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Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)

Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)

Funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) is a program operated by settlement agencies throughout Canada in partnership with school divisions. SWIS is a program for immigrant and refugee children in K-12 schools. Action for Healthy Communities is an authorized SWIS provider.

SWIS is built on a powerful idea: the best way to help newcomer families is to help their children thrive in Canadian schools. We do so by supporting social connection, systems navigation, cultural sharing, and individualized supports.

SWIS is not strictly an academic program, although SWIS workers can help students with language acquisition and with other school needs.

If you are interested in SWIS programming at your school, please reach out via the “contact” button below.

SWIS supports newcomer children, youth, and families to succeed in school. It does so by:

  • Offering free translation and interpretation in the family’s first language to help them understand important information
  • Creating opportunities for youth to become engaged and confident in their new learning environment and community
  • Providing newcomers with important information on both school expectations, like Parent-Teacher nights, academic integrity, attendance, and school culture (classes, extracurriculars, sports, etc.)
  • Providing newcomers with information about community services, like the library, food banks, community leagues
  • Conducting orientation workshops on school and various settlement topics in Canada, like winter safety, applying for citizenship, understanding colleges and universities, Canadian culture and holidays
  • Providing referrals for support when needed, like support accessing family doctors or disability services, and Supporting families with mental health and emotional wellbeing.
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Testimonials


My little girl loves dance and music and performing arts. She was overjoyed when she got a chance to learn ballet last summer during the weeklong training. It was amazing seeing her and other little ones get a shot at ballet and experiencing a dance studio. As children, they got something to TELL about during their Show and Tell sessions at school. As a newcomer, it’s those opportunities don’t happen every day.

Catherine Namuddu, Leduc

My favourite time each month is when SWIS comes to my school! We play games, do activities, and we learned how to make ice cream from a bag! I love when we get to do SWIS. It makes school fun.

Student

EICS School Division, age 9

Our family would like to sincerely thank AHC for all that they have done for us. We are new to Canada, and AHC has been even more caring than a family to us, helping with physical, emotional, and psychological support. When we came to Canada we were confronted by the cold winter, and AHC showed us how to protect ourselves from the cold and brought us all that we needed to keep warm. All of us truly loved that. With their help, we are finding our place in Alberta society, Canadian society. We are getting there, little by little, we are moving forward.

The Bakajika Family

Leduc

I just wanted to send you a HUGE thank you for all of your help. Mom has let us know that he has been approved for his citizenship which is amazing news. I cannot believe how quickly it happened. We are very much appreciative of all your support and guidance.

Education Partner

Lakeland


My little girl loves dance and music and performing arts. She was overjoyed when she got a chance to learn ballet last summer during the weeklong training. It was amazing seeing her and other little ones get a shot at ballet and experiencing a dance studio. As children, they got something to TELL about during their Show and Tell sessions at school. As a newcomer, it’s those opportunities don’t happen every day.

Catherine Namuddu, Leduc

I just wanted to send you a HUGE thank you for all of your help. Mom has let us know that he has been approved for his citizenship which is amazing news. I cannot believe how quickly it happened. We are very much appreciative of all your support and guidance.

Education Partner

Lakeland

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Contact Us - Rural Small Centres

Land Acknowledgment

As an organization working towards improving peoples’ well being, we acknowledge our presence on Treaty 6 territory and Métis Nation of Alberta Region 4, a traditional meeting grounds, gathering place, and travelling route for the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene, Ojibway, Anishinaabe, Nakota Sioux, and Inuit, as our responsibility to extend support for healing to our Indigenous Community members during this difficult times. 
We acknowledge all the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit whose footsteps have marked these lands for centuries and whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community.

As an organization, we commit ourselves to continue to acknowledge, learn, understand, and create opportunities to educate our staff, volunteers, and community members about the lived experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis, walking the path of reconciliation.

Action for Healthy Communities Society of Alberta (AHC's) Diversity and Inclusion Statement

AHC is a proud proponent of diversity in the workforce, and we support an inclusive workplace that values the diversity of ideas.

AHC fosters diversity and inclusion at all levels of our organization. It is among the cornerstones of our core values of inclusion, collaboration, participation, personal development, innovation and excellence. We understand that equity deserving individuals and communities possess huge potential for growth and development but facing myriad of challenges which can be addressed through their capacity building by hiring and retaining individuals with an array of competencies, talents, experiences, and ideas to propel the innovation that drives our success. 
A diverse workforce and inclusive culture help us strengthen performance and inspire creative solutions. We believe the attention given to diversity and inclusion makes us more responsive, agile, trustworthy and innovative.

AHC's diversity and inclusion policies aim to foster an inclusive space that encourages more meaningful engagement among all program participants, employees, volunteers and other stakeholders to strengthen our performance.
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