Reflections from the Psychology Mentor Group

In this extended interview with Canvas, staff and volunteers at the Mennonite New Life Centre in Toronto (MNLC) talk about their efforts to support barrier-facing immigrants – and each other.

Jessica Farias coordinates the MNLC’s “Newcomer Skills at Work: Refusing to Settle for Less” program – an effort to create greater capacity for immigrants in their quest for employment.

The innovative ‘Psychology Mentor Group’ component of the program brings together foreign-trained psychologists and puts their skills to good use in an innovative newcomer-to-newcomer counselling program.

“Newcomers come with a set of skills and experiences,” says Jessica, “[but] face challenges in finding secure and just employment in Canada.”

This inventive program gives skilled immigrating professionals the opportunity to practice their training under the guidance of a Canadian-trained psychologist. They support other newcomers dealing with such issues as stress and emotional distress deriving from employment challenges and personal transitions. What’s more, they pursue collaboratively the matter of their own credential recognition.

Says Eva, the group’s professional mentor: “These people are highly-trained professionals, and they donate their time to help other people.”

Featured in this video:

Jessica Farias, Settlement Worker and Community Organizer, MNLC

Eva Saphir, Psychologist Mentor

Volunteer psychologists:

Maria Norma Jionenez Kaiser, from Mexico, in Canada for two years

Marta Rodas, from Guatemala, in Canada for two and a half years

Luz Maria Betanuourt, from Mexico, in Canada for two and a half years

Leticia Esquivel, from Cuba, in Canada for one and a half years

The more qualified the person is, the fewer doors are open to them.”