SfCAnnualReport_2011_2012

Annual
Report
2011/2012
Message from the Chair
This has been an exciting year for
Skills for Change and for me as Chair
of the Board of Directors. Through
the work and dedication of our staff,
volunteers, partners, sponsors and
funders, the agency launched a
series of successful conferences
including our Conference for
International Engineers held at MaRS
Discovery District, opened two new
locations to provide both service and
spaces for us to continue to be
innovative and responsive to the
needs of internationally trained
professionals, and secured the
funding to enhance service delivery
30 Years Young
in all locations through the
introduction of technology and
structural enhancements.
Most, daringly, we also embarked on
an innovative fundraising endeavor,
bringing together the talents and
resources of the non-profit and
private sectors and the artistic
community to share the stories of
Pioneers for Change; established
immigrants who have navigated the
stages of the immigration experience
to succeed in their new home to the
benefit of all Canadians.
For an organization of our size to be
able to accomplish so much in a
single year, and to have established
Page 1
itself as an essential resource over
the past three decades requires the
vision, spirit, dedication and
commitment of so many talented and
committed people.
I am honoured to take this
opportunity to thank our staff and
volunteers, our mentors and
instructors, our partner employers,
generous corporate sponsors and
our funders.
Peter Perdue, Chair
Board of Directors
2011–2012
Board of
Directors
Chair
Peter Perdue
Treasurer
Peter Rumyee
Vice-Chair
Katherine Rivington
Secretary
Kevin West
Board Members
Colette Delaney
Catherine Kenwell
George Preger
Tatjana Radovanovic
Eiraj Sohail
Helen Tam
Diana Wielgus
The Case for Working with
Web Apps: presented by
Rahi Delvi, Innoweave
Conference, February 2012
@Innoweave
Why Innovation Matters
In March 2012, we received word from the Ministry of Citizenship and
Immigration that Engineering Your Future and Career Transitions for
International Medical Doctors – two of our most successful projects – would
not be renewed. We had just 10 days to respond to the news, unexpected
given the demand for the programs, and representing a 20% budget cut.
After a year of continuous exploration of technology and models for service
delivery, we were ahead of the curve with new ideas, and we were ready to
turn adversity into opportunity.
In 2011-2012, we took a test-drive of working in an environment of rapid
change. We were getting used to the fact that change is the new reality and
that innovation is the key to meeting the challenges in front of us.
I believe that a nimble approach and concurrent innovation is vital, but it must
be grounded in an understanding of the people we serve. Skills for Change is
deeply connected to clients and invested in their success. In an era of
cutbacks, policy changes and a demographic reality that makes employment
and immigration more important than ever, we are identifying areas for
efficiencies, while still managing quality control and offering the services that
are needed to develop the workforce of the future.
Program priorities are shifting in response to a sea-change of client
requirements and preferences. Skills for Change is at the forefront of that
change – harnessing social media, SaaS and cloud-based technologies, a
mobile workforce and delivery model, and forging partnerships that extend
beyond the established boundaries of social services.
Cheryl May, Executive Director
Page 2
Year at a Glance
April: e-mentoring exploration
Following an extensive review of our
Mentoring for Change program, work
began in earnest to implement an ementoring solution. The goals
included: improved workflow and
efficiency, removing geographic and
other barriers, and maintaining
consistency in the mentoring
relationship. We began exploring ementoring options including TRIEC,
Dreamcatcher and Chronus.
May: Pioneers for Change
feasibility study
2012 marked the 20th anniversary of
the New Pioneers Awards – and a lot
had changed since 1992. Our first
order of business was to undertake a
feasibility study to review the venue,
timing and format of the event. Our
idea was to take the impact of the
event from one fantastic evening and
expand it through digital media and a
communications strategy that
continues year-round. June: 791 St. Clair renovation
project
G.E.T.U.P. participants working on a challenge
discussions with Robin Fowler of the
Offord Group to begin to consider the
role of philanthropy at Skills for
Change.
August: Mentorpalooza!
