The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our lives and how organizations serve their communities, especially newcomers to Canada. In response to these challenges, organizations in the Greater Toronto Area, including Catholic Cross-cultural Services (CCS), have moved their services online. This move has created further opportunities for newcomers to participate in Occupation-Specific Language Training (OSLT) programs from the comfort of their homes.
CCS has introduced both fully online and hybrid (a mix of in-person and online) programs to continue supporting their clients effectively. Yet, the effectiveness of these new teaching methods for newcomers remained uncertain.
To understand this better, CCS partnered with researchers from the University of Toronto – Scarborough to test the effectiveness of both online and hybrid OSLT programs in two domains:
1. Enhanced language training (ELT) specifically designed for healthcare professionals
2. Programs for clients with careers in childminding and food handling.
This report looks at how these programs help clients improve their English skills, integrate into the Canadian job market, rate their job placements, and value the support services provided.
