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Episode #5
On this edition of Voices, we explore the Canadian employment landscape and how it impacts newcomers in terms of labour market stability, the barriers they face, and how they can make their candidacies as attractive as possible for a post-COVID world.
Joining us are two subject matter experts who approach these issues with complimentary perspectives. Carolyn Benslimane, is a Vice President of Client Services for the Sterling division of the Ian Martin Group. Her career has spanned 30 years of partnering with executives and managers who need to find talent. Raj Dam is a strategic partnerships’ professional and manages Employer and Stakeholder Relations for The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council.
Episode #4
CCS undertook an important step in the agency’s evolution with the launch of a program in 2020 designed to support the LGBTQ+ community. The idea was to establish CCS as a safe and affirming place for LGBTQ+ newcomers to call ‘home’ and develop a sense of belonging.
In our fourth episode, we talk to the program lead and a long-tenured CCS employee with an interest in connecting clients from diverse cultural backgrounds to LGBTQ+ services.
The discussion focuses on our work supporting newcomer LGBTQ+ clients, the broader challenges newcomer LGBTQ+ community members face in acclimating to a new country, and the impact of COVID-19 on the community.
Episode #3
In this special COVID-19 themed episode, we brought together a cross section of employees, representing various CCS brands, functions and the communities we serve, to discuss how we have reimagined our service delivery model to meet the needs of our clients during a worldwide pandemic.
In the CCS Innovation Roundtable, the group shares how they’re navigating the “new normal” in their respective areas during the first part of the show, and then Agnes Thomas, executive director, leads a roundtable discussion about the need to be nimble in responding to the challenges of these most unprecedented times.
Visit CCS online at www.ccscan.ca
Episode #2
In this episode, we talk to Valentina Harper, co-founder of Caremongering (and an immigrant herself), a community group founded in Toronto on Facebook in mid-March in response to COVID-19 to share resources at a grassroots level. Listen to hear more about the group, how it came to be, and where it’s going in the future.
Check out caremongering-TO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TO.Community.Response.COVID19/about
Visit CCS online at www.ccscan.ca
Episode #1
CCS is proud to be launching a podcast, Voices on the Newcomer Landscape, with our inaugural episode debuting in January 2020.
We want to give voice to the people we’ve interacted with in the course of the work we do — newcomers, immigrants and refugees intent on making a new home in Canada and moving their lives forward.
In sharing newcomer stories, we hope listeners will appreciate hearing diverse perspectives and stories of resilience and courage in the face of displacement and adversity.
CCS In The News
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CCS Presents “Inspiring Hope” Charity Gala
Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) is proud to announce its first ever charity gala, coming to you in 2023! This event is a…
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‘The most metal thing I’ve ever done’: Metalheads sponsoring Syrian refugees
Group from The Doors Pub about to sponsor 2nd family fleeing violence in Syria Adam Carter · CBC News · Posted: Mar…
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ShareLife’s goal grows as charity needs expand
BY MICKEY CONLON, THE CATHOLIC REGISTER March 10, 2019 View online >> View PDF >>
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The struggles and successes of five Syrian refugee families
By Nadine YousifStar Edmonton David P. Ball, Star Vancouver Taryn GrantStar Halifax Fri., Feb. 8, 2019 View online >> View PDF >>
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Hundreds of refugees to settle in Canada by year’s end after receipt of $3.5 million in donations ensures community sponsorship spaces are filled
NEWS PROVIDED BY The Refugee Hub Nov 14, 2018, 07:00 ET View online >> View PDF >>
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Toronto couple’s wedding vows included gift of new life to refugee family
Nicholas Keung By Nicholas Keung, Immigration Reporter Tues., Sept. 11, 2018 View online >> View PDF >>
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Sharing the narrative for World Refugee Day
By Becky Zimmer / Humboldt Journal JUNE 30, 2018 View online >> View PDF >>
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United Nations representative to visit Halifax to pitch more refugee sponsorship
Shaina Luck · CBC News · Posted: Apr 20, 2018 5:45 AM AT | Last Updated: April 20, 2018 View online >>…
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150+ Catholic groups sign Trudeau’s pro-abortion pledge, some retract
Lianne Laurence, LifeSite May 21, 2018 View online >> View PDF >>
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Ottawa ends program reuniting Syrian refugees with relatives in Canada
MICHELLE ZILIOPARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS REPORTER The Globe And Mail PUBLISHED JANUARY 12, 2017 UPDATED MARCH 21, 2018 View online >> View PDF >>
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Family escaping ‘terrible’ life in Syria will ring in first Canadian Christmas with a Star gift box
By Tamar Harris Staff Reporter Tues., Nov. 28, 2017 View online >> View PDF >>
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Canada’s private sponsorship of refugees: Potential lessons for Australia
REPORT from Refugee Council of Australia Published on 24 Aug 2017 View online >> View PDF >>
News & Updates
