2 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 EDITOR MURRAY B, HUNT tlarge rri PROGRE« INTERCULT SERVICES SOCieEtTY Settlement ra SSIVE URAL COoOmMmnmy rY Viversity REUBEN DONGALEN JR. photo Mature immigrants Cathy Qin, Carmen Payet and Shellfie Effendi are participating in the PICS program to find work. Mature immigrants at work 80 per cent find jobs through new work training program: expert says 66 We provide them with work-relat- ed skills. We help them to adapt and learn DANNY PENDHALL JOB DEVELOPER By REUBEN DONGALEN JR. new South Vancouver program to help mature immigrants find employment has just launched. Danny Pendhall, a job devel- oper at the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) said 80 per cent of participants find jobs through the new Workplace Integration for Mature Immigrants (WIMI 45+) pro- gram. PICS provides a broad spectrum of programs and services which includes employment programs, settlement ser- vices, language services, social pro- grams and housing services. WIMI 45+, geared towards unem- ployed immigrants, is a 12-week pro- gram with two weeks of short term training, six weeks of mentor pairing and four weeks devoted to training in job search and life skills. According to Pendhall, who was re- cently named the best mentor in B.C., the program is designed for older immi- grants that have been unemployed for a long period of time. “We provide them with work-related skills. We help them to adapt and learn the labour market, engage in networking and offer them mentorship,” he said. Carmen Payet, an immigrant from France who arrived in 2015, heard of WIMI 45+ through a friend, and opted to participate in the program. Payet said that the program eased her into finding what field she wanted to work in and helped her create a professional profile. “T arrived in the program, I started to have some ideas as to what I wanted to do. To have some help with resumes and cover letters, it was a big, big help in finding a job,” she said. Shellfie Effendi, a participant from China, said starting all over again in her search for work was hard, especially be- ing older and lacking the attributes of younger people. WIMI 45+ provided her with confidence and support. “The first time I came (to Canada), my self-esteem was really low having to come here and restart all over again, es- pecially being older,” she said. “But they (WIMI 45+) said age is not a big deal and we have more life experiences and skills that are transferable to finding jobs.” Park board adopts stu- dent plan Board to use students’ ac- tion plan to increase refuse bins in city parks as part of zero waste initiative By SIMRAN GILL vealed a lack of recycling and or- ganic waste bins in Vancouver parks. They found the bins were stuffed with organic and recyclable waste as well as trash. Their study, which examined Van- couver’s Greenest City Action Plan 2020, focused on the city’s Zero Waste initiative said An- drew Egan, the stu- r4 4 dents’ instructor. F:: Langara College students re- The action plan The is a detailed list of how Vancouver studen iS... will attempt to be- Were In- come the most en- terested in vironmentally . friendly city in the the density world by 2020. _ The students’ re- and loca port discovered the ion of gar- majority of bins lo- cated in four Van- bag e and couver parks (Hill. recycling crest, Queen bins Elizabeth, John Hendry and Memo- ANDREW EGAN rial South) were LANGARA mostly trash bins. “The students, INSTRUCTOR April Gullacher, Homestay program needs homes The 40-year-old Langara Homestay Program has placed over 30,000 stu- dents with host families By SCOTT FORBES gram has never turned a stu- dent away, but with rising housing costs they could struggle to meet the summer intake of in- ternational students. The 40-year-old homestay pro- gram, which has placed more than 30,000 students with host families, offers a room, three meals a day and a home base from which students can explore the area. Langara’s homestay program not only finds homes for Langara students, but works with the Van- couver school board and the Burnaby School District to find spots for high-school students as well. The summer is the busiest time for pairing students with host families, according to Valer- ie Peters, manager of internation- al education at Langara. “Right now we have about 800 students in homestay, and in the summer we probably place an ad- ditional 500 to 600 students,” she said. Te: Langara Homestay Pro- Peters noted that keeping up with the demand is difficult. “There has been some impact with the housing market moving so quickly in Vancouver. Some families are retiring, downsizing or moving out of the area and no longer have room for homestay students,” she said. Wendy and Brendan Hallinan are Marpole residents who have been hosts for the Langara Home- stay Program for 10 years. They are currently hosting two Grade 12 students from China. Wendy said housing prices are a reason why some hosts are leav- ing the program. “Families are dropping out be- cause they’re moving out of Mar- pole. “The house prices have gone up so much, they’re cashing in and moving out,” she said. The Hallinans started hosting students because they have no children, and they had the room. Wendy said the students aren’t the only ones who benefit from the program. “T’ve learned a lot,” she said. “It’s opened up my eyes quite a bit...and when the kids do well, that’s the reward.” SCOTT FORBES photo Valerie Peters, Tomoko Yanagibashi, Susan Wakabayashi, Angela Lee, Winnie Chang. Back row, left to right: Richard Mudge, Mike Allan of Langara Homestay Program HOMESTAY Student Benefits 1 Provided with own furnished bedroom 2 Three meals a day 3 Use of household appliances 4 Join in family activities and excursions 5 Practise the English language 6 Learn about Canadian culture Source: Langara Homestay Program website Nancy Pham, Kenneth Heinz and Car- los Vasquez Diaz, were interested in the density and location of garbage and recycling bins,” said Egan. The students, who were not available to talk to The Voice, were striving to create a cleaner community because they felt there were not a sufficient number of bins for peo- ple to dis- pose of their waste at parks. They made sug- gestions to improve the location and add more garbage, re- cycling and organic waste bins in the four Van- couver parks. “The — stu- dents present- ed their findings at City Studio’s event at City Hall on December 4, 2015. “The park board then used the proj- ect report as evidence for passing a mo- tion to study or increase the number of recycling and organic bins in city parks,” said Egan. This project along with several oth- ers will be showcased at the Langara Scholarship Café on March 31. “The showcase will exhibit the real- world skills students learned and em- ployed in the creation of projects for the City of Vancouver,” Egan said. Roma Dhaliwal, a second year sociol- ogy student at Langara College, said it is great to see students passionate about the environment. “It’s always a disappointment when you are at the park and can’t find the right garbage bins. “Tam glad that people are taking the initiative to help make Vancouver a cleaner and greener environment,” said Dhaliwal.