Settlement & Employment Services
Settlement Services
Supporting Seniors
Newcomer Youth
Citizenship Classes
Employment Services
Entrepreneurship Program
Bridge Training for Internationally Trained Mental Health Professionals
Interpretation and Translation (Spanish-English)
Settlement Services
Newcomers experience a wide variety of information, orientation, settlement and employment needs. With 25 years experience, our settlement program offers caring and professional settlement services, tailored to each individual. Our settlement workers assess needs and strengths, helping clients to meet immediate needs, and work towards future goals. All settlement workers are guided by our Service Standards.
Our settlement workers assist newcomers with a wide variety of needs and goals:
“The Centre provided me with orientation and allowed me to forge ahead in my new life in Canada. It helped me to avoid errors and to get on with things quickly.”
- Orientation to life in Ontario
- Immigration issues / applications
- Education and training
- Job search and employment
- Social assistance / income security
- Housing / social housing
- Child Tax Benefits
Settlement Services are offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin & French
To meet with a settlement worker, please book an appointment. Call a counsellor at (416) 291-3248 in Scarborough or (647) 776-2057 in North York. You can come back as many times as needed and the service is free.
Supporting Seniors
Newcomer seniors face unique challenges learning the language, navigating services, and connecting to the community. Our Seniors Settlement Worker offers specialized knowledge and individualized assistance with pension and disability benefits, social housing applications, and other needs. Immigrant seniors who are permanent residents and over the age of 60 may book an appointment at our North York site by calling 647-776-2057. Service is offered in English and Spanish.
We also offer a weekly seniors group. The seniors group offers participants the opportunity to make friends, enjoy cultural and recreational activities, learn from presentations and workshops, and participate in group projects. Presentation topics and group activities are proposed by members of the group. Our group sessions help to develop social networks, promote good mental health and build a sense of belonging and community.
Our seniors club meets every Tuesday afternoon at our Scarborough Site – 2600 Birchmount Rd & Wednesdays at our North York location – 2737 Keele St, Unit 9.
Newcomer Youth
Newcomer youth are the hope of their families, and the future of Canada. We offer an innovative youth program that uses popular theatre to help newcomer youth explore and express their experiences, struggles and dreams. Here, participants make friends, build confidence, learn to work as a team and have fun together. On occasion, the youth theatre group participates in public performances.
What is Popular Theatre?
Popular theatre brings people together to create and perform stories related to their struggles, conflicts, hopes and dreams. It is a fun and engaging way to creatively work through individual and community issues. At the Mennonite New Life Centre, we use popular theatre to equip newcomer youth with the confidence and skills to critically reflect on their settlement experience and to practice taking actions that help make the world a better place.
As youth connect with us and build trust, we encourage them to share individual needs and goals. Our Youth Settlement Worker is there to listen and help with problems at home, at school, or with friends. He also supports newcomer youth with finding summer jobs, applying for college and university, and make plans for the future.
The Youth Theatre Program takes place:
- 2600 Birchmount: Friday afternoon from 4:30 to 7:00
To contact our Youth Settlement Worker, call 647-776-2057.
Citizenship Classes
Our popular citizenship classes, offered approximately three times per year, help participants prepare for the citizenship exam, and learn about opportunities for civic participation in Canada. Curriculum is based on the official citizenship study guide, Discover Canada, and enhanced with additional information and discussion about active citizenship.Workshops are offered in Spanish and English. Pre-registration is mandatory since space is limited. Call 647-776-2057 for more information.
If your citizenship test is coming up before the next workshop cycle, settlement workers can provide individual assistance with understanding the citizenships study guide and preparing for the test. Call 647-776-2057 to book an appointment.
Employment Services
Our employment program helps newcomers find employment opportunities appropriate to their skills and experience. It offers participants opportunities to explore employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship for meaningful work and living. Employment counselors work individually with clients to assess goals, strengths and challenges with respect to labour market integration. Based on this initial assessment, they offer information and assistance to pursue certification or skills upgrading, explore related occupations, or begin the job search process.
Working with partner organizations, the Mennonite New Life Centre also offers monthly workshops on themes related to:
- Identifying strengths and career goals
- Job search skills: resumes, interviews, networking
- Labour rights
Entrepreneurship Program
Our unique and culturally sensitive entrepreneurship training program supports highly motivated innovators to mobilize their skills and experiences through self-employment. Using an interactive and hands-on methodology, these workshops provide participants with needed tools to put into practice an entrepreneurial idea, while at the same time providing information related to incorporation of a business or social enterprise. Major concepts include planning techniques, resource development and regulatory frameworks.
For more information, please contact Eduardo Garay: egaray@mnlct.org
Bridge Training for Internationally Trained Mental Health Professionals
The Bridge Training Program for Internationally Trained Psychologists and Allied Mental Health Professionals (BTMH) is a continuing education program designed specifically for internationally trained mental health professionals. Combining classroom instruction, supervised work experience, and job search support, this comprehensive and exciting program helps internationally trained professionals build the confidence and skills necessary for successful integration into the Canadian mental health workforce.
For more information, please visit the program website at www.bridgingprograms.org
Interpretation and Translation (Spanish-English)
We offer our clients support with interpretation and translation, from Spanish to English. Volunteer interpreters will accompany clients to appointments with doctors, social workers or lawyers. The service is free, but clients must paid a $6 fee to pay for TTC transportation for the volunteers and advance notice is required. To make a request for an interpreter, please call Carolina Morales at 647-776-2057.
We also offer our clients support with translation and certification of documents for immigration purposes. We are able to provide translation of the following documents only:
- Birth and death certificates
- Marriage and divorce certificates
- Drivers licenses and identity cards
- Criminal record documents
We request a donation of $10/document to help cover the cost of providing this service. Original documents must be provided at least two weeks in advance of the date the translation is needed.
