Cumberland College offering English language courses to Ukrainian newcomers

A regional college in Saskatchewan is doing its part to welcome Ukrainian newcomers to the province.

Cumberland College — which has campuses in Nipawin, Melfort and Tisdale — extended its “Conversation Circles” program to Melfort and Tisdale to help teach English to Ukrainians who moved to the region after Russia’s invasion of their home country.

According to Cumberland College manager of learner services Brenda Mellon, the program allows participants to not only practise conversational English but also to develop friendships with other newcomers and learn about working, life and culture in Canada.

Valeria Ghein, who arrived from Ukraine just over a year ago, started at Cumberland College in an early childhood education course. She’s now a facilitator of the Conversation Circles program in Tisdale.

“The biggest benefit of me being an immigrant myself is that I understand what my students are going through as newcomers,” Ghein said in a media release. “I tell them about my experiences and prepare them for the challenges I faced when I moved here.”

Ghein also had some advice for those who recently arrived in Canada.

“Don’t be afraid to go out and meet new people,” she said. “The classes I teach are very close-knit and friendly. The newcomers become good friends while learning English. I think it’s wonderful that they have each other and get to share the experience of learning about Canadian culture.

“They practise their English-speaking skills together outside of class, as well as arrange social meetings to catch up with each other … Being a newcomer can be very isolating and stressful but the campus is a safe place where students feel self-acceptance and a sense of belonging.”

The college’s English language classes are free for those who are eligible for funding provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan. In communities where face-to-face instruction isn’t offered, students may be eligible to take courses online or receive language training from an English language tutor.