Brandon - Westman Immigrant Services

Wheat City Medical Clinic Corporation sees benefit of the Brandon Community
Language Centre (BCLC) interpreter service for their patients
Issue
Two
in this issue >>>
Meet our staff
The managers at Wheat City Medical Clinic Corporation are “early
adopters”. In 2009 they were seeking a solution to language barriers that
would move their doctors away from talking to their limited or
non-English speaking patients “through” family members or friends, which
they realized compromised accuracy, impartiality and confidentiality and
possibly the level of service they were able to provide. For the past 4 years
they have been hiring professional interpreters in Mandarin and Spanish at
both medical clinic locations to great success. Here is a brief interview
with David Jaddock, General Manager of Wheat City Medical Clinic:
Can you tell us about Wheat City Medical Clinic?
Wheat City Medical Clinic was opened in 2007 by a group of Brandon
business people to provide physician and pharmacy services to Brandon
and the surrounding area. Our main location is located near the Corral
Centre in north Brandon with five family doctors and a Walk In service.
There is a pharmacy and lab on site. We also have a second location inside
the Brandon Superstore with one family doctor and a Walk In service.
We began using interpreters from BCLC in 2009.
How were your doctors managing before the service?
We were noticing that there were communication issues that often arose
with our international patients who didn’t speak English as their native
language. Sometimes we had to abandon the appointment because we
couldn’t communicate effectively with the patient, or we were using
family members or friends and there were potential confidentiality issues.
Can you give an example of any advantages between using the
professional interpreters and previous practice?
We feel that we are now able to effectively serve the patients because we
can be confident we are communicating and now we can be sure that
we are not only communicating well, but it is confidential which is a
big part of giving good medical service to our patients. By having the
interpreters available, it also gives us an option to ask a patient to come
back during a time when the interpreters are available if we feel we aren’t
communicating well with a patient at any time.
We feel that we are providing a needed service to our patients, and that it is
a way we can give back to our community. We feel that the interpreters
have helped our patients get timely medical care where they may not have
even entered a clinic if there were not interpreters available.
Do you have any other comments about the service?
We are impressed with the professionalism and dedication of the
interpreters and are proud to offer their services to our patients.
For more information about the BCLC interpreter service please call
204.727.2276 or email [email protected]
Settlement support programs
Language Assessment
Volunteer experiences
The benefit of using BCLC interpreters
An Insight into our Services and Programs
David Jaddock, General Manager and Susan
Ireland-Clark of Wheat City Medical Clinic
Westman Immigrant Services
“Assisting People from Around the World”
EMPLOYMENT: START YOUR
OWN BUSSINESS WORKSHOPS
Westman Immigrant Services is pleased to
introduce a brand
new workshop
designed
to assist
entrepreneurs start
their own business.
The workshop will
begin on May 3rd,
2014 and will run
for eight
consecutive weeks.
Unlike prior
business workshops, this workshop will guide
entrepreneurs through every step of the process
from the business idea, product, process,
suppliers, customers, permits, licenses,
business plan, and right up to opening day.
The workshop will be delivered by Karla
Ortega a successful business entrepreneur.
When was Westman
Immigrant Services
created?
Connect with us and
find the answer:
Clark’s Poultry: an inspirational story.
Over the years Westman Immigrant Services has
served the immigrant community and has highlighted
our role in the community that aides in the successful
integration of the immigrant population into the Wheat
City and surrounding areas.
In this newsletter we want to focus on an employer and
look at the success this business has experienced in
the last few years in employing our newcomers.
“What makes a company successful? A quick Google
search reveals that a lot has been written about this
important topic. The answers to this question may vary. For a company named Clark’s Poultry
part of their success is seen in their investment in their employees.
@wisbrandon
Who or what is Clark’s Poultry and what do they have to do with immigrants?
Aubrey Gibson, Director of Operations has this to say:
“Specializing in the marketing and distribution of day-old chicks Clark’s Poultry has been
in business since 1948. In this time there has been significant growth and of course an
increasing need for workers. Like so many businesses these days finding and retaining good
staff is not an easy task.