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CCS Honored with “Community Partner Achēvment Award” for Outstanding Support to Newcomers in Peel Region
In a special ceremony, Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) was honored with the “Community Partner Achēvment Award” by Achēv, one of the largest…
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CCS Welcomes Claudio Ruiz Pilarte as Executive Director
On behalf of CCS Board: CCS Board is very pleased to announce the appointment of Claudio Ruiz Pilarte as our new Executive…
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March ’23 Staff Profile: May Amouri
Profiles of those Making a Difference at CCS. This month we’re featuring May Amouri, and how she has supported people in making…
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Recruitment for Board of Directors
February 17th, 2023 Founded in 1954, Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) is a national non-profit organization, based in the Greater Toronto Area. CCS…
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CCS Presents “Inspiring Hope” Charity Gala
Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) is proud to announce its first ever charity gala, coming to you in 2023! This event is a…
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Dr. Agnes Thomas Featured on TiHS Podcast
CCS’s Executive Director, Dr. Agnes Thomas, has been featured on the Technology in Human Services podcast recently. https://marcopolis.org/blog/2023/01/16/tihs-episode-40-agnes-thomas-focus-on-the-humanity-behind-digital-transformation/ From the Podcast Description:…
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Recruitment for Board of Directors
June 20, 2022 Founded in 1954, Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) is a national non-profit organization, based in the Greater Toronto Area. CCS…
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The Everyday Choice: Agnes Santhosh Thomas takes us to an understanding of social justice and how we can effortlessly practise this in our day-to-day lives.
“Link to Article: https://eng.kairos.global/?p=11730”
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Employment Resource Day 2022 Presenters Discuss Everyday Progress and Self-Improvement
By: Jade Dawn Hines At Catholic Crosscultural Service’s (CCS) annual 2022 Employment Resource Day (ERD) (hosted by Rob Sufi and the Employment…
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We Cannot Go Back: Lessons that we must carry beyond COVID from BRIDGES 2022
By Jade Hines The BRIDGES 2022 forum, presented by Toronto East Quadrant LIP on February 24th and hosted by Manjeet Dhiman (SVP,…
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Dr. Agnes Thomas Featured on Good Neighbour Podcast
By Jade Hines On two recent episodes of the Good Neighbour, a Toronto-based podcast that explores the intersections of faith and marginalized…
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Take the CCS Challenge & Take on the Canadian Winter
What began as a simple way to shake the COVID blues, while concurrently serving the greater good has now morphed into CCS’…
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WANTED: Help CCS Identify Awesome Mystery Donor
We’ve all heard of an impulse buy – how about an impulse donation? We are so grateful to the good Samaritan who…
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QE Home / Quilts Etc Makes Timely Donation to CCS
Sometimes, as we know, in life, timing is everything. When QE Home / Quilts Etc went looking recently for a charity they…
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Join CCS & #STANDUP for Refugees
Catholic Crosscultural Services has a long history of helping newcomers, immigrants and refugees of all…
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Refugee Sponsorship Changes Refugees and Sponsors Alike
“The BVOR program changed my life, and my children will be forever changed by this experience,” says Karina Reid, in summing up…
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Serving our Communities: CCS Hosts Three Vaccination Clinics
As more Canadians become eligible and receive their COVID-19 vaccine, it is like seeing the light at the end of the dark…
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CCS’ Life Hacks Gives Newcomer Youth An Edge With High School
For many students who are newcomers to Canada, high school in Ontario is very different from their previous school and the first…
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30, 2021, marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. September 30th gives us a chance to recognize…
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CCS Client Thinking Big in Carving a Niche in Visual Art
In 2020, we told you about Salbhi Sumaiya, a Toronto-based Bangladeshi conceptual and visual artist who had immigrated to Canada a few…
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Michael Power-St. Joseph Students Drive Community-Building Through YPI Grants To CCS
CCS was awarded two $1,000 grants recently – and it was as straightforward as simply talking about CCS’ longstanding commitment to the…
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Inaugural Virtual Auction Brings the Local Love
CCS’ first-ever virtual auction was a hit, with almost $2,000 raised over its five-day run in late June for CCS programs and…
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Spirit of Generosity Leads the Way at CCS
Our Executive Director, Agnes Thomas, Surveyed the Year That Was Since COVID Started and Found CCS Remarkably Resilient and Giving in the…
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CCS Virtual Auction, June 16-21
CCS is running a virtual auction fundraiser from June 16-21. The event is open to the entire CCS family — employees, volunteers,…
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Standing in Solidarity with our Muslim Communities
