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Bridge Program: Program Activator

In-Person 

Make a positive difference the lives of newcomer youth!

The Surrey School District (SD 36) Welcome Centre provides many programs for newcomer students and families to help children and youth succeed in school and develop social connections. The SFU Surrey-TD Community Engagement Centre works with the SD 36 Welcome Centre to offer support and mentorship to English Language Learners in high school through the Bridge Program. This program targets newcomer youth aged 13 to 19 years within their first 3 years in Canada, who have arrived with one or more of the following experiences/barriers:

  • Significant literacy and education gaps
  • Significant social and communication barriers due to language and cultural differences
  • Mental and emotional issues as a result of traumatic experiences.

When? 

12:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Various Options (Monday-Friday)

Where? 

SD36 Welcome Centre

7525 King George Blvd, Surrey

Your role:

As a Program Activator, you will help high school students with reading and literacy by reading with them, as well as development and implementation of basic phonetics and reading/literacy games and activities.

In this role, you will:

  • Learn about the goals of the SD36 Welcome Centre programs and settlement supports in school for newcomers to Canada.
  • Acquire knowledge about the Bridge program curriculum.
  • Apply learned knowledge of the program as well as interpersonal, communication, cross-cultural awareness and instructional skills by assisting in the delivery of program activities.
  • Apply learned knowledge of the Bridge curriculum by coming up with new ideas for activities, or by altering existing activities to meet the needs and interests of the children/youth attending the program.
  • Apply interpersonal, empathy and relationship-building skills by developing healthy relationships with the children/youth in the program.

Other benefits:

  • Gain experience facilitating a program.
  • Gain demonstrable leadership and mentorship experience.
  • Have the opportunity to engage with other SFU student volunteers.
  • Gain experience delivering programming.
  • Earn credit on your SFU Co-Curricular Record (CCR).

Program Logistics:

Volunteers have the option of getting involved with one or more of the following weekly timeslots from January 13th - March 14th, 2024. 

  • Mondays from 12:30pm - 2:00pm
  • Tuesdays from 12:30pm - 2:00pm
  • Wednesdays from 12:30pm - 2:00pm
  • Thursdays from 12:30pm - 2:00pm
  • Fridays from 12:30pm - 2:00pm

In your application, please indicate your availability and scheduling preferences.

Please note: This program continues year-round (Oct to June). Volunteers are encouraged to be involved for more than one semester, to get the most benefit out of this opportunity. 

Location:

  • In-person at the SD36 Welcome Centre (7525 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC). 

Training Session:

All volunteers will participate in an orientation session with the SD36 Welcome Centre Coordinator and SFU Program Manager (Surrey). This mandatory orientation will take place on: 

  • Wednesday, January 8th  
  • From 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm 
  • Via Zoom

Please let us know if you cannot make it to this training. 

New CEC volunteers will also be invited to take the SFU Community Engagement Volunteer Training course available on Canvas by the end of the semester. Volunteers will receive an additional 2 hours of credit for completing the Canvas course.

Requirements:

Please note, students from other universities & colleges may apply, but priority is given to current SFU students (undergraduate, graduate, or continuing studies) and SFU alumni.

To thrive in this role, applicants should:

  • Be passionate about helping those in the community and making a difference;
  • Cultivate a positive and energetic attitude;
  • Have a strong commitment to fostering a supportive team environment;
  • Demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Be excited to work with people with diverse backgrounds and personalities;
  • Have experience or a strong interest in working with children, youth, and newcomers to Canada;
  • Be dependable, flexible and resourceful;
  • Ability to speak Punjabi, Arabic, Mandarin or Dari/Pashto is desired but not required;
  • Obtain and provide the SD 36 Welcome Centre with a copy of a Criminal Record Check.

TO BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION:

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the 'Apply Now' button below and submit your initial expression of interest.

You will then receive an email from SurveyMonkey containing our application form which must be completed as soon as possible. Once you have submitted this application, your information will be sent to the Welcome Centre for the next steps.

Deadline to apply: Wednesday, December 11th | 11:59 PM

Apply Now

Please note: If the required number of volunteers for this opportunity is reached before the above deadline, this posting may be taken down.

 

 
Collection Notice: The information collected as part of the application process is under the authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c.468). It is related directly to and needed by the University to administer the volunteer program through the SFU Surrey – TD Community Engagement Centre. The information will be used to screen volunteer applicants, refer applicants to opportunities of interest, and update applicants with information related to volunteer opportunities. If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact Associate Director, Partnerships and Programs, 250-13450 102 Avenue, Surrey BC, V3T 0A3, 778-782-8082.   

Apply now!

Ready to learn about volunteering with the community as an SFU ambassador? Join the Community Engagement Volunteer Training Program.

Learn more

This opportunity is recognized on the Co-Curricular Record (CCR), an official university document that tracks your co-curricular involvement at SFU. Learn more about the Co-Curricular Record at www.sfu.ca/students/get-involved/recognition/co-curricular-record.