ETTLEMENT

AND

NTEGRATION

ERVICES

RGANIZATION

(SISO)

SISO (Settlement & Integration ServicesOrganization)

, in partnership with theHamilton–Wentworth District School Board, theHamilton –Wentworth Catholic District SchoolBoard and Citizenship & Immigration Canada(CIC) is pleased to offer the SWISH program. The focus of this program is newcomerstudents & families who have been in Canadafor a short period of time. Settlement workersare placed in key schools with highpopulations of newcomers and languageneeds. Workers also provide services tonearby schools on a referral basis as the needarises. A SWISH worker is also assigned in theAssessment Centres and libraries. The settlement workers in the schools speakmany different languages: French, Chinese,Vietnamese, Korean, Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi,Farsi, Dari, Amharic, Russian and Pilipino.Using a coordinated case managementapproach, SWISH workers link clients withspecialized services offered by programpartners, other agencies and specialists.

Theprogram aims to:

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Strengthen the partnership betweenstudents, parents and the community.

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Create a bridge between students,parents and schools. Facilitate activecommunication between newcomerparents and the school.

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Provide students and their families withcoordinated case management andaccess to a full range of servicesthrough referral.

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Inform school staff and settlement staff about each other’s needs andresources.

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Facilitate the active and effectiveinvolvement of parents in theirchildren’s education.

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Provide parents and schools with accessto cultural interpretation services.

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Enable school staff to be betterinformed about the needs of thenewcomer populations.

NOW (Newcomers Orientation Week)Program

promises to give newcomerstudents entering high school a betterstart, orient students to people andactivities that can help them settle in theirnew school. NOW reduces the newcomer’sstress and anxiety about the transition,prepares them for earlier participation inthe life of their new school. This year, theprogram is offered at these schools: Sir John A.MacDonald, Barton High School,Glendale High School, Sir Allan MacNaband Cathedral High School from Aug. 25 –Aug. 28, 2008

At SISO, other summer programs are alsoavailable for newcomer students of all ages.

For more information please contact:Rosalia Viquiera, SWISH Information& Referral Counsellor, SISODirect line: 289 244 5296E-mail:rviquiera@sisohamilton.org

Rosalia (Sally) Viquiera is the new Information& Referral Counsellor at SISO and will work asa critical part of the SWISH Department,focusing on Information and Referral withinSchools. Sally is self-directed and resultoriented and her knowledge of communityservices, resources and outreach practices isone of her outstanding qualification. The Hamilton Filipino community is privilegedto have Sally Viquiera as its liaison.