CCS is deeply saddened by the unspeakable hate crime that took place in London, Ontario on Sunday that left four members of…
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Standing in Solidarity with Indigenous Communities Across Canada
CCS mourns the loss of 215 children found buried in unmarked burial sites in the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. We extend our condolences and…
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Recruitment for Board of Directors
May 31, 2021 Founded in 1954, Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) is a national non-profit organization, based in the Greater Toronto Area. CCS…
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CCS Pays Mystery Donation Forward to Help Food Bank
Often when we donate to a charity or not-for-profit, we hear the expression “every dollar counts” and how the smallest contribution can…
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Driving the Learning Curve: Getting Computers to Students & Families
As we well know, learning is foundational to success and a computer is foundational to learning. Simply put, it can be challenging…
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Rakan Alrushud Interviewed on Radio Canada About New CCS Program
CCS has a presence in seven Canadian provinces through the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program’s battalion of nationwide trainers, but we don’t deliver…
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CCS Welcomes New Supporters
We are pleased to have new CCS Connects readers with us today. Many of the generous donors from the CCS Family Day…
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Employment Resource Day Looks at Hot Jobs & Labour Force Inclusion
“Your future is great, if you are looking for employment right now.” Carolyn Benslimane, Vice President, Client Services, at the Ian Martin…
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2021 BRIDGES Collaboration Forum: Partnerships More Important Than Ever
On February 11th, 2021, virtually for the first time, the Toronto East Quadrant (TEQ) Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) held its 9th annual…
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150 Employees and New Donors Support Weekend Challenge
Many CCS clients come from communities in Peel Region and Scarborough hardest hit by COVID-19. And over the course of the pandemic,…
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Claudia’s Story: Nurturing Strength & Finding One’s Voice
CCS is reaching a greater number of people across the GTA than ever before – over 30,000 newcomers, immigrants and refugees through…
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Helping Kids Find their Voice Through Digital Storytelling
Kouschal Ganesh is a grade 12 student at David and Mary Thomson Collegiate in Scarborough and arrived in Canada a year ago…
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Message from CCS Board President, Angela Gauthier
It is my pleasure to bring greetings from CCS’s Board of Directors. I began my term as president this past September and…
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Teaching Digital Literacy to Newcomer Seniors: A Literacy Coach’s Reflections
The following story first appeared in the October edition of the CCS internal newsletter, CCS Voices, but the story was so charming,…
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CCS Hosts Sponsorship Support Program Launch & Panel
CCS has been coordinating the Refugee Sponsorship Support Program (SSP) since April 2020, an Ontario-based program that provides pro bono legal support…
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Brampton Bridges Newcomers to Employment Resources at Virtual Workshop
As you might have noticed lately, the onset of a worldwide pandemic has literally changed the world and the way of doing…
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CCS Launches LGBTQ+ Newcomer Services
CCS has long been a proponent of building inclusive, diverse communities and that all people should be treated with dignity, respect, understanding…
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CCS Program Pivots to Support Newcomer Entrepreneurs During COVID
While there is no shortage of business resources for budding entrepreneurs in Toronto, it is challenging for newcomers, immigrants and refugees struggling…
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CCS Garners Three Nominations for RBC Canadian Immigrant Awards
Voting kicked off for the 12th annual RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Awards on June 23, 2020, and CCS is right in…
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Turning Ideas Into Action: CCS Small Business Support Project Delivers Business Basics
As you might have noticed lately, the onset of a worldwide pandemic has literally changed the world and the way of doing…
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Client Focus Leads to Donation of 1000 Masks to Toronto Hospital
For our frontline staff, much of the joy and rewarding part of their work is in seeing newcomer families thrive. And at…
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Living Through a Pandemic: VAW Counsellors Help Clients With New Challenges
We hope you are staying safe and healthy during these unprecedented times. We are trying to be there for our clients when…
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Exceptional Times Challenge CCS Communities Across Canada
The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented challenges and uncertainty. The CCS family extends across the country and we hope everybody in our…
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Necessity is the Mother of Invention: LINC Team, Clients Adapt to New Normal and Go Virtual
