November 15, 2016 3 Comments

Why volunteering is essential to job search in Canada

A study published on Statistics Canada shows that only 39% of immigrants did some volunteer work during the course of the year as compared to 49% of the Canadian-born.

CanPrep program’s recent webinar on “Harnessing the Power of Networking for Professional Success ” covered Volunteering as a vital tool to build on your network as a newcomer to Canada. Volunteering gives newcomers an opportunity to start using your skills from Day 1 of arriving here and also to develop new skills. Some immigrants who need to brush up on their English or French skills can do so while volunteering. Volunteering will not only give you practical knowledge of Canadian workplace but also add valuable Canadian experience to your resume. Networking opportunities offered by volunteering helps you tap into the “hidden job market” which can represent as much as 80% of available jobs. You can learn more about the hidden job market in CanPrep’s eLearning modules on ‘Getting Hired in Canada’

This article published on our blog by Joanna Samuels discusses more reasons for why a newcomer should volunteer.

Gain related professional experience.

Research and identify organizations that have legitimate volunteer departments, represent causes that are meaningful for you, and that have possible spots where you can gain work experience, learn and improve your skills and qualifications. Check out sites such as Charity Village, Working in Non-profit, Volunteer Toronto, your relevant sector council or professional association as places to volunteer.

Build and Leverage Your Professional Network.

While you are volunteering, be dedicated and apply the same effort to your volunteering as you would as an employee. Always make sure your work gets done. Be as helpful as possible to others. Make an effort to have lunch with the team, and find other opportunities to start meeting other people at the company. Build a relationship with your supervisor because they may be able to refer you to a colleague for another opportunity.

Help others and help yourself.

Research reports that adults who volunteer may live longer and healthier lives and it increases empathy and compassion. It’s not good to isolate yourself when you are looking for work. Volunteering can help you get out of your home and get involved in positive experiences, as well as get the positive feeling that you are giving back to the community.

Bridge the gaps in your resume.

Add your volunteer experience to your resume and social media presence. Employers value candidates who make a difference in the community; it helps you answer the question “what are you doing right now?” It also covers the gap in your work history and keeps you busy while you are looking for paid employment.

How to prepare for volunteering before you arrive:

If you are an Internationally Trained professional and you understand that volunteering can be an excellent tool to give you a head-start into your career in Canada, here are ways you can start preparing even before you arrive:

Research organizations that offer positions in or close to your field
Establish connection with the organization to understand their needs
Few weeks before arrival write to the organization and inform that you are interested in volunteering as soon as you arrive

Resources to find Volunteering opportunities in Canada:

volunteer.ca

charityvillage.com

LinkedIn volunteer board

Canadian Volunteer Directory

United Nations Association in Canada

Idealist.org

Onlinevolunteering.org

October 17, 2016 Leave a Comment

CanPrep Webinar: Harnessing the Power of Networking for Professional Success

When you’re a Newcomer to Canada, building professional connections is a great way to find opportunities that could lead to employment. Networking with professionals in your field for information and career growth should be part of your job search and is a great way to build your personal brand.

This interactive webinar is Presented by JVS Toronto (CanPrep) in partnership with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). The webinar will help you gain insights on how to network and build social capital through specialized groups and volunteerism for professional integration and success.

You will learn about:

Increased awareness of specialized programs and how these programs can help with successful networking.
Gain greater knowledge on how skills-based volunteering can assist with achieving professional goals.
Hear an Internationally Educated Professional share how networking helped to grow his personal brand and successfully settle in Canada.

Click on the “Play” button to view the webinar.

Our Panelists:

Monina Febria, Program Coordinator, Professional Immigrant Networks (PINs), TRIEC
Paula Speevak, President and CEO, Volunteer Canada
Renan Orquiza, P.Eng. Project Manager, Watters Environmental Group Inc.

