies
• Awareness of existing community barriers
• Language and culture
• Comfort in service reception (receiving)

23. Attracting Clients
• Website portal
• Community Resources Guide
• Interactive marketing (1)
• Accessibility of services (2)
• Customized services vs. standardized
services (3)
• Active presence throughout the
community

24. Client Focus Services
CLIENT

25. "There are no secrets to success.
It is the result of preparation, hard
work and learning from failures."
Colin Powell

26. Closure
• Build relationships and share resources
(space, time, human capital, etc.)
• Attract new stakeholders
• Create new marketing image and brand
your services
• Use all the tools to approach the new
model
• Continue to do what you are doing well!

27. Contact Information
Marilena Benak
(519) 579-9622 ext. 261
KW YMCA Immigrant Services
800 King St W, 3rd
Floor
Kitchener, Ontario
N2G 1E8
www.ymcacrosscultural.ca

28. Thank You