Newcomers to southeast Saskatchewan have another place to turn to to help with their transition to a new country.
The Southeast Regional College announced recently that a provincially funded Regional Newcomer Gateway, that provides supports and resources for immigrants and newcomers to the area, is now open at their location in the Estevan Comprehensive School.
The Southeast Newcomer Services is one of 11 Regional Newcomer Gateways throughout the province that support newcomers and immigrants as they settle into their new communities.
Southeast Newcomer Services' manager, Sheena Onrait, and her staff will be assisting individuals and families from approximately 55 communities within a 150 km radius of Estevan.
"Our purpose is to be a resource for those who are new to Canada, but also new to Saskatchewan," said Onrait. "Our staff are prepared to provide vital services such as language assessments, but will also provide referrals to settlement advisers who can help newcomers find out where to apply for a health card, where to enrol children in school, where to look for employment, etc."
Southeast Regional College's vice-president of college services, Jody Holzmiller, worked with Jamie Hilts, vice-president of academics, and Sandra Madigan, EAL and literacy co-ordinator, to facilitate the establishment of the gateway at the College.
"The college is very proud to be able to provide a service that is necessary within in the community," said Holzmiller. "We are quite aware of the increased immigrant and newcomer activity within the region, and once the opportunity to host the gateway arose, it was just a matter of solidifying the contract with the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration."
Southeast Newcomer Services is working on launching a website in the near future. For more information, contact Sheena Onrait at 637-4931 or sonrait@southeastcollege.org. For more information about the government of Saskatchewan's Regional Newcomer Gateways, please visit www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca/immigration-gateways.