Thankfully our General Manager Brad Lawson, recognized that there was a new local labour
stream as yet untapped by us. In 2011, with the assistance of Westman Immigrant Services,
two very capable, new to Canada, employees joined our production staff.
Contact us at 204.727.6031
“Assisting people
from around the
world”
1001 Pacific Avenue Brandon, MB, R7A 0J2
www.westmanimmigrantservices.ca
This experience has been so positive and mutually beneficial that we have had a huge amount
of interest from other new Canadians. Today one third of our production staff are Brandon
residents that have immigrated from overseas.”
Westman Immigrant Service is pleased to see Canadian companies such as Clark’s Poultry
reaching out to and hiring our newer immigrants, however, the success story doesn’t end
here. With news of the new immigrant workers joining the team, the staff of Clark’s Poultry
had all their of orientation material translated to Chinese to ensure their new staff understood
Ben Poloquin, WIS Employment Facilitator what was important to the company. Furthermore, the management team also provided the
Aubrey Gibson, Manager, Clark’s Poultry new hires with some EAL classes specifically designed for their operations. Our hats go off to
employers like Clark’s Poultry for going the extra mile, investing in their employees, and
making them feel part of their team.
Meet our staff: Naty Delbridge, Settlement Facilitator
Angela Mowbray, a passion for teaching
What brought you to Brandon?
I was born in the Philippines. I worked in Hong Kong as a Domestic Helper for 4 years
when I was hired as a nanny for a local family with three children. In 1992, after I finished
working for the local family as a nanny, I went to work for McDonalds. I worked my way
up to restaurant manager and worked there for 15 years.
When did you start working at WIS and what roles have you had?
I started working for Westman Immigrant Services in April 2008 as an Intake Worker
and Receptionist. I worked in several different areas of Westman Immigrant Services as
the organization grew including Volunteer Coordinator, Employment Services, and
Brandon Community Language Centre.. Now I am a Settlement Facilitator.
Tell us about your community involvement and volunteer work?
Since 1994, I have been a member of the International Women’s Association of Manitoba.
I have volunteered in the Geriatric Unit at the hospital, with the Lieutenant Governors
Winter Festival since 2004, as the current Chairperson of the Westman Pilipino Community,
and as a Settlement Partner Volunteer at Westman Immigrant Services. I did fundraising
for Ronald McDonald House, volunteered with St. John’s Ambulance, and I am a
parent volunteer for various school related programs.
What do you like most about your job as a Settlement Facilitator here at
SUMMER
CULTURAL EVENTS
Westman Immigrant Services partners with
other organizations and community members
to create cultural events and programs during
the summer. These events not only highlight
the multicultural contribution that newcomers
bring to our community, but they also create
opportunities for cultural integration.
Brandon Multicultural Summer Festival
A perfect kick-off to summer, the Multicultural Summer Festival is a multidisciplinary festival which takes place in Princess
Park the first weekend of July. The event is
free for the public. Currently the festival is
looking for cultural performers of all kinds,
food, art and craft vendors, and volunteers.
The Brandon Global Market
Westman Immigrant Services?
I love the challenge every day of learning something new about
the immigration process and how we can help people transition
to Canada. Seeing clients grow and become more confident and
move their lives forward here in Brandon is very fulfilling. I look
forward to seeing where our services will expand in the future and
look forward to expanding the organization into the community.
My family is first priority for me, I love the work hours and
the ability to be able to balance my work life with my family time.
Naty Delbridge
Family Program: Newcomers Trained for Child Care
The Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care, Manitoba Employment and Income
Assistance, and Westman Immigrant Services offered training on Family Child Care
to selected newcomers. The program was delivered by Assiniboine Community
College. The program aimed to provide support to newcomers to move from
Employment and Income Assistance or low income to work as child care assistants
in child care centres or as licensed family child care providers.
Twenty-two applicants were chosen to take the course.
The 22 students (18 women, 4 men) from China, Colombia,
El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Ukraine and Philippines
learned about starting their own child care business
in their homes, safety and health practices, child
development, behavior management, meal planning and
professionalism.
