Helping newcomers settle in

BY MELANIE SCHULER

You’ve just arrived to the West Island.

You can’t speak or understand French and you can’t find a job. Le Centre d’Intégration Multi-services de l’Ouest de l’Ile (CIMOI) can help you.

CIMOI offers three main services that include employment search and aid, French-language lessons and integration activities.

“Our main focus is to integrate new immigrants and to teach them how to speak and use the French language,” said general director Mustapha Kachani.

“CIMOI was started about 15 years ago when a group of 20 or so individuals had to go downtown to receive the services we now offer here. The community started CIMOI realizing that they needed local services.”

CIMOI originally opened in Roxboro and now has three West Island offices (Pierrefonds and two in Pointe Claire).

Le Programme d’accompagnement des nouveaux arrivants is a program financed by the Minister of Immigration and was established five years ago.

The program helps newly immigrated citizens adapt to the Quebec work force by creating action plans and organizing resumés for job application purposes.

CIMOI offers different types of French-language classes to accommodate all new immigrants to the West Island. French classes can either be taken full-time or part-time. The full-time curriculum consists of three levels (one, two and three) comprised of 330 hours each. The part-time classes are offered in three different lengths: they are broken up into twelve, nine or six hours in total length and are offered in the morning and the evening. There are five integration programs mostly directed towards educating on social, historical and safety issues. The programs are geared towards educating new immigrants about information such as the history of the West Island, locations of CLSC as well as providing guided visits to municipal facilities such as libraries and civic centers.

Most of the courses at CIMOI are geared towards newly arrived immigrants but some courses can aid immigrants that have been living in Montreal for longer periods of time. “CIMOI is excellent. I advertise a lot in the yellow pages and CIMOI found me through the Iranian community and offered me their services,” said student Fariba Janfaza, adding the hardest part about moving to Quebec was the language barrier.

Not only is CIMOI a helpful and flexible way of learning French and integrating into the West Island, but in addition, courses and activities are absolutely free. To find out more information and the location of the facilities visit www.cimoi.com or call 514-685-3000 or visit their offices in Pointe Claire (1870 Sources Blvd. and 167 Hymus Blvd.) and Pierrefonds (4734 Alexander St.).