On August 18th, Skills for Change
hosted Mentorpalooza! a recognition
and celebration of mentoring in the
GTA. Mentorpalooza! was a showcase
for the impact of mentoring. Speakers
presented on areas of growth of
various mentoring programs in the
GTA such as internal business
mentoring, youth mentoring, and
woman-to-woman entrepreneurial
mentoring.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation
approved a grant for matching funds
to “make energy and safety upgrades
to the St. Clair Avenue West facility
that will make for a safer and more
welcoming experience for immigrant
and newcomer clients and community
partner organizations.” Architect David
Fujiwara was contracted to manage
the project. David has been involved
with SfC since the search for a space
and the purchase of 791 St. Clair Ave.
W. in 1994.
September: G.E.T.U.P.!
July: Exploring philanthropy
October: Google me
Should Skills for Change be in the
fundraising game? We launched
The agency completed the move to
Google email for business. This new
way of managing email and other
online documentation opened up new
opportunities for collaboration,
including chat, document sharing/
editing functionality and repository
websites to better share information
across multiple locations. Google for
business also meant that we had
access to 100s of great new apps,
such as online video-conferencing,
password vault, screen capture and
image editors. The transition made
experimentation with virtual services
and program augmentations a reality,
and a way to take us outside of bricks
and mortar locations.
November: diversity@work
conference
The second diversity@work
conference, held November 9th at
KPMG, brought together employers,
government and the non-profit sector
to discuss faith and the way it impacts
values, ethics, leadership, and
attitudes towards work in our rapidly
diversifying workplace. Presentations
included a keynote from Senator Don
Meredith, co-founder and executive
director of the GTA Faith Alliance.
A new spin on settlement
programming, the Greatest Ever
Toronto Urban Pursuit (G.E.T.U.P.), an
interactive scavenger hunt, introduced
newcomers to Toronto in an engaging
new way. Thirty people took part,
breaking up into teams of three for a
race around Toronto where they were
introduced to new locations around
the city and had to complete fun
challenges in order for a chance to win
the grand prize!
Page 3
Former Board Chair, Catherine Kenwell, and
Senator Don Meredith, keynote speaker.
December: Employment
Ontario model
In December work began on
developing an EO business model
canvas, utilizing methods of “business
model generation” to establish a new
model for services, with a specific
focus on EO outcomes.
We also held an “Insider Event” for
core agency supporters to unveil the
new innovation agenda.
January: Trades come to York
Region
Skills for Change expanded into York
Region with the new Trades Win
program launching in a shared
services model at the Parya Trillium
Foundation hub, located in Markham.
February: Innovation office
An innovation office, at the Centre for
Social Innovation, established access
to a creative space for private work
and “offsite” meetings and plugged
the agency into social entrepreneurs
and social ventures to seed new ideas
and new ways to look at our work.
March: New program &
engineering conference
International Women’s Day was the
launch date for our new initiative,
funded by Status of Women Canada.
Over 200 international engineers
attended our conference at MaRS,
focusing on trends and opportunities
in engineering.
Presenters, engineering conference: Hon Jean
Augustine and Charles Achampong, TRIEC.
