By Kshama Ranawana | Immigrant Muse
When DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, an agency based in BC, began its newest program, a grant to assist newcomers, it targeted women.
Launched in November 2021, the grant is designed to to assist women in recertifying, completing qualifying examinations or evaluating their credentials so they can continue working in their chosen professions in Canada.
The one-time grant of up to $1000 per qualifying applicant is focused on women, as they are disproportionately represented. Furthermore, there are several other similar programs currently available for males through other agencies.
Tina Balachandran, Manager, Employment Projects at DIVERSEcity, told Immigrant Muse, that “newcomers to Canada face multiple barriers to integrate into the Canadian labour market and the social structure. Newcomer and racialized women, in particular, are disproportionately represented in the workforce. We intentionally wanted to support women who are interested in pursuing their pre-arrival career in Canada. We are grateful to Coast Capital for providing the funds and collaborating with DIVERSEcity on this initiative.”