NCON Professional Development Series
The Peel Halton Workforce Development Group was awarded funds to deliver professional development (PD) training to the membership of the NewComer Organization Network. Funding granted by the Ontario Trillium Foundation will allow PHWDG to deliver three, day long, professional development conferences over the next three years (2009-2011).
The main objective for the NCON PD Series is:
- To develop capacity of the front line staff of newcomer serving agencies in Peel and Halton
- Empower front line staff of newcomer serving agencies in Peel and Halton
- To promote collaboration amongst newcomer agencies
September 2009, PD Conference
The first all day NCON PD Conference was held on the 24th of September 2009 at the Delta Meadowvale Resort & Conference Centre in Mississauga. A total of 80 participants were registered for this conference. The promotional flyer and agenda for the conference can be viewed here. Participants present represented several programs as follows:
- Newcomer Services (35%)
- Settlement Services (23%)
- Other (JSW, EAS, EAC, HOST etc.) (20%)
- Job placements (14%0
- Mentorship (5%)
- LINC (3%)
From feedback received from participants it was evident that the first ever NCON PD Conference was a huge success. In working closely with immigrant serving agencies, the NCON committee has recognized that front line staffs serving in immigrant agencies want and need professional development in the form of workshop training sessions. The feedback from the conference questionnaires clearly demonstrates this need.
