Conversation Circles Intake & Orientation Session

• Held every 3 months
• Guidelines for Volunteer Leaders
• Discussion of formats and conversational goals for circles
• Discussion of need for conversational practice for newcomers to Canada
• Provide background information for mentors to make referrals to settlement services and appropriate community accesses points for circle attendees

Conversation & Pronunciation Tips for Volunteers

• Offers specific tips to help newcomers improve their pronunciation
• Tips on encouraging conversation
• Topic ideas
• Turn-taking and other social factors in conversation

Communicating Across Cultures Workshop

• Culture shock
• Stages of adaptation to a new culture
• Cultural concepts on North American life
• Communicative competence/performance
• Case scenarios of miscommunication based on cultural differences

Host Volunteer Feedback Workshop

• An opportunity to share stories with other Hosts
• A discussion of common challenges

Quick Tips for Newcomers to Canada Information Session

• List of contact points for community resources
• Highlights of educational, health and community information

Special Saturday Breakfast & Diversity Training

• Free breakfast
• Meet incoming Hosts and casual volunteers in the Host Program
• 3rd Saturday each month
• Diversity component
• Breakfast discussion on current topics in immigration and adaptation to Canadian life