Page 4
Employees
Adele Sacks
Alain Graham
Alma Arguello
Anabel Antunes
Kerry Kelly
Kim Mitchell
Larissa De Oliveria
Leslie Wagner
Shabnum Budhwani
Sheila Hellier
Siva Logananthan
Steven Beaupre
Toronto Catholic District
School Board
Ivanka Mianova
Sherylanne Soares
Anna Bassovets
Andrew Chung
April Barcier
Atousa Mohtahedi
Barbara Egarhos
Liza Butcher
Lynda Davey-Longstreet
Maggie Xu
Mahesh Rohit
Manoj Paul
Sue MacKinnon
Suraiya Wajih
Tanya Hawrylyshyn
Tanya Lauder
Tetyana Dzhala
Rayisa Ovcharova
Valli DiLallo
Nazira Hazmath
Bill Andrianopoulos
BIll Waicus
Brototi Parui
Cheryl May
Christina Keith
Maria Estrellita Manrique
Marie Soulodre
Marlon Tinoco
Marzieh Sarvi
Maya Rattan
Tolu Aniemena
Varni Tayalan
Veronica Caldare
Yukiko Pascal
Corina S. Carvallo
Cristina Codreanu
Danielle Holder-Mondesire
Dave Foster
David Lovelock
Michele Raposo
Michelle Edmunds
Mimi Chandy
Mona Ali
Mulugeta Metaferia
Deborah Salmon
Denada Likaj
Deniz Kucukceylan
Erick Portillo
Ermira Simeqi
Nafeesa Afridi
Nasra Smith
Natalie Meecham
Nawar Madhi
Nelson Briceno
Faduma Muse
Farnaz Esfahanian
Fatima Becukic
Girish Kizhakkathil
Grace Ho
Nicoleta Verdes
Nina Artemenko
Norma Bernal
Olga Grupp-Boland
Oliver Pryce
Haimanot Habte
Holly Best
Ian Cooper
Ivy Zhang
Jalileh Helalat
Palwasha Salehy
Paul Basgan
Rahi Delvi
Rashid Osman
Rebecca Newton
ESL Instructors
ESL is offered in
partnership with school
boards.
Jemima Sabapathy
Jesette Nepomuceno
John Cox
Josée Gillette
Juan Segura
Redi Martini
Roland Rhooms
Rosaline Graham
Rose A. Smith
Rozina Budhwani
Toronto District School
Board
Divina Trupe
Galina Kichigina
Mary Goodman-Campbell
Judy Csillag
Kanchan Lakhotia
Katerina Cepero
Ruben Garcia
Sabra Ali
Samantha Koon
Justina Maruszeczko
Stan Hister
Thanks Bill!
Anniversaries
5 years
Cristina Codreanu
Deborah Salmon
Ian Cooper
Farnaz Esfahanian
Michelle Edmunds
Nasra Smith
Nicoleta Verdes
Rashid Osman
15 years
Bill Waicus
Page 5
Bill Waicus has been
keeping Skills for Change
“connected” for 15 yeas -with a dedication to
making sure the agency’s
technology keeps pace
with the reality of
jobseekers and employers.
In 2011-2012, Bill lead a
review of fee-based
Techskills courses,which
resulted in the launch of an
updated business plan that
will roll out in 2012.
Volunteers
As a charitable organization, Skills for Change relies on the expertise, enthusiasm and energy of volunteers.
The Board of Directors, who are all volunteers, recognize the importance of volunteers in every aspect of
what we do. Volunteers make the difference: The contributions and impact of these exceptional people make
it possible to envision a Canada where every immigrant succeeds.
Agency
Ansonett Palmer
Ayaz Ahmad
Chaim Fachler
Colin Lindsell
Danica Jaklin
Davann So
Denise Araiche
Diana Wielgus
Dorene Weston
Edmund Tin
Eli Boushy
Elizabeth Reynolds
Elvino Sousa
Frank Duong
George Boicu
Howard Adams
Iris Tam
Jack Wu
Jamal Deen
Janet Mary Dejeres
Jeff Brown
Jianhong Wu
Joana Beaton
John Hui
John Noto
Judith Kaufman
Kah hock(Danny) Koh
Kara Jafar
Kathy Hall
Kim Allen
Loly Rico
Lucil Lukban
