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International Student Connect provides International Students with an authoritative information source along with connections in their community where they can get needed help and support. That alone makes it useful. But it is its first steps towards seamless information delivery in our sector that makes it very promising.

Let’s reconceptualize what Settlement Services are from the newcomer viewpoint, with newcomers at the centre. It’s not agencies delivering programs and services. It’s a service designed to provide Immigrants and Refugees (and increasingly those with temporary or no status) with accurate, relevant information and supports, so that they can make informed decisions about their new life in Canada and begin the integration process - including preparation before arrival.

Having responsive, automated FAQ-style information for common inquiries available 24/7 in different languages is clearly becoming more technically possible. I wonder how our sector will be able to harness (and be funded to harness, let's be honest) these potential innovations in a seamless newcomer settlement journey and service experience.

In this keynote presentation at the 2021 Pre-Arrival Virtual Conference I spoke about a future connected to our values and vision, which is not so much disruptive, but 'constructive innovation.' A future where newcomers are supported through our collaboration, using systems that help them, and us.

This webinar, hosted by Peel Newcomer Strategy Group with support of Digital Transformation committee of the Executive Council of Peel-Halton Settlement Partnerships, is designed to share knowledge and discuss the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence. This is the first session in a 4-part webinar series exploring the transformative potential of AI in newcomer-serving sector, with a special focus on how AI can enhance our services and operations.

The use of AI notetakers and AI scribes in the context of community, human, and health services has come up as an area of excitement and concern. Many people are starting to use them and there are concerns about privacy, control over meeting notes and artefacts. Many have been using them without having any policies in place. There is a desire to have some useful and practical guidelines and policies in place. In this article I'm providing some useful articles and sources that I have found to provide an overview of the issues that service providers should be aware of.

This research explores the potential risks and ethical concerns associated with the use of general-purpose large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT in the Newcomer-serving sector. It examines how these AI tools could impact immigrants and refugees if used without proper customization and safeguards.

Ensuring the long-term health and well-being of immigrants in Canada is vital for human rights, social justice, and the sustainability of Canada's health system and economy. This April 2024 IPAC event explored what affects immigrant health, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the issue. Panelists identified opportunities for collective action across sectors and geographies to enhance the long-term health outcomes of immigrants in Canada.

I originally presented this at the Arab Community Centre of Toronto's Josoor Project Conference in March 2024: "Digital Inclusion: From Research to Application - Opportunities, Challenges and Strategies." You can view the video as well as read my full remarks in text.