What's New
at CultureLink
SEPTEMBER 2015
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In This Issue
Events Last Month
120 Newcomer Peer Leaders Try Boxing
On Thursday September 3rd, at St. Mary's Catholic Secondary School CultureLink (as a Playing 4 Keeps hub) provided 120 Newcomer Orientation Week Peer Leaders with the opportunity to try a new sport - boxing. The event (as shown in the picture in this newsletter's
header) was ....Read More
Five young students from Parkdale Collegiate Institute went on an amazing canoe portage trip in August in Algonquin Park. Accompanied by our own Barbora Gomezova and volunteer....Read more
Algonquin Canoe Adventure
The Picture Day on August 14 was extremely well received with about one hundred people attending to get their profile pictures done. Seventy-one makeovers were done by our professional makeup artists and ...Read More
#PROfile Pic Day

Welcome to the inaugural edition of CultureLink's electronic newsletter. It is the beginning of a new dawn at this organization. It is the first time that CultureLink is publishing a consolidated newsletter that will cover the entire organization and will replace the individual program-based publications. It is also marking the launch of our new Vision 2020: the Strategic Plan for 2015 - 2020 which was approved by the Board of Directors on July 6, 2015.
  Read the entire Message from Ibrahim Absiye , CultureLink Executive Director
Upcoming Events and New Initiatives
Save your date for CultureLink's Annual General Meeting Oct 22
The 2015 AGM will be held at CultureLink office on Thursday, October 22, 6 -9 p.m. (registration will begin at 5:30). Please come to enjoy an evening of inspiring stories, great entertainment, good food and our friendly company. At the event, we will distribute free gently-worn children's clothing and professional attires to clients in need, and there will also be a small silent auction. Please RSVP here. We look forward to seeing you.
The Mentorship Program rolls out a new initiative:  Program Worker Caixia Qian has been collaborating with devoted volunteer mentors and experts from various backgrounds to engage newcomer participants in discussions on living a fuller life in Canada. This new mentoring circle kicked off on September 9 and will continue for 10 weeks. Each week's presentation and discussions will focus on different topics. Learn more and join!
Mark Your Calendar
Sept 29 Manulife Speed-Mentoring, learn more and to register
Oct 2 Impact Day at Deloitte,  learn more and to register
Oct 15 Resume Help Workshop with CIBC Recruiters and  Oct 16 Ernst & Young  Speed-Mentoring, details available soon on our Event site
An Open Love Letter and Goodbye to the Job Search Workshop (JSW)
By Glen Walsh
One day while I was in my office I came across notes from a Job Search Workshop (JSW) meeting dated 1998, which was when the JSW program first began.  Representatives from only five other agencies were in attendance at that meeting. CultureLink was one of the first agencies to offer the JSW program and was  a major contributor ... (Read more)
Now that we are wrapping up JSW, we emailed our clients to inform them that the
The last JSW at CultureLink, September 2015
program will be closed by the federal funder as of September 30, 2015. Letters of appreciation and caring words rolled in from our clients. They wrote:
"I credit finding my first job with the help you provided me. You gave me confidence by making me aware of my accomplishments." 
"I still remember my first day at Culturelink and really sad to know about this.  In the fifth year in Canada whatever success I have all started from Culturelink." 
"The JSW program is such an invaluable guide and resource for newcomers. I'd been clueless if not for the counselors' experience and insights that have made a difference in my current job search." 
Danlie's NOW Story
By Lisa Randall
If we are lucky, our lives are touched by those around us who have overcome great obstacles, who have inspired us and who light the way for others to follow. When was the last time you had this experience? No doubt you were moved and breathed in as if to grasp the moment and hold it. I am still holding a moment that took place on September 3, 2015 at the St. Mary's Newcomer Orientation Week Program (NOW) when Danlie Rae Acebuque passionately shared his song. 
In his own words: 
"As an immigrant, it is really difficult to adjust and to blend in with society especially if you were a small fish thrown into a big water. Like other immigrants, I felt paranoid and anxious about what would be the next step as I opened my new journey here in Canada. The NOW Program helped me get through that as they welcomed newcomers like me to school. Over the years, NOW helped me in many ways especially in communication as it is important during your post-secondary year (Danlie today) not only to make friends, but also to have the charisma and confidence for job interviews. To return the favour, I always go back to the program to volunteer such as being a peer leader to assist new students and to perform a song to welcome the students and also to promote my love for the art of music". Danlie is following his dream and in so doing, encouraging newly arrived youth to do the same.
CultureLink | | [email protected] | http://www.culturelink.ca
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CultureLink Agency E-Newsletter Editorial Team (Inaugural Issue): Fei Tang and Rebecca Gadsden 
 Submit your stories for our October Newsletter to [email protected] by October 9 

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