You may also want to teach your learner about unions and how they are structured. Let the learner know that taking a lower-paying job in an union environment may be the first step in a long and prosperous career.

Learner has children who are adopting elements of Canadian culture that make her uncomfortable.

The "generation gap" between parents and children can be difficult for newcomers to Canada. While adults do change, they keep with them many of the attitudes, beliefs and values they learned as children in their country of origin. However, their children, who grow up in Canada, tend to adopt a more Canadian viewpoint than their parents. This can make parents feel alienated from their children.

Options to explore with the learner:

Discuss difficulties the children of newcomers must face. At home, they are expected to conform to patterns of behavior from their country of origin while conforming to Canadian norms at school.

Finding a balance between respect for tradition and the pressure felt at school is necessary. This process takes time, patience and understanding. Stress the importance of being empathetic to the situation children face. Contact program personnel from the organization that connected you to your learner for assistance. They are aware of the local organizations and groups your learner can go to for support.

Abuse

Abuse is a problem that exists for people whether Canadian-born or recent arrivals. Those who suffer from abuse need comfort and support; however, it is particularly important that newcomers know that this support exists since many of the mechanisms we have in Canada may not exist in their native country.

Options to explore with the learner:

You may want to discuss the idea of "public responsibility" with your learner. In Canada, it is expected that the government can (and should) get involved in situations where children or spouses are being abused.

"The relationship between the family and the government is markedly different in Canada from many other countries. Canadians have come to expect that there are good reasons why there should be intervention in the family cases of violence, abuse or neglect... In some cases, newcomers must recognize that aspects of life which they may think of as private are illegal in Canada."⁹