Two local agencies team up to deliver English programs for landed immigrants
KEYS Employment Services and Kingston Literacy & Skills have entered a new
partnership to expand the delivery of free language classes to landed
immigrants and help them participate fully in employment settings,
education programs and everyday Canadian life.
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) is a national
initiative funded by the Government of Canada through Citizenship and
Immigration Canada. Over the past 17 years, the LINC program served
almost 2,000 students.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has now increased its funding in
Kingston. The expansion has increased the number of classes from two
to seven, with the offer of evening as well as daytime classes.
Programs have a new capacity to meet a wider range of immigrant
language needs including services for those who lack literacy skills
in their first language as well as those requiring higher level
language skills for employment settings.
The selection of the two local agencies reflects their extensive
track record, for more than 25 years each, in responding to
demonstrated needs in the community. The partnership smoothly
integrates language instruction at beginner, intermediate and
advanced levels, with each agency bringing a particular expertise to
serving immigrants.
Robyn German, one of the two LINC program coordinators, notes that
LINC staff at Kingston Literacy & Skills use their special expertise to help
beginning learners take their first steps in their new language. KEYS
brings employment expertise to the programming and helps immigrants
learn English as well as get started on jobs and careers.
Students have a chance to develop skills in reading, writing,
listening and speaking through what LINC coordinator Christie Scales
sums up as "fun and challenging lessons in a safe and comfortable
environment". They get personal attention from certified teachers
plus extra support from tutors as needed to develop language,
cultural, job search and workplace skills.