CESBA Ontario Meeting Jackie Smith

CESBA Ontario Meeting Jackie Smith

Copyright [Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2016]. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. 2

Settlement Program Assists immigrants and refugees to overcome barriers specific to the newcomer experience, such as a lack of official language skills and limited knowledge of Canada The program provides language learning services for newcomers, community and employment bridging services, settlement information, and support services that facilitate access to programming Needs assessments and referral services that provide formal identification of clients needs and connect them and their families to available supports, e.g. development of personalized settlement plans, referrals to settlement and other communitybased and specialized services Information and orientation services that help newcomers settle in their community and integrate into Canadian society, e.g. information products and orientation sessions, settlement information, promotion and outreach to increase accessibility, knowledge and uptake of services Language training and skills development services that help newcomers attain the English or French proficiency they need, e.g. language placement assessment and referrals, language training for social interaction and acquisition of Canadian citizenship or that support labour market entry Employment-related services that equip clients with employment-related skills and supports to access the Canadian labour market, e.g. interventions targeted at entering and retaining employment, opportunities to connect and network with professionals or employers or to acquire Canadian work experience Community connections services that increase engagement of newcomers in their local communities and build connections with community members, public institutions, employers and community organizations, e.g. settlement supports in schools, one-onone and group mentoring, conversation circles Support services offered in tandem with program components to reduce barriers to access/enable participation, e.g. child minding child care, translation and interpretation services, transportation support, temporary crisis counselling, and provisions for addressing mobility limitations & disabilities 3

Settlement Language Programming Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and Cours de langue pour les immigrants au Canada (CLIC) offered from literacy to advanced levels Programming is flexible and widely accessible to eligible newcomers through full- or part-time, classroom, on-line or distance options, delivered by a wide array of organizations (e.g. not-for-profit, educational and other public institutions), in tandem with support services Training combines language acquisition with knowledge of Canadian civics and culture to help newcomers find work and integrate into their communities Language training targeted at supporting newcomer engagement in basic social interactions and acquisition of Canadian citizenship Labour market language training offers job-specific programming, coupled with mentoring and work placements to speed up the transition to employment Occupation-specific language training assists newcomers who have training or experience in a specific occupation or sector with the language and workplace cultural skills required to communicate effectively on the job Expected outcomes Immediate: Clients learn official language skills and other skills for adapting to Canadian society Intermediate: Clients use Canada s official languages to function and participate in Canadian society 4

Standardization in Language Training National consistency and standardization in the quality of programming supports strong newcomer language outcomes LINC and CLIC are founded on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) national standards Formal settlement language training offered as LINC and CLIC (whether inperson, online, or a blend of both) must be: Task-based Preceded by a CLB or NCLC-based placement assessment Follow the National Language Placement and Progression Guidelines Guided by LINC, CLIC, or provincial CLB- or NCLC-based curriculum guidelines for newcomers Led by a qualified teacher Concluded with an evaluation of evidence collected throughout the term to determine progress on the CLB or NCLC scale (Portfolio-Based Language Assessment) 5

Ontario Region Updates PBLA Implementation Roll-out of PBLA across Ontario is underway by both CIC and MCI and is currently being implemented in various stages (cohorts 1 to 4). Joint initiative has helped to maintain consistency in language learning for newcomers accessing both federally and provincially funded programs. Processes are being developed to address issues that have emerged through previous cohorts (e.g. an Intro to PBLA for instructors who missed initial training). Remote Language Assessments Operating out of Thunder Bay, Ontario, this pilot utilizes a web-based platform to conduct remote language assessments for newcomers across Northern Ontario. Referrals to either LINC or ESL programming are completed and include online alternatives for newcomers living in rural communities. Blended learning TVLT New Media provides free training and professional development for LINC teachers & program managers to integrate computer assisted language learning in the classroom. 6

Partners and Stakeholders Partners and Stakeholders Partnerships with provinces and territories to ensure a strategic and coordinated national approach to the design and delivery of language programming for adult immigrants and newcomers Federal-Provincial-Territorial Language Forum Multilateral and bilateral initiatives Engagement with settlement and language sector stakeholders to share information and best practices, identify delivery issues, and maintain high quality services that respond to newcomers actual needs, regardless of where they choose to settle National Settlement Council Newcomer Language Advisory Body National and provincial conferences, regional meetings and workshops (e.g. TESL Canada and provincial affiliates, settlement and language umbrella organizations, school board associations) 7

Supporting the Government of Canada commitment to resettle Syrian refugees Surge in numbers and profile: Rapid influx of potential adult learners Government-assisted refugees: very low language level (close to 50% assessed at literacy or CLB 1 levels), large family size Increase in demand for Literacy and basic level classes (up to CLB 4) Supports: child minding, transportation, counseling Language/skills in the workplace, intercultural communication, employer engagement Actions taken to maximize early outcomes Innovative outreach to refugees and modes of delivery Additional funding to address immediate settlement needs (outside of Quebec) Waitlist Management Guidelines to help service providers better manage and track clients Medium term measures to maintain momentum Continued investment: $335 million over four years to meet settlement needs, of which a significant amount is expected to be invested in language training and assessment services Stepping up collaborative efforts with provinces and territories, including a coordinated approach to respond to identified needs and improve pathways to employment Leveraging offers from the voluntary and private sector and individual Canadians as a means of providing alternative services 8

2,500 Syrian GARs/PSRs/BVORs by CLB Level in Ontario 2015-2016, 2016-2017 (April-Oct ) HARTS data 2,000 2,063 1,500 1,654 1,000 840 500 563 379 0 Literacy Level 1-4 Level 5-8 203 2015-16 2016-17 9

35,000 All Clients by CLB Level in Ontario 2015-16, 2016-2017 (April-Oct) HARTS data 30,000 32,096 25,000 25,378 20,000 15,000 17,603 10,000 12,458 5,000 5,902 5,588 0 Literacy Level 1-4 Level 5-8 2015-16 2016-17 10

Discussion Questions Partners and Stakeholders As we continue to move forward in the settlement and community integration phase of the national plan for refugees, what are the emerging needs and challenges, as well as opportunities and practices that can help address these? How can federal, provincial and territorial governments work better together to address the settlement and language needs of all newcomers, including refugees? What are school boards in Ontario and across the country best positioned to do to support the settlement and integration needs of adult newcomers and refugees and their families? What roles are more challenging? 11

For more information On language classes funded by the Government of Canada, please visit IRCC s web site: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/live/language.asp IRCC s Language Training for Canada video is intended to raise newcomer awareness on the importance of official language skills for settlement and the steps to take to improve them before and after arrival in Canada On IRCC s web site English: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/multimedia/video/settlementlanguage/settlement-language.asp French: http://www.cic.gc.ca/francais/ministere/media/multimedia/video/etablirlangage/etablir-langage.asp In HD on the Department s YouTube channel English: https://youtu.be/epnzbeuc3ym French: https://youtu.be/iiwbn_lcdw0 Arabic: https://youtu.be/epnzbeuc3ym 12