Bridging Settlement and Employment: A Client-Centred Delivery Model
Sometimes newcomers get lost in “the system” as they move from settlement services to an employment agency. In these difficult economic times, immigrants trying to access employment are facing additional barriers and challenges at the personal, institutional and systemic level. The role of the settlement counsellor in assessing and addressing some of the barriers and challenges as well as providing support to the client is paramount to the success of the employment services. There are models in the immigrant and refugee-serving sector that promote a continuum of service to support newcomers as they transition to and from employment. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about a client-centred service delivery model that effectively bridges settlement services and employment services. Frontline workers will examine a successful case management process that puts clients first by offering the full range of settlement counselling, employment supports and English Language services under one well-integrated hub.
The workshop will draw from the experiences of WoodGreen’s Integrated Case Management Model. The will be a participatory session where participants can share their own experiences and consider ways in which WoodGreen’s model may be applicable in their agency.
Ruichun Tang specializes in providing empathic settlement counselling services to children and families. She has over 8 years of WoodGreen settlement counselling experience and 7 years of earlier teaching experience. Ruichun is almost finished her BSW degree from Ryerson University and also holds her Baccalaureate Degree in Education.
Eric Weir specializes in providing employment and career counselling to both newcomers and experienced workers through WoodGreen’s Job Search Coaching Services program. He offers over 6 years related experience and is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s MSW program.
