How you can help create a welcoming school for newcomer students
New students are moving to Ontario every day. Some of these students come from outside Canada as immigrants or refugees. The experience of moving to a new country and school is significant. YOU can help to create a welcoming environment at your school for students who are newcomers.
A warm welcome can go a long way to supporting mental health—that’s because a sense of belonging is so important. Plus, feeling connected at school will make it easier for new students to reach out for more support if they need it.
3 ways you can help welcome newcomer students to your school
Introduce yourself
This may seem obvious, but it’s worth saying. A simple introduction can go along way for someone who is new. Just saying something like, “Hi, I’m _____ It’s great to have a new person at school” can make a new student feel acknowledged.
Information sharing
Sometimes it’s challenging to find all the different mental health and well-being services, programs and groups that is offered at your school. Imagine what it feels like for someone that is new and may not know where to start. If you have information that someone may be looking for, share it. That helps to make the person feel familiar with the school environment.
Peer-to-peer mentorship
This goes both ways. You can help to teach a student that is new to Ontario some new things and they will also help to teach you new things. Be open to learning but also sharing some of your knowledge.