Facilitator:

Irene Vaksman, Director, Newcomer Services, JVS Toronto

To register for more informative webinars and other services offered by CanPrep, click here: https://www.jvstoronto.org/pre-arrival/canprep/#canprep-registration

October 6, 2016 Leave a Comment

JVS Toronto AGM 2016 Highlights: The Power of Employment in Precarious Times

The Power of Employment in Precarious Times
With summer-like weather, JVS Toronto held its 69th Annual General Meeting on September 21, 2016 at Beth Torah Congregation. We celebrated and reflected on a wonderful year, paid tribute to our outgoing Board Chair Susan Fremes, and welcomed Jeff Goldfarb, Incoming Chair, to his new position.

“It has indeed been a very transformative, powerful and enriching experience to serve as JVS Toronto’s Board Chair. For me it is all about the work our agency does, our amazing staff, and my fellow Board and Committee members,” expressed Susan.

Keynote speaker Brian Prousky, Executive Director, Jewish Family and Child, and Kim Coulter, President & CEO, talked about the critical impact poverty and unemployment has on the Jewish and greater community, and the united approach the Jewish social service sector has initiated to improve the lives of those affected.

Poverty doesn’t discriminate

“What do we know of poverty today?,” asked Brian Prousky before sharing startling facts about poverty in the Jewish community published in UJA Federation’s 2015 study, The Face of Poverty, emphasizing that being poor is not a choice but caused by unfortunate life events or circumstances. Brian explained how the social services community is working together to improve the lives of those affected by poverty through the UJA-led Collective Impact Steering Committee to End Jewish Poverty.

When you’re unemployed, all you need to do is find a job. Right?

During her speech, Kim Coulter said that like poverty, unemployment is not a choice but circumstantial. “Finding work today is a tough job,” Kim said, noting that permanent jobs with benefits are decreasing and contract, temporary or part-time jobs are increasing. Along with the difficult labour market, challenging personal circumstances like limited English language skills, employment gaps, a disability or a criminal record can greatly diminish someone’s chances of employment.

“Our vision is that every individual has opportunities for employment,” Kim stated, explaining that JVS Toronto’s employment programs support those most at risk of falling into poverty – youth, single parents, single adults, recent immigrants, and people with disabilities. Showing JVS Toronto’s 2015-16 annual report called The Power of Employment in Precarious Times; Kim encouraged attendees to read about the challenging circumstances that can lead to unemployment and poverty, and the community effort that takes place every day to help people become self-sufficient.

Tribute to Al Green

A great friend and supporter of JVS Toronto

Al and David Green — Lipa Green (shown in photo), Al Green (left), David Green (right)

Al Green, a long-time friend and supporter of JVS Toronto, passed away on January 22, 2016.

The Green family’s support of the agency spans three generations, beginning with patriarch Lipa Green who served on the Board of Directors in the 1950s. Lipa’s legacy is continued by Al and Malka Green, and David Green and Daphne Wagner, whose financial contribution led to the building of the Al Green Resource Centre in 2003.

In a tribute to Al Green, Karen Goldenberg, former JVS Toronto President & CEO, reflected that users of the centre are “so grateful to Al and his family, proving time and again to be long-standing and dear friends of the organization.”

“I like to think that the actions of his descendants, and those others whom he influenced, are and will continue to be one of, if not his greatest, gifts,” expressed David Green who spoke on behalf of his family about his father’s legacy.

The Board of Directors and staff of JVS Toronto are extremely grateful for the compassion and generosity of the Green family whose support continues to ensure that people with developmental disabilities lead richer and more fulfilling lives.

2015-16 Award Winners

Jeff Goldfarb, Incoming Chair, began the award presentations by saying, “Whether award winners are being honoured as an employer, a client or a volunteer each made a commitment to use our services to better their life, or the lives of others. Each recipient put trust in JVS Toronto and our ability to help them. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank you for instilling that trust in us.”

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients:

Avadis Jamjian, Joseph Skolnik Award for New Canadians
Ela Paz, Betty Skolink Award for Emerging Professionals
Bethel International, Eunice & David Mouckley Outstanding Employer of the Year Award
Mehran Vahedi, Manny Mitchell Award for Excellence in Volunteerism
Thamer Mite, Berger Family Inspirational Award

See you next year!

Thank you to all those who attended! We hope you found that the evening challenged your perception of those who are unemployed or affected by poverty; and along with the achievements of our award winners, you left us with a deeper understanding of JVS Toronto’s role in giving the power of employment!

