CultureLink HOST
HOST PROGRAM NEWS
Volume1 Issue 3 January 2010
Welcoming Community Champion
CAN YOU? Can you support us and be committed to: Giving voice to immigrant issues? Raising issues that matter for newcomers to Canada at different levels of public life? Hosting a diversity lunch/dinner at your work place? Promoting barrier-free hiring practices? Hosting a welcoming event for newcomers to Canada (CultureLink will be happy to assist you)? Supporting a newcomer individual or family in starting a good life in Canada? Volunteering with a newcomer settlement agency (e.g. delivering a speech at a CultureLink event)? Joining CultureLink’s Host Program as a Host Volunteer, or persuading a person who you know to become one? Donating to a newcomer settlement organisation of your choice? Supporting local business run by newcomers to Canada?
The Welcoming Communities Initiative is to promote more inclusive and welcoming communities for new immigrants. Successes of new immigrants are very important to the success of Toronto and Canada in the long run. We must build a welcoming community to help newcomers succeed in their new adopted country.
Inside this issue: Welcoming Community 1 Champions Welcoming Community 2 Initiatives 2010 Resolutions
3
HOSTs with the Most
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2010 English Conversa- 5 tion Circle Contact CultureLink
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“At CultureLink we believe that:: Newcomers are critical to Canada’s future; Our staff and volunteers are our organization’s most important resources.”
“Yes, I can. And yes, I did.” Gerard Kennedy, Member of Parliament for Parkdale-High Park has agreed to become a ―Welcoming Community Champion‖ •
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Welcoming Community Initiatives
Multicultural Demonstration Garden By Fei Tang
Close your eyes. Let the wings of your imagination lift you. Now take a deep breath – imagine: You are standing in front of a garden – a vegetable garden. The air here is thick and sweet - it’s a pleasant, mixed smell of pungent herbs and sugary flowers. In fact, they are small gardens cultivated noticeably differently. Here, you see baby Bok Choy’s green chubby leaves glittering under the sun, and bitter melons showily hanging on their veins. If you look just over the charming low fences crossed with shrubs, you will see in a SouthAsian style garden, heirloom okras proudly pointing their fingers to the neighbouring garden where Tomatos San Marzano just start bursting into bright red like blushing faces of young maids. From time to time you will hear the chatter and laughter from these gardeners, youth and seniors of different color, race and cultural background.
You hear them exchange gardening experiences, share their knowledge about ethnic food, even planning a harvest party together. You see one of them casually peck a juicy cucumber and hand over to the person on the other side of the fence. So you may wonder if this is some theme park in Disneyland. No, what you have just envisioned is the blueprint of a jointventure of CultureLink and the Stop Community Food Center. CultureLink and the Stop plan to turn a piece of grassy land right outside of the Green Barn (601 Christie St.) into several multicultural organic gardens. The two organizations will engage newcomer youth and seniors representing six ethno-cultural neighbourhoods in the Wychwood Park area, along with local volunteers to cultivate Chinese, Italian, South Asian, African, Eastern European and Caribbean organic gardens. These gardens will not only
showcase the diverse organic gardening techniques, different ethnic edible plants and culinary cultures, but also will demonstrate the Torontonian way of living green, being inclusive and celebrating multiculturalism. Right now, CultureLink and Stop Community Food Center are obtaining permits to use city land to carry out this project. Please support this initiative by writing to your City Councillors. You will be the first to embrace this delicious and momentous landmark. •
―Planting your own vegetables can help reduce the emissions cost of transporting food.‖ (Metro news, ―Green Resolutions for 2010, Jan. 11, 2010‖)
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A Welcoming Community Champion’s 2010 Resolution
HOST Volunteer Recognition Night, 2007, CultureLink
1. To engage a newcomer in a friendly casual conversation at least once in a month 2. To encourage my kids,
other family members and close friends to make friends with newcomers 3. To hire a foreign-trained professional and/or to acquaint business owners and employers with the benefits of hiring and training skilled immigrants 4. To host a diversity event at my workplace or my home 5. To volunteer for Host Program and/or to persuade someone of my in-
ner circle to become a Host volunteer 6. To donate money and/or time to a charity serving newcomers 7. To sensitize people in my neighborhood or constituency to immigrant and refugee issues 8. To make, advocate and vote for political decisions that are in favour of a more inclusive and welcoming community •
One More Resolution…. To attend training series “Change Agent for Welcoming Communities”
The Building Welcoming Communities (BWC) training will be available on following dates January 18, 2010 (Monday) from 6pm to 9pm February 1, 2010 (Monday) from 6 pm to 9 pm February 27, 2010 (Saturday) from 9:30 am to 12 pm March 8, 2010 (Monday) from 6 pm to 9 pm March 20, 2010 (Saturday) from 9:30 am to 12 pm
Cross Cultural Communication (CCC) January 25, 2010 (Monday) from 6 pm—9pm February 20, 2010 (Saturday) from 9:30 am to 12pm March 15, 2010 (Monday) from 6pm to 9 pm Leadership for Welcoming Communities (LWC) March 22, Monday 6 pm—9pm
Host Worker Victor Gomes will be facilitating the upcoming training session Building Welcoming Communities
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English Conversation Circle (ECC)
Happy New Year Everybody! I hope everyone is in good spirit and ready with great ambitions for 2010. A quick note to inform you that the next ECC cycle at Runnymede library will be starting from Tuesday, January 19th at its usual time; 6 p.m.
