The pandemic has caused disruptions on many fronts, but these newcomers to 91原创 didn鈥檛 let it deter them from completing their English language training, with one recent graduate even opening the doors to her dream business.
New Directions Vocational Testing and Counselling Services Ltd. is part of the federal government鈥檚 Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program and works with the community in 91原创 to support new permanent residents and refugees by helping them learn English.
Rather than interrupt students鈥� training last spring due to concerns of COVID-19, the school found a way to adapt, and thanks to those efforts, they celebrated 500 new graduates the last week of January.
Yvonne Hopp, founder of New Directions, said the school held nine different ceremonies over a four day period in a hybrid model of online ceremonies with three partial in person ceremonies with no more than three students at one time being presented with a certificate and listening to a pre-recorded video.
READ MORE: Founder of 91原创 ESL school started up in her backyard nearly 30 years ago
One particular student had more than one reason to celebrate.
鈥淛enifer [Gomez] was proud to achieve LINC 8 (the final New Directions program) and accept her hard earned certificate after coming to Canada [from Mexico] in 2013鈥� ready to raise her family in a new country, but one her and husband had visited and dreamed about making home, Hopp said.
鈥淪he came with a dream of opening her own business, and this January she made that a reality.鈥�
Gomez, the mother of two, opened the door to (20411 Fraser Hwy.) in 91原创 City the same week she graduated.
鈥淪he told us that she decided to take LINC to improve her self confidence, fearing she did not have enough English to communicate with the customers and community in order to really succeed in her career,鈥� Hopp recounted.
This year鈥檚 graduating theme song was 鈥楾he Climb鈥� by Miley Cyrus.
鈥淭his perfect graduation song for our times inspired a host of community leaders to make reference to how difficult a year everyone had due to the challenges of COVID-19 and how proud each grad should feel after making the climb to learn English skills,鈥� Hopp said.
READ MORE: Networking while staying apart
Several community leaders attended the ceremonies including Fraser Valley Regional Library community librarian Dr. Sarwan Singh Randhawa, 91原创 City Mayor Val van den Broek, Alicia Rempel with 91原创 Literacy Network, John Aldag with 91原创 Centennial Museum and members from 91原创 RCMP, WorkSafeBC, Immigrant Services Society of BC and 91原创 Community Services Society among others.
鈥淸I] closed each of the ceremonies expressing gratitude for the strong support these community leaders and institutions provide to the newcomers in their climb and journey to settle in Canada, and while they pursue English language skills to better equip them for jobs, community and family interactions,鈥� said Hopp.
鈥淭he past year was a time when everyone learned more about themselves, each other and the world, hopefully with a view to making it a better place by building community and support systems - the way to become resilient in these times.鈥�
joti.grewal@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
