Women’s Leadership and Training
We believe that women are the heart of any community. They are natural leaders as caregivers, homemakers and household-managers, unpaid counselors, healers, event organizers and community developers. Yet their leadership skills and roles often remain unrecognized and under-appreciated.
As a result, migrant women in Canada encounter obstacles in achieving self-actualization and securing meaningful employment, leading to underemployment and overrepresentation in precarious, low-wage work.
Our Women’s Leadership and Development Programs recognize and support the natural leadership abilities of our participants and are designed to extend the learning of English language into the acquisition of personal growth, leadership and other transferable skills to thrive and succeed in Canada.
We currently have four programs in this area:
Leadership Education And Development (LEAD)
Our LEAD program focuses on self-development, helping participants to build leadership skills, while creating connections and support networks, to become active participants and leaders in the community.
Building Bridges
The Building Bridges program aims to support women in honing their presentation, communication, and collaboration skills, while enhancing digital and financial literacy for employment in Canada.
“Through this teaching class, I can learn how to effectively talk and play with children. For example, I need to imagine I am a kid and truly get the child’s thinking. Hope I can be a guide to lead the children in learning and playing.”
– Pathways program participant
Childcare Leadership Group (CLG)
The Childcare Leadership Group is a community of practice for women interested in leading positive change in the childcare system and advancing gender equality. The program offers training in systems-thinking, advocacy, and leadership. It is part of the Building a Childcare System that Works for Immigrant and Refugee Women project.
Immigrant Women’s Advisory Committee
The Immigrant Women’s Advisory Committee (IWAC) is a diverse group of women who work together to create system changes and advocate for the inclusion of immigrant women’s perspectives and voices in systems and policies that impact their lives. We take small but meaningful actions that help close service gaps and break down barriers for immigrant and refugee women to thrive in Canada.
Pathways to Childcare Careers
Pathways to Childcare Careers provide occupational English training and paid practicum experience for newcomer women interested in starting a career in the early learning and childcare field.
27,502
Women and children served
Since 1975, PIRS served 17,716 women and 9,116 children and counting.
84
Women trained
84 women completed training programs in 2023 to become more effective leaders in their communities.
3,679
Food hampers distributed
448 people continue to be served weekly through the emergency Food Hub.
We need donors like you to help newcomer women and their children thrive in Canada.