Join us for next year’s AGM on September 13, 2017.

October 3, 2016 Leave a Comment

How online mentoring (CanPrep) can help you find a job in Canada

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
– John C. Crosby

Potential new immigrants who are in the process of immigrating to Canada soon have many things on their mind – A new life, new work environment, new world. They have all these questions they want answers to – What kind of job opportunities should I be applying to? Do I have a resume that is right for the Canadian job market? How do I write an effective cover letter that can get me results? What are the expectations from me in my new Canadian work place? Our program participants have shared with us that they just want someone to listen to them, direct them and validate them. They need a mentor.

A ‘mentor’ is usually a more knowledgeable or experienced person who guides the less knowledgeable or experience person often referred to as the ‘mentee’.

At CanPrep, we offer online mentoring as part of our pre-arrival employment services to Canada. Our mentoring program – Canada InfoNet connects Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) to experienced professionals in Canada who act as mentors.

Who are our mentors?

Our mentors are passionate and motivated professionals who understand the challenges of immigration, many from personal experiences. They are investing their time to give mentees a better understanding of their industry in Canada. They want to help build their confidence which is essential to setting and achieving personal goals.

The primary motivation of Mentors of our online program is to provide guidance and support. They share their knowledge of industry standards and practices, certifications, training and education, and the job search itself through a safe and easy online format. This has helped mentees formulate strong job search strategies which has a huge impact on how soon they can find employment.

Why online mentoring?

There are many ways that a Mentor’s time and effort can have an impact. Mentees will:

Gain insight into Canadian work and values
Understand current workplace and industry trends
Receive critical feedback on resumes and interview techniques
Get help with self-marketing techniques and confidence building
Identify skills required by market demands, and guidance on licensing processes in their province of landing
Gain access to professional networks
Understand how to present themselves in the best possible light to potential employers

What is the impact of mentoring on program participants?

Nitesh is a professional who is in the process of immigrating to Canada. He applied to CanPrep and started working with his Employment Counsellor on the different components of the program. Since he had optimal time for a 10 week partnership with an online mentor, his Counsellor connected him to Rick who has been a star mentor with Canada InfoNet for many years now. Nitesh (mentee) and Rick (mentor) used the online mentoring system to discuss various topics that Nitesh had concerns about. Towards the end of the partnership, Nitesh felt:

It was a wonderful experience to interact with a working professional who has been living in Canada for many years and who knows the complete ins and outs of the labor market there. For a new immigrant like me, the most important part is to get guidance on how I can get a job in a competitive market. I am glad that I was connected to an experienced and knowledgeable mentor through CanPrep and I really got a very good insight on how things work in the Canadian job market.

His online mentor had contributed to building his confidence to start a new phase of life for him and his family.

How does online mentoring work?

Mentors and mentees are usually signed up on Canada InfoNet which is an online, interactive, mentoring platform. Each mentoring partnership lasts for 10 weeks long. The partnership goes through 5 different stages of Orientation – Relationship building – Learning Conversations – Building Networks – Moving On.

The online discussions occur on a secure private discussion board at a time of convenience for the mentor and the mentee. The program requires at least a weekly 1 hour communication in total. This gives enough opportunity to build a relationship between the two and also to move through the various phases of the program.

How to sign up for online mentoring?

Internationally Educated Professionals with a permanent resident visa, still living in their home country and planning to arrive in Canada in the next 3 to 6 months are eligible for online mentoring. To begin with, they can sign up for the CanPrep program here. Once their eligibility has been established, a CanPrep Employment Counsellor will get in touch with them for the next steps.

September 20, 2016 Leave a Comment

CanPrep in the spotlight on New Canadians web show

JVS Toronto‘s pre-arrival employment program CanPrep – is a free specialized employment program. This online program is designed for internationally trained individuals relocating to anywhere in Canada. CanPrep was recently in the spotlight when New Canadians interviewed our very own – Irene Vaksman (Director of Newcomer Services) for their web show. New Canadians is a rich and informative web and TV show portraying stories of recent immigrants making Canada their home.

Click on the “Play” button to view the full interview.