Hello to the CultureLink Community,

We are now entering our winter months and if this is your first year in Canada you will get to know the beautiful season of winter. You will get to partake in many seasonal activities that are unique to the Canadian culture; such as snow sledding, snow shoeing, ice skating, and many more.  CultureLink proudly showcases many program successes that welcome newcomers into the Canadian community and culture.  Please enjoy the latest edition of our newsletter and share it with your friends.

Warm Season Greetings, 
The CultureLink Settlement and Community Services Staff Team
Drama Sessions for Syrian Newcomer Women
In an attempt to break the isolation for Syrian Newcomer Women, CultureLink's Settlement Workers in Schools program is partnering with a professional Syrian women in Drama; Mania Elendari and Auntie Amal Community Centre to provide training sessions mostly focused on Art and Drama and other topics suggested by the Syrian Newcomer Women.  The idea of providing such training sessions is to integrate the Syrian newcomer women into a social environment that strengthens the individual social role. As you have noticed during the recent arrival of thousands of Syrian families to Canada, most of the Syrian family members were integrating within the Canadian community so fast and with more ease.  Learn More
Bike Host Stories
Bike Host ended with a blast at the Access Point on Danforth on 
October 28. Newcomers and Mentors who had completed 10 or more activities received the certificates. Newcomers also got to re ceive a used bike as incentive to continue their cycling journeys in their new homeland!
   Nadia is one of those participants. She can be seen her with her awarded bike. She wrote a special t hank you note: "I am writing to say thank you very much for nice summer program, for opportunity to meet new friends, and find interesting places, and know better Toronto! On Thursday I have received the bike! Thank you Rubeen, thank you CultureLink!"  Nadia's story follows. You can also check out our Bike Host 2017 video on YouTube . Read more Bike Host stories. Learn More
Job Success In Canada 
Kian  was a Transportation Planner / Civil Engineer in
Iran and when   he arrived in Canada in 2016, he was confident that his decade  of experience an d wide range of technical skills would assure him of immediate employment. Unfortu nately, that was not the case. Those skills that had driven him to success in Iran did not translate into the Canadian style of job  seeking. 
To address the situation, he joined CultureLink's Hit Restart Program for Engineers. After a week of training with other participants, he was ready to meet with AECOM staff for a speed mentoring event.   More of the story here.  
Toronto's City Hall Settlement Services 
Settlement Services in City locations making  an impact to Newcomers in Toronto.  There are many success stories about  our Settlement Worker 
Shakira Quraishi. One in paticular is from Nicholas Kaimenakis who was helped and extremely thankful for the settlement assistance he received.  "I would wholeheartedly like to thank you for the time you took and for all the information that you've shar
ed with me during our meeting. Your insight was really helpful and went a long way into providing me with guidance on how to start the process of re -establishing myself back in Canada."

Upcoming Events 
English  Conversation Circle
Come and practice and improve your English -
Inter-generational Digital Stories
Culturelink in program room A & B, on Thursday, December 14th, 2017 from 4pm-7pm. 

Youth Holiday Party 
December 21st from 3:30 - 6:30 at our new youth space located at 3535 Dundas Street West.  There will be a live DJ, delicious food, games, a photo booth and more!!  All youth are welcome! 
WHAT IS IN A NAME?

An elderly Czech Roma couple came to seek help with their application for Permanent Residence, afte r the Immigration & Refugee Board recognized them as refugees.  One of the many forms we had to complete asked about the siblings of the applicant.  When it came to the siblings  of the wife she told us that she has two brothers, both called Jan, a Czech version of John.  This puzzled me, and so I asked if any of her parents had children before they started to live together.  To which she replayed that both her brothers have the same parents as she has.   Read More
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