The Annual AM800 “Cans for a Cause” is around the corner, and the participants, students and staff from Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc., a local non-profit agency, decided to take the challenge to collect cans to benefit St. Vincent De Paul Society. In an effort to assist with the current high demand for non-perishable food items, WEST Inc. raised close to 300 items of non-perishable food.

The leader of this initiative is the Management Steering Committee – a newcomer, visible minority women group representing students and staff – who collected as many cans as possible encouraging the participants and those who have the capability to give back to the community to do so.

All food items received will be dropped off at AM800s Annual “Cans for a Cause” broadcast at Devonshire Mall, on Friday December 10, 2010.

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Bushra Hanna, Instructor and her LINC students celebrating International Women’s Day.

Story submitted by Mayada Kachich, LINC 6/7

Our Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) is designed to meet women’s communication needs in today’s world. Beginner Level is for persons who have limited or no English knowledge. Intermediate and advanced levels are individuals who have fair to good understanding of the English language. There will be more focus on conversation, writing and pronunciation. The classes range in English proficiency level 1 to 7, on a full and part-time basis.

LINC is one of the principal areas through which WEST helps facilitate the social integration of recent immigrants to Canada. Eligible applicants for this program are permanent residents, and convention refugees .

It increasingly believed that participation in the LINC program is directly related to an expedited social integration process which, in turn, helps build an immigrant’s personal and social wellbeing – the two vital keys for success in life.

In addition to providing computer supported English language education, our students benefit from other direct and indirect program supports.

Some of the direct benefits include child-minding services for children ages 6 months to 5 years, transportation assistance (for those who qualify), school field trips, summer school program for children ages 6 to 12 years.

Some of the indirect benefits include acquiring survival skills, reducing social isolation, exchanging ideas and knowledge between individuals of diverse cultures, and enhancing self-esteem and assertiveness – the building blocks of success in a new country.

Funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada