WHO: DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society

www.dcrs.ca

WHERE: British Columbia

WHAT: DIVERSEcity is a non-profit agency offering services and programs to the immigrant and refugee communities of Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley.

WHEN: Since 1978

WHY: After Ottawa, BC is the second source destination for immigrants from South Asia who make up 50% of the province’s population. 

HOW: DIVERSEcity has 5 main departments: family services, settlement and integration, language programs, career services, and interpretation and translation. “We try to be a one-stop shop for the people here because of the language and cultural barriers,” says Executive Director Lesley Woodman. “We want them not to go looking for something else, so we’ve been quite successful in the last six years adding complementary programs and services.”

FIRST THINGS FIRST: Woodman says that out of all the programs offered by the organization, language services is the most critical. “Because without people coming in and acquiring some basic English,” Woodman explains, “it would be very difficult for them to make use of our employment programs and go out into mentoring or job shadowing opportunities.”

STATS: DIVERSEcity offers 42 projects in 17 languages supported by 17 funding sources. Little wonder the organization attracts 40,000 clients annually, with 300 on site at any given time.

QIE, eh? Every program, every service is subject to a Quality Improvement Evaluation. “We really want to be thinking outside the box in terms of how we can serve better,” Woodman explains, adding that the organization has “some very innovative thinkers on the management team who have put together some fabulous programs.”

FEEDBACK: “The recipients are very, very appreciative of the help they get,” Woodman says. “For many of them, they haven’t come from systems that are that helpful.”