We came to Canada in 2017 from China to reunite with our son. Speaking of difficulties, it’s always more challenging to adjust to a new country at a later stage of life like ours. The language barrier was obvious. And we did not even know how to drive or board a bus. When one of our friends told us about CCSYR’s Library Settlement Partnership (LSP), we contacted the agency immediately. We attended as many information sessions as possible to learn about the settlement services offered. The LSP staff helped us renew our permanent resident cards and taught us how to ride a bus. They also told us about the senior programs and benefits offered by the government.
We also learned how to use Zoom and Google Maps and access the computer through the Digital Skills Training program that CCSYR ran once a week. CCSYR empowered us to regain control of our lives. We don’t need to depend on our son for small errands now as we can use public transit. And we even attend the agency’s online sessions whenever possible to stay updated about the community.