Annual Report

Celebrating 50 years of service to the Community.

2001-2002

Celebrating 50 years of

service to the Community.

President’s Report

We, both

staff and

volunteers, can

be really proud

of COSTI’s many

achievements

over the last

fifty years.

2

A true success story is one thatculminates in the celebration ofa great accomplishment – andwe at COSTI have something tocelebrate – 50 successful years ofserving Toronto’s immigrantpopulation! What a milestone foran agency with a very humblebeginning; one that started with a few dollars and evenfewer resources.

The organization owes itssuccess to the many men andwomen whose dedication andforesight have been instrumentalin making COSTI the largest andmost efficient agency thatprovides services to the city’sdiverse immigrant communities.

The many dedicated volunteersand competent staff have givenCOSTI the opportunity to carryon its original motto of “integra-tion through education”.

COSTI adapted a uniqueapproach in its service delivery:it secured the cooperation ofexisting organizations withoutduplicating programs. An excel-lent example of this type ofpartnership is the long-standingrelationship with George BrownCollege, along with the manyeducational programs carried outthrough both the Public andSeparate School Boards.

There have been many importanthighlights throughout COSTI’sfifty years of existence. One wasthe agreement with the Workers’Compensation Board in 1966 toestablish a rehabilitation programfor injured workers. This partner-ship was the beginning of aprogram which would eventuallyhelp retrain thousands of menand women.

COSTI, originally founded by theItalian Canadian community in1962, would later open its doorsto serve all immigrants in 1969.The year was also significantbecause in addition to becominga multicultural agency, COSTIwould become a member of theUnited Way, and receive theinvaluable funding needed toexpand its programs.

Another milestone was the estab-lishment of the Women’sProgram in 1974. Recognizingthe many barriers that womenface in society, COSTI took theinnovative step of providing amuch-needed program to assist apart of the population that hadbeen too often overlooked. TheWomen’s Program was one of thefirst available to immigrantwomen in Toronto.

In l981 another pivotal step wastaken. After many negotiations,COSTI and the Italian Immigrant

Aid Society which was foundedin 1952, amalgamated into onesingle agency. As COSTI-IIAS, theagency provided a wider range ofservices to more people.

The following year, after muchstudy and research wasconducted to address increasingnew needs in the community, theFamily Centre was established. Itwas a bold move, but one thatproved that the administrationhad done its homework. Byproviding a centre staffed byprofessional Social Workers,Psychologists and Psychiatrists,COSTI illustrated the agency’songoing dedication to addressingthe mental health and psycho-social counselling needs of thecity’s increasingly diverse immi-grant population.

We, both staff and volunteers,can be really proud of COSTI’smany achievements over the lastfifty years. We hope and trust thatit will continue to be a modelagency – one that continues toprovide essential services to themany thousands who knock at itsdoors and who leave with thetools to become productivemembers of Canadian society.

Bruno M. SuppaPresident

3

It is ironic that the main issuethat drove the founding of COSTIis the number one issue facingimmigrants today. Ten yearsafter the founding of the ItalianImmigrant Aid Society (IIAS),COSTI was established, in 1962,specifically to help immigrantsobtain the professional qualifica-tions required to practise theirtrades or professions in Canada.Thousands of newcomers hadstrong trade or professional qual-ifications, but were forced totake menial jobs because theircredentials were not recognizedin Canada. COSTI forged a part-nership with the ProvincialInstitute of Trades (now knownas George Brown College) andconvinced the Ministry of Labourto recognize a fast-track programestablished with the Institute forthese tradespeople. Manynewcomers quickly becameemployed in their fields as aresult of COSTI’s initiative.

Today, the situation has grownworse. Immigration policy hasattracted a more highly educatedand skilled immigrant, swellingthe numbers of qualifiednewcomers. Over 60% ofworking-age immigrants havepost-secondary educationcompared with only 43% of

working-age Canadians.Unfortunately, a lack of recogni-tion of their credentials and alack of Canadian experiencehave conspired to keep themajority of these newcomersunderemployed or unemployed.

COSTI has continued to respondto the needs of the time by estab-lishing two Centres for ForeignTrained Professionals andTradespeople in partnership withHumber College. COSTI hasproduced two videos, MeaningBusiness, one aimed atemployers and the other atimmigrant professionals, to makea business case for the hiring ofinternationally trained profes-sionals and to educate thoseprofessionals about Canadianlabour market expectations,respectively. In addition, COSTIhas been working with otherservice agencies and policymakers to advocate for systemicchange to a marketplace that isfull of unnecessary barriers.

