BUILDING STRENGTH
IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1970

Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)

The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) initiative places settlement workers in elementary and secondary schools in Durham Region. SWIS connects newly arrived families to services and resources in the school and the community in order to promote settlement and foster student achievement. Schools are one of the first services that newcomers connect with in the community. With the cooperation of the school, the SWIS worker systematically contacts all newcomer families to orient them to school and community resources and to refer them to specific services. SWIS workers provide group information sessions, often in partnership with school staff, or other community partners, to address issues related to settlement.  The workers also provide orientation on the settlement needs of newcomers for school staff, and provide orientation to newcomer students when they first arrive in Canada.

Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW): 

For many newcomer students, high school in Ontario is very different from their previous school and the first few months can be stressful.  Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) is offering a program to help ease the stress for these students.

Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW) is a peer led, four day program that orients newcomer youths to the people and activities that can help them settle in their new school.  Through interactive activities, such as skits and scavenger hunts, newly arrived youths are provided valuable information about school in Ontario and are able to make friends prior to the start of the school year.

Welcome and Information for Newcomers (WIN): 

Welcome and Information for Newcomers (WIN) is a one day orientation program for parents and students who will be beginning school for the first time in Ontario.  This interactive program provides a basic introduction to school procedures and allows the opportunity for parents to meet school settlement workers and staff.  Through interactive activities and small group sessions, the newly arrived families are oriented to the Ontario school system.