Tag: bridging programs

The Most Vital Community Hub – Our Public Library

Before COVID-19, we had a choice in how we learn and teach at post-secondary institutions: in-person, on-line, or a bit of both.  

As instructors, we collaborate with industry experts, fellow faculties and ancillary services, and communities within our network to enrich the learning process for our students.

In the mere weeks prior to shutdown, we had no idea how very fortunate we were to attend two on-site workshops at the Toronto Public Library. The expert Business and Reference Librarians at the two largest branches of the Toronto Public Library customized and seriously over-delivered for our students, teaching how to job search effectively and perform company research strategically using databases accessible and free with a TPL Card on:

Feb 29th:  Abbas Amarshi and Tashi Lhamo, North York Central Library for Seneca College Building Environmental Systems Bridging Program

Class at Library Workshop
Seneca College BES Cohort 10 with Abbas Amarshi, Librarian, North York Central Library

and

March 4th:  Angjelin Hila and Tony Rocchi, Toronto Reference Library for Ryerson Chang School Mid-level Management Bridging Program.

Class at Library workshop
Ryerson Chang School Mid-level Management with Angjelin Hila, Librarian, Toronto Reference Library

We cannot thank you enough!

And as students in the City of Toronto, both cohorts were eligible and left with Library cards, giving them 38 ways to access many services free. Here’s a few:

  • Learn 70+ languages with Mango Languages. Access online with your Library Card.
  • Stream kids’ videos including Sesame Street. Use your Library Card to sign into Kanopy.
  • Learn online courses on digital creativity – graphic design, web design and more. Free with your Library Card.
  • Kids and families can listen to a story by phone any time of day for free by calling the library’s Dial-a-Story (416) 393-5400 in 16 languages.

Even during these extraordinary and difficult times, we can still almost find whatever we need at the Library. Even those with modest incomes and no wi-fi hover near their Library branch to catch the Library’s wi-fi connection. Again, we cannot thank you enough.

But did you know the Toronto Public Library have become pop-up food banks?

Yes, TPL’s Ellesmere Road distribution centre is now a food warehouse, helping the Daily Bread Food Bank , North York Harvest Food Bank, and Second Harvest get food out to those in need. In a week, 10 out of 100 TPL branches are now food banks and still scaling.

Library volunteer

To no surprise, a call to action for Library staff to be volunteers was filled within an hour. Who else knows their communities best? And it’s no secret that a Librarian’s superpower is infinite compassion. Librarians, as your 2013 Entrepreneur-in-Residence and now guest speaker, I’ve witnessed on several occasions your patience and your grace when helping everyone and anyone. You are the most humane of us all.

Thank you for keeping us well-fed and well-read … and safe! We truly cannot thank you enough, Librarians, but know we appreciate all that you do as our most vital community hub. Stay safe and see you again soon!

Abundance … and more

When working with groups as a speaker-facilitator, what’s important is making a meaningful and authentic connection with your audience.

Last week my audience was an exceptional and talented group of sixty internationally-educated professionals in Business and Technology at York University at the beautiful New Students Centre.   

As newcomers, our parents’ arrived in Canada 70 years ago. And yes, it’s a new world now but courage is courage. And at times, it must seem as if there just isn’t enough courage to go around. So my final remarks of the evening are a tribute to our parents:

“Like our parents who came to Canada in 1949 from China and Hong Kong, you have come a long way from home. Our parents came with very little and still managed somehow to put a roof over our heads, gave us a safe place to sleep, books to read, clothes that kept us nice and warm, and fed us well, always too well.

What our parents accomplished was truly remarkable. Our parents gave my siblings and me their entire lives.  We can’t come even close to giving back to them anything that resembles what they gave us – extreme selflessness. Holding them in high regard and respect are all we have for them.

You, too, have something unique to give to your children. And when you’re frustrated in your job search and you can’t find the right word to say, remember all that you have.

You have:

  • the ability to give more.
  • the agility to bend more.
  • the capability to build more.
  • the knowledge to create more
  • the experience to understand and see more.
  • the best of many worlds to dream more.
  • more than you know.

Your Bridging Program’s motto is “Make More.” You have abundance and I wish you success, health, and happiness.