Desert or Art? You decide.
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.” ..Pakistani Proverb “The language of friendship is not words but meanings." ……..Henry David Thoreau
English Conversation Circle (ECC) at Runnymede Library By Rubeen Chauhan
Happy New Year Everybody! I hope everyone is in good spirits and ready with great ambitions for 2010. A quick note to inform you that the next ECC cycle at Runnymede library will be starting on Tuesday, January 19th at its usual time; 6 p.m. The last ECC cycle of October/November was a great success. Despite the fact, it was the new location and a bit further from Brentwood library where we were before. But the participants liked the program so much; they didn’t mind traveling to be with their new friends. The feedback tells us, it was a joyous time; a group full of energy and enthusiasm, mingled and broke all the barriers
within no time and had fun learning experiences every week. We talked about various multicultural celebrations, Halloween and Thanksgiving in particular. We also had a hearty discussion on famous quotes and interesting things to do during the winter time. The group really bonded together but alas came the last week. We talked about food and had potluck. A variety of goodies from around the world filled up the table. People enjoyed eating different ethnic dishes and discussing recipes along with a feeling of belonging to the diverse community. To shorten the time apart, we decided to meet the following week for a movie night. We gathered at CutlureLink’s office and watched Pink Panther 2. Munch-
ing on popcorn and pizza, we laughed together but at the same time we were sad for being apart till the New Year. It was really great time, wasn't it? I am looking forward to starting the group next week with hopes that it will be as joyous and successful as the last one. Meanwhile, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or anything to share. See you then, Rubeen Chauhan •
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Hosts with the Most A Volunteer’s Reflection on the Host Program By Dolora Leka Morad is one of our devoted money in his pocket. His relatives Host Volunteers who joined Culhad promised him to take a good tureLink a year ago to commit his care of him once he reached this free time and share his own expromising land, called Canada. periences and knowledge with an Unfortunately, after quite a short immigrant family in time in Toronto, he Toronto. He has found himself com“The cold weather frightbecome a helping pletely alone surened him. He was comhand and a good rounded by unfamiliar pletely alone with only little example of where faces and places. He money in his pocket.” had to strike through to start off. in order to survive. It Morad arrived in took him quite few years to find Canada in the late 70s when the his way to settle down in ToIranian Revolution had already ronto. started in Iran. It was winter, the Holiday Season was about to A welcoming friend would come. He was only 20 at the time have been more than a helping he landed in Canada. He did not hand to him. He would love to speak a word of English. It was experience the facilities that comextremely hard for him to adjust munity services are providing to with a lot of changes when he newcomers today. He affirms that initially landed here. The cold if Host Program had existed 30 weather frightened him. He was years ago, this could have built completely alone with only little positive changes in the lives of
newcomers like him. The services that are offered nowadays from many social agencies are very satisfying with encouraging results. Host Program is a wonderful way in helping newcomers to reach the outcome they are looking for. This is one of the main reasons why Morad decided to join the Host program. He would love to support people who are facing isolation and culture shock once they arrive in a new country. This new country is completely unfamiliar to many of them and a host friend would be more than important to help them understand the social and cultural part of living in Canada and how to become part of the community. •
Remembering Falls By Stephanie Carter
Tourists in front of the falls. Niagara Falls, 1959. Archives of Ontario, I0005638
We stand at the railing of the walkway overlooking Niagara Falls, myself; an elderly tourist from the Netherlands; and my CutureLink friend Amanda; fiddling with the settings on three digital cameras. It’s the brightest day of a tepid summer and the Falls are awash with light while the visitors lining the walkway, in the foreground, are enshrouded in shade.
It’s the photographic challenge of exposing both the Falls and the people that we stand on the boardwalk eagerly discussing. For me, as a member of the Host Program, it’s a trip to Niagara Falls like none other. It’s unlike my first time as a tourist visiting from out-of-province with my family, yet, still, after five and a half years of living in Ontario I wouldn’t say that the Falls
are ever less impressive... What it is that thrills me most is this gathering, united by our common interest more than by the central attraction glimmering behind us. •
Stephanie Carter will have
been volunteering as a host with CultureLink’s HOST program for a year in February.
CultureLink HOST
CultureLink is a settlement agency located at Bloor and Dundas West in downtown Toronto. For twenty-one years, we have upheld our mission: CultureLink is dedicated to facilitating the independence and full participation of newcomers in Toronto’s diverse community. CultureLink works within an anti-discriminatory framework to ensure a respectful, safe and inclusive environment. CultureLink 2340 Dundas Street West, Suite 301 Toronto, ON M6P 4A9
We hope you have enjoyed Volume One, Issue Three of our CultureLink Host Newsletter, and that you will enjoy future issues.
Phone: 416-588-6288 Fax: 416-588-2435 Volunteers, Newcomers Fill out our online Registration form, at:
http://www.culturelink.net
Know someone who wants to join Culturelink’s Host Community? Have them sign up!
CONTRIBUTORS Fei Tang HOST Program Manager Newsletter Supervisor Robert W. Iveniuk Placement Student
Stephanie Carter HOST Volunteer Rakesh Bhardwaj Community Engagement and Partnership Specialist (HOST Program)
Editor-in-Chief Barbora Gomezova HOST Intake Worker Rubeen Chauhan HOST Worker Dolora Leka HOST Worker
HOST Program is funded by:
The Host Newsletter invites you, the members of the CultureLink Community to share your story with us. Please send your story, comments and thoughts to:
[email protected]
