Meet Fiona. She is a Learning Support Specialist at CIWA.

Fiona joined CIWA in 2018 through the New Friends and Neighbourhood Groups. She thrives in working with so many remarkable students at CIWA and other agencies. As a Learning Support Specialist, Fiona finds fulfillment knowing she is helping those who are having a tough time in class. She also takes pride in her ability to find creative solutions to help CIWA clients develop their English skills.

“Immigrant women inspire me by their resilience and courage. They make me happy to do the job I do.”

Fiona shares that many women have a tough time finding space in their daily lives to attend class and learn English. Women tend to have many plates to juggle; looking after a family, running the house, perhaps doing a part time job. Luckily, CIWA understands this with programs designed to support women and give them as much chance of success as possible.

Fiona also speaks Spanish and French. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, hiking and cross-country skiing. She loves nature and shares that the pandemic has turned her into a twitcher, a bird watcher.

“At home, I drink my coffee looking out the window at a noisy crew of sparrows and house finches. They are extremely greedy and argumentative!”

To learn about the services CIWA provides to support immigrant women’s language training, click here.