Free video resources help newcomers learn and thrive in Alberta

Starting life in a new country has its challenges, and in the flurry of activity it can be difficult to access and understand the information you need when settling into your new home.

Immigrant Services Calgary is proud to launch The Newcomer Smart Tips Video Series (Alberta Newcomers: How-to and Smart Tips Video Series), an educational and information resource that gives newcomers free 24/7 access to free video resources containing centralized and easy to understand information about life in Alberta. Topics covered in these videos reflect practical, everyday life situations, with information specific to the province of Alberta. Some topics include: How to Rent a Home in Alberta, Getting Health Care Services in Alberta, Learning English Resources, What to do in a Car Accident and more. The videos are produced in simple spoken English, with subtitles professionally translated into the top 6 languages in demand: French, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, and Tigrinya. 

To watch these videos and for more information, please visit: www.SettlementCalgary.com/How-To/

“Using video as a medium for conveying information gives newcomer learners a great advantage” said Noel Tsang, Program Coordinator of the Smart Tips video series at Immigrant Services Calgary. “For one, it provides both a visual and audio means to engage different types of learners, especially when subtitles are available. For another, it is an interactive medium, giving viewers the ability to pause, stop, play and replay content. Learning happens according to each students’ pace and English ability.”

New videos and material will be released each month, with each video linked to its own landing page, where visitors can find a compilation of invaluable resource and agency referral links, video vocabulary lists, knowledge check quizzes, and other information relevant to the topic of interest.

This project is made possible by the generous funding from the Government of Alberta. Agency partners include: Alberta Health Services, Agape Language Centre, Calgary Residential Rental Association, Calgary Police Service, Calgary Public Library, Chinook Learning Services, New Canadian Friendship Centre, and Workers’ Resource Centre.

Click the icon below to access Smart Tips