Recently awarded for team achievement, staff of CultureLink Settlement Services’ Community Connections Mentorship program has felt a boost in morale since being recognized at a downtown ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 3
CultureLink, a settlement organization in the Dundas Street West and Bloor Street West area, was one of 15 award recipients at the Bhayana Family Foundation Awards. As well team achievement, CultureLink was recognized for its mentorship program.
"It means a lot to our team," said Fei Tang, program manager of the Community Connections Mentorship Program at CultureLink. "We’re really over the moon."
The awards were founded almost a decade ago by Raksha and Modan Bhayana and the Bhayana Family Foundation. Based on their experience as community volunteers and Raksha’s earlier career working in social services, they realized that there was a gap.
"Amazing work was being done by community agencies and front-line workers, but it received very little recognition," said Robin Crombie, a spokesperson for the United Way.
CultureLink, a United Way organization, serves as many as 400 newcomers as part of its mentorship program. It helps clients find not just jobs, but positions within their chosen fields. The program, said Tang, provides not just career support, but provides citizenship mentoring so that newcomers can learn more about their adoptive country.
Typically, clients find out about CultureLink through word of mouth and its outlets located throughout the city, Tang said.
"We get a lot of references from colleagues," she added. "We have a network of 200 agencies."
The recognition also benefits CultureLink brother and sister agencies because it shows "we’re doing a great job," Tang said.
"We work as a team; we keep re-inventing ourselves," she told The Villager. "We keep changing our services to meet the needs of our diverse needs of newcomers, our clientele."
CultureLink was one of several "amazing" front-line workers and agencies across the city was recognized in a host of different categories, including innovation and creativity, leadership, partnership builder, dedication and community partnership.
For further details, visit www.unitedwaytoronto.com/bhayana-family-foundation-awards