Magda Gomez
Margaret De Melo
Marleene West
Martin Mounir
Naagla Karim
Neil Silva
Munish Mohendroo
Naagla Karim
Rama Bhat
Renae Addis
Benni Devasia
Bill Gentles
Binu Mathai
Brenda Forrester
Sinforiana Campbel
Sonia Williams
Tony Martino
Ritesh Malik
Sabra Desai
Sarah Jarrett
Sashar Zarif
Shalomi Halder
Brenda Foster
Brent Casey
Brij Sharma
Cara Gibbons
Carla Lucchetta
Shirley Taylor
Sinforiana Campbel
Soheil Parsa
Sonia Williams
Susanna Shum
Carol Yang
Celia Wong
Changiz Sadr
Ciaran McGeown
Cindy Raymer
Tiffany Chang
Tim Peters
Yukiko Pascual
Claire stevenson
Consuelo Solar
Craig Mavin
Dan Daniel
Dan Morin
Events
Albert Wallrap
Ansonett Palmer
Angela Sarino
Carmen Jacques
Carol Pipka
Amy Moran
Catherine Kenwell
Cheryl Sebastian
Endrit Mullisti
Florimar Indriago
Genna Radus
George Boicu
Hazel Mintoz
Howarda Tawfik
Janet Mary Dejeres
John Noto
Kah hock (Danny) Koh
Lily Lian
Lucil Lukban
Magda Gomez
Marlene Lobo
Margaret De Melo
Marleene West
Maryann S. Besharat
Matt Petersen
Melanie Farrell
Mir Nizamui Islam
Mulugeta Metaferia
Mentors
Alan Wen
Albert Moreira
Alberto Quiroz
Alberto Segura
Alfredo Lopez
Ali Lodi
Alice Eastman
Amy Nguyen
Ana Maksimovic
Anant Mathur
Andrew Yang
Anil Sambhi
Ann Bradt
Anna Ramlakhan
Antoine Belaieff
Arezoo Araie
Ashraf Asadul
Benjamin Leung
Page 6
Dan Petirs
Daniel Salas
Danny Ramlochan
Daphne Britto
David Lovelock
Deborah D'Amico
Deborah Antenore
Delinda Smith
Deniz Gunalan
Diana McLennan
Eiraj Sohail
Elenita Dizon
Elizabeth Lewis
Enrique Enriquez
Eric Acuna
Etienne Castelli-Pochon
Eugene Tanase
Eva Lew
Farnaz Esfahanian
Fatemeh Nahavandi
Frank Dias
Gauri Guha
Marcin Dyla
Margareta Petrescu
Margaux Sullivan
Maria Chan
Samrat Joshi
Samy Ramachandran
Sanjay Sharma
Sanju Ganglani
Manuelita Toledo
Melody Madina
Nazeeh Masri
Nazira Asanalieva
George Preger
Gillian McCleary
Giovanna Gatti
Giselli Anania Munoz
Glen Matadeen
Marie Soulodre
Marija Kvesic
Marta Bates
Marta Rzeszowska
Chavent
Sara Aminaei
Seumas So
Shamsul Arefeen
Shan Shivpaul
Shirley Zhou
Nicholas Chung-Man Sun
Romy Wen
Sujeewa Abeyasinghe
Wen Ma
Habtamu Tolera
Hal Niedzviecki
Hardik Kumar Dave
Heather Hunt
Hena Francis
Maryna Masarik
Marzieh Sarvi
Maurice Platero
Melinda McClean
Michael Schafler
Sipo Maphangoh
Sivaloganathan
Thanabalasingam
Srna Stambuk
Stephanie Black
Huazi (Paula) Cong
Ian Daly
Jack Wu
Jaffar Husain
Jason Li
Michael Whalen
Milka Stupar
Miriam Granek
Mitchell Gomes
Mohinder S. Grover
Stephanie Guillen
Stephanie Hui
Stephen Hogg
Stephen Rieder
Sudhakar Pulagam
Jassie Dhaliwal
Jayesh Adeshra
Jean Louis Tisambi
Limbangu
Jessica Knox
Monica Carini
Muhammad Shah
Nasser Laffafian
Natasha Stoddart
Olga Ziman Sabbagh
Sunita Kak
Susana Munarriz
Symone Williamson
Tamara Doerksen
Tamara Sutherland
Joanne Kniht
John Crossley
John Lu
Jonquil Eyre
Joseph Konecny
Oluyinka Leigh
Pablo Perez
Pat kandiah
Patricia Paz-Soldan
PK Jain
Tiffany Chang
Tracy Docheff
Umair Shah
Viktorija Livins
Walter Vulej
Julian Patino
Kamal Gogna
Karim Manaa
Kaustubh Kala
Ken Graham
Puneet Mann
Rachel Guthrie
Raff Bruno
Rahi Delvi
Randy Rowett