Upcoming Family Programs
Family Cooking Time ( A free cooking and nutrition class for
newcomer families) April 5th to May 24th (8 Saturdays).
Coming soon! Set Time Aside to Read Together (START),
Nobody’s Perfect Parenting, Drums Alive and more!!
Call Joy Escalera, Family Program Facilitator, at
204.727.6031 Ext. 2231 for more details.
Angela Mowbray is the Head Teacher at Westman Immigrant Services. She was
born in Brandon and grew up on a farm in southwestern Manitoba. After
graduating from Brandon University in 1999, she moved to Kaohsiung, Taiwan
where she lived and worked for the next four and a half years. While in Taiwan,
she worked as an English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher, teacher trainer,
and director of Line-Up Language School. Upon returning to Canada in 2004, she
worked in the public school for a few years before returning to the world of EAL.
Angela has worked at Westman Immigrant Services since 2007. In her role as
Head Teacher, she continues to teach, works in teacher development and runs the
assessment program.
This market provides opportunities to
experience cultural products such as ethnic
food, crafts, and art as well as providing a
venue for fresh produce from local farmers.
The market is a perfect opportunity for
newcomers to share their culture, make some
cash and integrate into the community The
Global Market is for everyone, newcomers
and the community at large. Anyone is
welcome!
If you would like to participate as a
volunteer, vendor or performer in these
events contact Jaime, our Cultural Diversity
facilitator at 204.727.6031 Ext 2239.
SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS
This summer, Westman Immigrant Services
will host ‘Summerific’, a week long summer
day camp for children and youth between the
ages of 8-14. Activities include dance, arts and
crafts, swimming, bowling, tours and sports.
For youth between the ages of 12-18, we
will be running a Babysitters Training Course
at Westman Immigrant Services. This will
provide immigrant youth a chance to advance
their skills, learn about Canadian laws around
childcare and gain a certificate upon
completion. For more information contact
Samantha, our youth facilitator at
204.727.6031 Ext 2233
Class Times
to Fit Any Schedule
Mon. to Thurs.: 8:45—11:15 am.
or 11:45 am.—2:15 pm.
Mon. and Wed. :
7:00—9:00 pm.
Tues. and Thurs.: 7:00—9:00 pm.
Saturday:
9:00 am.—12:00 pm.
English classes to help newcomers
live and work in our community.
Angela Mowbray, Head Teacher
THE LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
When clients come to WIS requesting English classes, they first
must complete the Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement
Test (CLBPT). This assessment uses the Canadian Language
Benchmarks (CLB) to assess how well clients use English in the
four major skill areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Clients are given a score from levels 1-8 for each skill.
After completing the assessment, clients are referred to the
most appropriate English class. The purpose of the CLBPT is
only for placement in English language classes; it is not meant to
be used for college or university entrance or placement, and it is
not intended as a tool for employment purposes
Julia Hamel EAL Classroom Volunteer
How Long have you volunteered for Westman Immigrant Services?
I have volunteered for Westman Immigrant Services for seven and a half years.
What made you think of being a volunteer with this organization?
I had volunteered to teach English in my church some years ago. We were not given
any resources! I knew I would have a better experience with WIS!
Can you describe what you do as a volunteer?
As a volunteer in the English Language Classroom, I, first and foremost, try to make the Julia working with students.
students feel welcome. I assist them one-on-one whenever required and make sure they
have what they need, i.e. dictionaries as well as making sure they are on the "same page" literally as the teacher!
I also help the teacher as needed, like giving out handouts, etc. I'm usually on my feet walking up and down the
classroom as the students work on their assignments: it's easier for them to ask for help that way.
How often do you volunteer in the Classroom?
I volunteer two mornings a week.
Can you describe what you enjoy most about your volunteer position?
I think the most enjoyable moments for me are the "aha" moments when the student finally understands a word
or concept! The staff are great people to work with too.
Are there other areas you have volunteered in since you have been a volunteer for WIS?
Since I started volunteering with WIS I have also become a conversation group facilitator, I've helped with the
Summer Entry Program and I have also helped with clerical work.