March 23
By DIVERSEcity
mmigrating to Canada can be a daunting endeavour for young newcomers. Even if you immigrate here with educational and professional accomplishments, trying to create a whole new life in a brand new country can be challenging. That is what Future Leader’s graduate Sukhjeevan feared most as she moved from India in December 2019. Having never interacted with communities outside of India before, she worried about how she would make connections, or if she would still be able to be herself. Little did she know that she would find a community quite quickly who would help her grow her confidence and thrive.
The path to Future Leaders
Sukhjeevan’s experience with DIVERSEcity’s Future Leaders youth employment program began out of pure coincidence. After her arrival in Canada, a cousin referred DIVERSEcity’s newcomer services to help with her transition to BC. Her DIVERSEcity case worker suggested she apply to the Future Leaders program.
“The name of the program struck me,” recalls Sukhjeevan. “I remember thinking, I’m eligible for a program called ‘Future Leaders.’ Here, in a totally new country, I was eligible for a program for leaders. That gave me a lot of hope.”