Webinar: Beyond Language and Employment - Supporting Newcomers in Navigating Canadian Culture and Community Life

This webinar aims to look beyond the traditional measures of settlement success, language acquisition, employment, and access to essential services, to examine what happens beyond these basics. It explores how newcomers encounter and navigate the less visible expectations of Canadian workplaces, communities, and civic life, and how settlement organizations, employers, communities, and Canadian society can share responsibility for creating meaningful pathways to participation and belonging.

Through interactive questions, evidence, reflection, and case studies, the session will examine workplace expectations, community connections, cultural adaptation, and rights and responsibilities. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of acculturation, belonging, and participation, a greater awareness of the hidden cultural, workplace, and community expectations that newcomers may encounter, and a shared-responsibility perspective on settlement and integration.

This webinar is designed for settlement practitioners, LINC (ESL) educators, program coordinators and managers, employment and community service professionals, and others who support newcomers’ integration, participation, and community engagement. Register to gain practical, culturally responsive strategies for discussing social norms, rights, and responsibilities and for creating programs that foster participation, meaningful connections, inclusion, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Register here

Facilitator: Arooj Farooqi

Arooj Farooqi, M.Ed., M.A., OCELT, ICTEAL, CELTA, is a seasoned English language and education specialist with extensive Canadian and international experience in adult education, newcomer learning, curriculum and program development, assessment, professional training, and educational leadership. She has trained educators in Canada and internationally and holds professional credentials from leading Canadian and global organizations. A published co-author and frequent conference presenter, Arooj brings a practical, research-informed and culturally responsive perspective to language learning, integration, and inclusive education.

Join SettleNet.org to connect with participants and continue the conversation! For any questions, please contact nismail@ocasi.org.