With the onset of COVID-19, everything is in flux, with organizations forced to rethink how they deliver services to their clients. CCS…
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The Writing is on the Wall: CCS Entrepreneur Drives Change Locally & Internationally
If you were to try to describe Farhana Jogiat, a characterization like “somebody who gets stuff done” might do her justice. Farhana…
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RRSP’s or TFSAs? RBC Visits CCS Mississauga for Financial Literacy Workshop
CCS has been providing financial literacy programs and services — a key element in the newcomer settlement process — to our clients…
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CCS Brampton Hosts Amazon for Newcomer Networking Event
CCS was happy to host two sharp minds recently from one of the world’s largest companies and of the most influential economic…
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CCS Gala Sponsors Megan Abbasian and Ali Bashiri Use Consultative Approach to Build Trust with Clients
Megan Abbasian and Ali Bashiri have each worked in sales for almost 20 years, and although they have ten years of combined…
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Artificial Intelligence a Big Topic at CCS’ Employment Resource Day
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to increasingly dominate the workplace, informing recruiting practices and influencing how candidates are vetted and ultimately hired,…
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TNC Retreat Examines Identity, Power and Privilege to Drive Change
CCS is always willing to contribute to dialogue around making our little corner of the world a better place, so it was…
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CCS Client Wins Arts Award and Finally Feels At Home
Winning an award in recognition of what you love to do is always nice, it’s even more gratifying when the award enables…
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Teaching Self-Care To Build Resiliency and Self Confidence
CCS has long been a proponent of the maxim that when you feel good about yourself, great things can happen. Our newcomer-facing…
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Past Client Comes Back to Give Back at CCS AGM
Past Client Comes Back to Give Back at CCS AGM “The English Language Training program (for Medical Professionals) gave me back my…
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Jean Augustine
Jean Augustine Shares Lessons from a Lifetime of Social Justice Advocacy at CCS AGM All through Jean Augustine’s keynote address at CCS’…
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CCS Partners With Mixed Company Theatre
CCS Partners With Mixed Company Theatre to Celebrate Diversity Through Art More than twenty Catholic Crosscultural Services’ (CCS) ESL program clients recently…
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Refreshing the CCS Website to Better Serve our Customers
You may have noticed a different look and feel to the CCS website today. We have made a number of changes to…
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CCS Summer Enrichment Camp Makes Kids Smile – and Think
When you think of summer camp, images of kids having carefree fun while on vacation readily comes to mind. CCS’s Summer Enrichment…
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CCS Woman’s Circle Program Puts a New Face on Settlement
Nadia Afrin never knew a customer loyalty program could be so rewarding. The CCS executive assistant has a side hustle as a…
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CCS Partners with RBC on Financial Literacy
CCS has been helping newcomers understand the wide world of banking a for a long time, but never before in partnership with…
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Launching a Newsletter to Tell the CCS Story
Since 1954, CCS has been privileged to serve immigrants and refugees who have come to call Canada home. Whether it is settlement…
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Power Trio Represents CCS at International Conference in Ottawa
In late June, executive director, Agnes Thomas, regional director, Lisa Loong, and manager, Zeena Al Hamdan, made the trek to the nation’s…
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CCS Welcomes Dr. Agnes Thomas as Executive Director
The appointment of Dr. Agnes Thomas as Executive Director of Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) promises CCS strong, experienced, and compassionate leadership as…
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Supporting Transitions for Newcomer Health Professionals
New to Canada and trying to figure out how to apply your knowledge and experience in the medical field? Our ELT Program…
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#RefugeesWelcome: Hear From Our Staff
Since November 2015, Canadians have opened our hearts and homes to welcome over 40,000 Syrian refugees fleeing conflict. This World Refugee Day, as…
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Youth-led Special Citizenship Ceremony: Welcoming New Canadians
Photo Credit: ICC/Oliver Yang Every year during March break, CCS brings together around 25-30 youth in Scarborough to organize a special Citizenship…
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Making Wellbeing A Priority: CCS Wellness Fair 2017
On Thursday, March 16, dozens of newcomers spent a few hours at the CCS Wellness Fair 2017 hosted at the CCS Brampton…
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Learning Together: Family Literacy Program
CCS is seeking to replenish our Family Literacy Program Lending Library. You can help by making a donation here. “What do kids say when they…
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Let’s Break the Ice!
NOW Youth Forum Connects Newcomer Youth Newly arrived youth to Canada from 25 high schools in Scarborough and newcomer Syrian youth came…