Students will learn first-hand about the issues faced by newcomers to Canada, through a student-initiated project that links them with organizations serving immigrants and refugees in Hamilton.

“Through the program, it is hoped that students will gain a greater understanding of the issues facing the immigrant and refugee population as they try to settle in Canada,” says Leila Salehi, founder and co-ordinator of the program that will launch in September. “It is hoped that students will gain improved cross-cultural skills and be provided with an opportunity to engage in meaningful volunteer work while gaining practical skills in working with an underserved population.”

Through the program, students will help organize preparatory classes for women preparing to take a G1 driver's exam, help to facilitate employment workshops for immigrant and refugee women and develop and run a series of practical workshops on resources in Hamilton in English as a second language classes.

The program, initiated by the Immigrant and Refugee Issues Working Group of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), recently received an $8,254 boost from the Hamilton Community Foundation. Funding will support a student co-ordinator, and the development, testing and evaluations of the ESL workshop curricula.