Wasee Munim
Wendy Fletcher
Xiaobo Wang
Yasmine Janjua
Yuli Markova
Kewal Kharbanda
Krishna Vickneswaran
Lalit Sharma
Lan Nguyen
Laura Lecona
Rasim Dedeic
Ratna Chaudhary
Rebecca Newton
Ricardo Nicholas
Richard Lecours
Zorida Shaw
Laurence Kuysten
Lilian Bartja
Li Chang
Lindy Small
Liva Randrembason
Rishara Sabaratnam
Rishi Kumar
Rita Marchese
Ritu Narayan
Ronan Carrig
Lucy Bettencourt
Luis J Rodriguez
Lynda-Davey-Longstreet
Manish Jain
Rose On
Ruth Bartholomeusz
Saad Shaikh
Sajid Rizvi
Tax Clinic
Amadou Diallo Andrea Zipa
Antonina Solodova
Elena Seleznjova
Fernando Candelo
Gilles Franck
Gina El Zobeir
Gladys Guerrero
Luis Gonzalez
Maksim Gonyakin
Page 7
Mentoring for
Change
Mentoring volunteers share
both their time and
valuable stories, advice
and guidance. In 2011,
Skills for Change launched
a new Alumni Mentoring
initiative to encourage our
former mentees to become
mentors, with a specific
focus on the first months
at a new job. We are
helping yesterday’s job
seekers become today’s
mentors and tomorrow’s
employers.
The Mentoring
Partnership
Skills for Change also
connects Employment
Ontario clients with
mentors through the
Mentoring Partnership, a
program of TRIEC.
www.thementoring
partnership.com
Employers
Skills for Change is committed to building strong relationships with employers in the GTA and to creating
mutually beneficial partnerships that allow new Canadians to gain experience in the Canadian workforce and
employers to tap into the talent and energy of internationally trained professionals. Thank you to our
employer-partners.
Addeco
Adlib
Aerotek Scientific LLC (Allegis
Group)
Apotex
Appointmentsetter
Astley Gilbert
Aya Kitchens B2B Development Network
Bank of Montreal
Bastone Electrical
Contractors
Best Buy
Better Living Health and
Community Services
BMO Bank of Montreal
Bramic Sales Inc
Business Telecom
Campo Equipment Co. Ltd
Canadian Business College
Canadian Journalists for Free
Expression
Canadian Men’s Clinic
Canadian Society of
Immigration Consultants
Canadian Urban Institute
Carlton Cards
Celestica
Champs
Chih S. Huang & Associates
Inc
Chisholm Fleming
CIBC
Cintas Canada
ClearSky Advisors
CMI Insights
Comlink Telecommunications
Services Inc
Community Action Resource
Centre
Community Catalyst In Action
Ontario
Compugen
Copy-Tech Limited
Couto Law Office
Crane Cashcode
Cronin Contracting Inc.
Danier
Daymak
DC Solar Power
DN Accounting
Downsview Chrysler Toronto
Edgewater Group
Elections Canada
Embrace
Energy Network Services
Envision Sales Inc.
E-T-A Circuit Breakers Ltd.
European Quality Meat &
Sausages
Flight Centre Eastern Canada
Friends and Advocates
Centre
Friends of the Greenbelt
Foundation
Fountain Dairy Products
Furniture Bank
Gabriel Detesan and
Associates
GAP Outlet
Garage
Girl Guides of Canada
Global Taxation
Golder Associates
Grey Island
Handi Foods Ltd
Hidi Rei
HMV
Holcim
Hooper Holmes
HUB Coffee House
IC Savings Better Banking
ILAC
Imperial Trading Corporation
Innovative Vision
Intergraph Ltd
IPEX
Ivic Construction
Jerry J. Copuroglu,
Professional Corporation
JVX Ltd.
