Elena Esina moved to Canada as a young mother. She immediately joined CIWA’s employment training program, which provided her the training and work experience that she needed at the time. Elena also accessed several supports from basic needs, transit, childcare, and volunteering opportunities.

Since then, Elena has been a valuable contributor to CIWA’s mission. She is a CIWA business partner hosting over 40 work experience placements for immigrant women throughout the years. She was a former CIWA Board Member and Chair of the Fund Development Committee. Currently, Elena lends her hand to support CIWA’s upcoming 40th Anniversary Gala.

Elena also manages Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence, is an Adjunct Professor in Faculty of Social Work at University of Calgary, and a co-founder of Shift to Learn. She is part of City of Calgary’s Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiative and is the co-author of Landed: Transformative Stories of Canadian Immigrant Women.

Toyin Oladele and her family migrated from Nigeria with a decade-long experience in the field of arts. She became a CIWA Alumna in 2018 after completing a 24-week training uniquely designed to support professional young immigrant mothers pursuing a career in Canada.

The training not only helped Toyin gain Canadian workplace experience and enhance her business communication and digital skills, but it also provided one-on-one career coaching that is individualized for Toyin’s chosen career path. After taking the program, she was immediately employed in her field. She also received an opportunity to become a consultant for public arts. Since then, Toyin has been unstoppable. With her sheer hard work, dedication and persistence – all the while taking care of a daughter with disability who underwent major surgeries – Toyin founded the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI) in 2019.

Today, Toyin is a mentor to newcomers pursuing a career in arts. Through ICAI, she has also become a CIWA business partner. She has been providing practicum placement and employment opportunities for CIWA’s clients.

ICAI is currently one of the three Immigrant Arts Mentorship Councils throughout the whole of America and Canada.

Yan Cheng came to Canada with her 16 year old son, Brian, who is on the autism spectrum. Yan and Brian received several supports in their first language, including settlement resources, counselling and in-home services, parenting courses for parents with children with special needs as well as employment training. These services provided a sturdy scaffold that helped them successfully transition to a new country during the pandemic and during a crucial stage in Brian’s life.

Yan has been given back to the community in many ways. Through the community interpreter and translator training at CIWA, she obtained CILISAT and CISOC certifications which qualify her as a Mandarin-English Interpreter and Translator. She has been volunteering at Chinese organizations in Calgary as well as at CIWA, providing interpretation support for various situations – from medical appointments for newcomers to language training for children with special needs.

In February of 2022, Yan completed her certification as Community Support Worker. She currently provides training to help strengthen services of an emotional support hotline.