If we are lucky, our lives are touched by those around us who have overcome great obstacles, who have inspired us and who light the way for others to follow. When was the last time you had this experience? No doubt you were moved and breathed in as if to grasp the moment and hold it. I am still holding a moment that took place on September 3, 2015 at the St. Mary’s Newcomer Orientation Week Program (NOW) when Danlie Rae Acebuque passionately shared his song.
In his own words: “As an immigrant, it is really difficult to adjust and to blend in with society especially if you were a small fish thrown into a big water. Like other immigrants, I felt paranoid and anxious about what would be the next step as I opened my new journey here in Canada. The NOW Program helped me get through that as they welcomed newcomers like me to school. Over the years, NOW helped me in many ways especially in communication as it is important during your post-secondary year (Danlie today) not only to make friends, but also to have the charisma and confidence for job interviews. To return the favour, I always go back to the program to volunteer such as being a peer leader to assist new students and to perform a song to welcome the students and also to promote my love for the art of music”. Danlie is following his dream and in so doing, encouraging newly arrived youth to do the same.
CultureLink’s Settlement Workers In Schools Program (SWIS) hosts a four-day Newcomer Orientation Week Program (NOW) in four schools, each with a different flavour taking cues from the school’s culture, local resources and interests.
Through it’s Peer Leader model, NOW aims to ease newcomer youth into the new school experience in a new country. The Peer Leader model features a core group of volunteers learning to lead the program and embody welcome, information sharing and friendship. The goal is to promote confidence in the newcomer youth by providing a circle of new friends (with similar experiences) and an understanding of school rules and personnel in the hopes that this new life will bring happiness and success both academically and personally.
Day 1: many newcomer youth were nervous and some needed private support from Peer Leaders to gain the courage to join group activities.
Day 2: participant youth are starting to make friends and visibly enjoy themselves among other newcomer youth.
Day 3: ‘Old’ newcomer youth share their stories – their fears and concerns that normalize the new youths’ experiences and encourages them to connect with others to ease this huge life transition.
Day 4: games to learn about the school and its personnel and to cap it all off a wonderful song from Danlie Rae Acebuque.
Danlie participated in the NOW Program four years ago and today is embarking on studying music at the University of Toronto. With a song in his heart, Danlie encouraged and inspired the youth participants to have goals and go after them. Thank-you Danlie for sharing your joy and hope!
Written by Lisa Randall, Program Manager, Settlement Workers in Schools