Keetsa
Kendle early stages
KISKO Products
Korean Food Trading
Lindsay Service
Linamar Guelph
MainTECH Group
Mak Tax Accounting Services
Manpasos Consulting
Manpower
Maple Therm Engineering
Maria Cruzado Accounting
Maria Cruzado& Associates
Maxxam Analytics
McArthur Properties
MCIS Non-Profit Language
Services
Micro Management
Bookkeeping
Ministry of Community Safety
and Correctional Services
Nekison Engineering
New Circles
No Frills
Noel & Associates
North American Institute of
Pharmaceutical Technology
ONEXONE
Ontario Council for
International Cooperation
Ontario Medical Imaging
Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Science Centre
Ottawa Civic Hospital
Paragon Security
Par-Pak Ltd
Pasta Co.
PepsiCo Canada
Picture Picture Innovative Art
Designs
Plexxus
Pollutech Enviormental Ltd
Pre-Apprenticeship Training
Institute Inc.
PRO-Art
Re/Max West Realty Inc.,
Brokerage
Rexdale Community Health
Centre
SC360
Sensors Quality Management
Inc
Shani Accounting
Page 8
Showcase
Sick Kids Hospital
Sirens
SNC-Lavalin
Social Venture Partners
Toronto
Soft Mocs
SOHO Framing
Space age Shelving
SSS Cabinet
St. Helen's Meat Packers
St. Josephs Hospital
Starbucks
Stepstones for Youth
Sun life Financial
SuziRoher
TD Bank
Textron
Textronics Communications
Ltd
The Centre for Community
Learning and Development
(CCL&D)
The Lung Association
The Mercury Press
Thomson Electric Inc
Toronto Community
Foundation
Toronto Western Hospital
Toys’R’Us
Trans America Canada Life
Tridel
Trophy Foods
VALE Inco
Vaughan Health Centre
Viatron
VIQ Solution
Wal-Mart
Walter’s Inc.
Watt Worx Electrical Corp
Wellytails Inc.
West Parry Sound Health
Centre
Weston Foods
Winners
Women’s College Hospital
Xela International Inc
Zeem
Advisors & Consultants
Communications
Idea Workshop, Brenda van Ginkel
Pioneers for Change feasibility study
Denise Ariache, Michael Bach, Sabra Desai, Brian Fox,
Josephine Grayson, Kathy Hall, Jennifer Lynn, George Preger
Pioneers for Change film project
Anneli Ekborn, Ingrid Veninger
Strategy
Michael Charles, Robin Cory, Jonquil Eyre Consulting, Robin
Fowler/The Offord Group, Dr. Alex Jadad, John Monahan,
Venture Deli
Settlement
Employment
3902
9348
Number of clients assessed
and supported through
Information and referral
across our five locations.
Number of job seekers
registered with Skills for
Change across all program
and service delivery programs
992
476
No-cost language
assessments conducted to
ensure the best training
options for improving the
English and/or French
language skills of clients.
People registered with the
mentoring program, which
facilitates professional,
settlement and language
mentoring between clients and
volunteer mentors.
30
4748
Number of newcomer
clients who participated in
the inaugural G.E.T.U.P.
interactive scavenger hunt
Number of chairs needed to
accommodate participants
who joined in our wide variety
of career-related workshops
Social Venture
Partners
Toronto
We are proud to be working
with SVPT! In year 2 of our
3-year project we
developed an Employer
Engagement Strategy and
supporting infrastructure to
leverage the multiple ways
we interact with employers,
our mutual benefit and
shared values.
Project lead, Franklin
Garrigues
Team: Catherine Ackerson,
Steven Brown, Lindsay
Cross, Hugh Frost, Jane
Gaskell, Danielle Olsen,
Lisa Smecca, Steve White,
Denize Zarn
www.svptoronto.org
Did you know?
Page 9
Skills for change
commitment to teaching
career skills began in
1983 with seven
typewriters donated by
IBM?
Programs
Events
Career Transitions for
International Medical Doctors
We are deeply grateful to the following
experts who volunteered their time and
expertise to the event program.
Employment Ontario
Engineering Your Future
Mentorpalooza
Information Assessment and
Training
Canadian Language
Benchmark Assessments
(English / French)
English as a Second
Language Courses (ESL)
Language Instruction for
Newcomers (LINC)
Settlement/Sector-specific
Information sessions and
workshops
Job preparation for
Internationally Trained
Accountants and
Bookkeepers
Finance and Office Assistant
Program
Maintenance and ElectroMechanic Program
Innovation Office
Diversity Workshops
Gender Consideration When
Developing Programming for
Immigrant Women
Immigrant Women in
Leadership
Pioneers for Change Film
Production
Job Search Workshops
Language Instruction for
Newcomers to Canada
Enhanced Language Training
Colette Delaney – Senior Vice President
at CIBC
Annemarie Shrouder – Founder and
President of Building Equitable
Environments
Norm Grey – National Director,
Canadian Youth Business Foundation
Hon. Jean Augustine – Fairness
Commissioner, Ontario
Ruth Abrahamson – CMP, Chief
Executive Officer of Base Consulting,
and Board Chair, JVS
Matt Petersen – Director, CIBC Diversity
Strategies, CIBC Human Resources.
Diversity & Resourcing
Marva Wisdom – Principal of Wisdom
Consulting
Tasleem Thawar – Co-contributor of
TOK: Writing the New Toronto
Mark Zimmerman – Advisor, IT,
Communications and Entertainment at
MaRS
Diversity@Work
Dr. Ayman Al-Yassini – Executive
Director, Canada Race Relations
Foundation
Rabbi Baruch Frydman Kohl – Anne and
Max Tanenbaum – Rabbinic Chair, Beth
Tzedec Congregation
Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton – Secretary
General, Canadian Council of Churches
Michael Skaljin – Executive Director of
the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform
Coalition
Winston Kassim – Chair, and Head,
Strategic Initiatives, Canadian Banking,
RBC
Senator Don Meredith
Mentoring for Change
Settlement Services
Iain Benson – Senior Associate Counsel
in the Litigation Practice Group of Miller
Trades Win
Nadir Shirazi – Program Coordinator at
the University of Toronto's Multi-Faith
Centre for Spiritual Study and Practice
and President of Multifacet Diversity
Solutions Ltd.
Thomson
Page 10
Moira Wong – Toronto District School
Board specialist Religious
Accommodation, Equity, Human Rights,
Public Policy and Law
Michael Charles – Founder & CEO,
Change DeZign Consulting
Rabbi Roy Tanenbaum – President &
Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Bible
at the The Canadian Yeshiva &
Rabbinical School
Michael AbdurRashid Taylor – Managing
Director, Rashid Taylor Consultants and
Director of Islamic Chaplaincy Services
Canada.
Conference for International
Engineers
Ilse Treurnicht – CEO of MaRS
Discovery District
Arnon Potic – Manager of Eastern
Canada, Intergraph
Charles Achampong – Manager,
Corporate and Stakeholder Relations at
TRIEC
Gurmeet Bumbrah – CAPE Council for
Access to the Profession of Engineering
Dr. Mamdouh Shoukri – President and
Vice-Chancellor, York University
Dr. Nava Israel – Founder of Fusion
Global Education
Don Duval – VP Business Services
MaRS Discovery District
Roberto Chiotti – Founder, Larkin
Architect Limited
Gabriela Tavaru – Manager, ACCES
Employment’s Engineering Connections
Denis Gravelle – Director of Continuing
Education and Workforce Development
at Humber College, School of Applied
Technology
Christyna Schillemore – Coordinator in
the Department of Continuous
Professional Development at the Leslie
Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
Kevin McLellan – Laurentian University
Management Development Centre
Dr. Jose Garcia – Senior Program
Manager & Director Technology and
Innovation from Ryerson University
Randy Tyrrell – Founder and Managing
Director of Toronto Greenhouse
Nirav Patel – Manager of Recruitment
and Diversity at Ontario Power
Generation
Special
Thanks
Long time supporter, Dr. Alex
Jadad (L) and Peter Perdue, Chair,
Skills for Change Board of
Directors (R).
We went to our long-time
supporters with a big idea for
2012 – Pioneers for Change.
Thank you for believing in us
and sharing our dream to make
the 20th anniversary of the New
Pioneers Awards exceptional!
Presenting Sponsor
CIBC
Government
Sponsors
Federal
Academy of Learning
Citizenship and Immigration
Canada
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Status of Women Canada
Certified General Accountants of
Ontario
Provincial
C&D Graphics Services Inc.
Ministry of Citizenship and
Immigration
Element Financial
Ministry of Training, Colleges and
Universities
Intergraph Ltd
Municipal
City of Toronto
Ontario Society of Professional
Engineers
Municipality of York Region
Professional Engineers Ontario
Foundations
Fornetti
KPMG
Rogers Communication
Royal Bank of Canada
The Community Foundation of
Mississauga
Scotiabank Group
The J.W.McConnell Family
Foundation
Western Union
The Ontario Trillium Foundation
The State Street Foundation
United Way Toronto
Lead Sponsors
Certified General
Accountants of Ontario
KPMG
Rogers Communications
We also gratefully acknowledge
the support of the 2012
Pioneers for Change recipients
and our 2012 Honourary Patron
Navin Chandaria
Mme. Adrienne Clarkson
Dr. Alex Jadad
Vahan Kololian
Toni Silberman
Honorary Patron
Ratna Omnidvar
TD Bank Financial Group
Media
Canadian Newcomer Magazine
OMNI Television and Citytv
Rogers TV Cable 10/63
Page 11
Skills for Change is a
United Way Toronto
member agency
We actively participate in UW
activities to raise funds for all
essential services in Toronto.
Our
Locations
Administration
416-658-3101
Toronto Central
Link to Employment
and Administration
791 St Clair Ave. W.
Toronto, ON
Toronto West
Employment Ontario
Dufferin Mall
900 Dufferin Street
Toronto, ON
Toronto East
Employment Ontario
Flemingdon Park
10 Gateway Blvd.
Toronto, ON
Innovation Office
Centre for Social
Innovation
215 Spadina Avenue
Toronto, ON
Neha Khandelwal I arrived in Toronto in October 2011 as a
new immigrant searching for a Job Search
Centre to get some guidance for my job.
Luckily I came across Skills for Change.
I learned about extensive job search
strategies and how to apply those
strategies to get positive results; resume
writing tips, cold call skills, interview
skills, Canadian work culture, networking
and advice on settling in Canada.
My facilitator Suraiya Wajih made the
workshop an interactive learning
experience for all. She has been one of
the best teachers I have ever come
across. She guided everyone in the
workshop so well that most of us found
jobs after attending her workshop.
Liena Capin
Liena’s professional background was in
QA Software Testing with experience in
software cycles and testing
methodologies. Liena was also an
Instructor for undergraduates in Applied
Mathematics, Statistics and Calculus. She
had been in Canada for 2 months before
starting the ELT program for Engineers.
Clients on co-op assignment at Green Belt.
Within the first few weeks of the class,
she was offered part-time employment at
a local Harvey's Restaurant, after going in
person to present her resume. She later
acquired an additional customer service
position at Second Cup and was working
most evenings and weekends. Her
positive attitude and targeted efforts
towards meeting her Canadian career
goals eventually paid off when an
Page 12
Peel Region
Trades Win
21 Nelson St. W.
Brampton, ON
York Region
Trades Win
Parya Trillium
Foundation
344 John St.
Markham, ON
employer reviewed the Quality Assurance
resume she had posted on Monster job
search website. After a successful
interview, Liena was offered full-time
employment and is on her way to
attaining a successful career in Canada.
Yaping Chen
Thank you again and again and again for
your help. Not only for the essential skills
of how to find jobs, but also your
encouragement and understanding.
I got two offers from two companies. I am
now in the second company. I
found colleagues there are nice and
they are willing to teach me and give me
directions. I think I can learn a lot from the
company, and also I can learn Cantonese
there. It is nice.
With the job I have less time thinking of
loneliness and going back to China. That
is a good thing.
We are online
www.skillsforchange.org
www.diversityatwork.org
www.pioneersforchange.ca
Twitter
@SkillsforChange
Linked in
www.linkedin.com/
company/skills-for-change
Facebook
www.facebook.com/
SkillsforChange