While COSTI’s employment andcommunity development activi-ties have been kept busy withthese challenges, our HousingHelp Program has been a moreintensive mirror of the workdone by the volunteers of the

IIAS upon its founding 50 yearsago. In the early 1950s, the IIASwas active in helping newlyarrived immigrants find afford-able shelter. Today, the need tohouse low-income families hasgrown to critical proportions. Inthe past year, COSTI has assistedover 2,600 clients with theirsearch for suitable shelter. Manyof these clients were homeless orliving temporarily with family orfriends. In addition, COSTI hashelped by partnering with Sharethe Warmth to subsidize the cost of heating bills for low-income families.

In the past year, a broad range ofservices, described elsewhere inthis report, collectively assisted39,000 individuals to integrateeffectively into our society. Whilethe volume and complexity of thiswork is far removed from thework done by COSTI’s foundingvolunteers, the vision of assistingnewcomers to get a dignified start in their new homeland has remained true to those original ideals.

Mario J. CallaExecutive Director

Executive Director’s Report

COSTI has been

working with

other service

agencies and policy

makers to advocate

for systemic

change to a market

place that is full of

unnecessary

barriers.

Ajudando recém-cheagados a ajustarem-se ao Canada à mais de 50 anos.

Social Services

COSTI’s

Reception

Centre for

government-

assisted refugees

now stands as

the only

such centre in

Toronto.

4

Demonstrating COSTI’scontinued vitality, and the ever increasing demand for its services, this year saw COSTI providing assistance and support to over 39,000individuals.

With a 22% increase in thenumber of services provided, the Social Services Division, in particular, underwent a significant period of growth and expansion. Over 72,000 individual services were providedto nearly 15,000 clients.

Unfortunately, this increaseddemand for service also servesto highlight the very troublingsocial issues that continue toexist within our community.With eviction rates at an alltime high, and an alarmingnumber of individuals facingmultiple barriers to securingsafe and affordable housing, thehomeless situation is arguablythe most disturbing situationplaguing our community today– and one that continues to beaddressed by COSTI’s HousingHelp Program.

HousingClients Served: 2,642Services Provided: 31,136

Through a variety of approaches– from eviction prevention serv-ices, provided in partnershipwith the Centre for EqualityRights in Accommodation, toeducational workshops ontenant rights and obligations, tothe COSTI Rent Bank, to partici-pation in the Share the Warmthcampaign, and to training andsupport to other community-based settlement and housingworkers from across Ontario –COSTI’s housing team continuesto take a pro-active approach toreaching out to some ofsociety’s most vulnerable.

The number of direct servicesprovided during this periodincreased by an astounding66% over the previous year, anaccomplishment madepossible, in part, by the intro-duction of COSTI’s HousingVolunteer Program, whichenhances the services offeredthrough the Housing Drop-inProgram by providing twice-weekly housing search groupsand one-on-one support.

SettlementClients Served: 10,191 Services Provided: 25,201

Another service area thatcontinues to be in high demandis COSTI’s SettlementCounselling program, whichplays a critical role in helpingimmigrants re-establish theirlives. With recent changes toLegal Aid resulting in morerestrictive access to free or subsi-dized community legal support,this program is experiencing asignificant rise in the number ofrequests for assistance on legalmatters. As a result of longwaiting lists and the lack ofculturally and linguisticallyappropriate counselling services,an increased need for special-ized counselling is also beingreported, particularly in the areasof family conflict, mental health,and abuse situations.

Through its Reception Centre,COSTI continues to work withCitizenship and ImmigrationCanada in providing temporaryshelter, childcare, and criticalservices such as orientation,supportive counselling, andhousing assistance, for govern-ment-assisted refugees fromacross the globe.

SocialServices

5

Training and

employment

for the disabled

continue to be

the focus of

COSTI’s

Rehabilitation

Centre, which

experienced a

17% growth in

the number of

services provided.

The Job Search Workshops (JSW)Program is another program thatplays a critical role in helpingnewcomers re-build their lives.Through an innovative fundingarrangement with Citizenshipand Immigration Canada, COSTI,in partnership with OCASI(Ontario Council of AgenciesServing Immigrants), continues tosupport community organizationsacross Ontario in delivering apre-employment workshopprogram that has proven to be aneffective instrument in providingnewcomers with the tools neces-sary to obtain employment.Through sub-contracting arrange-ments with 30 agencies acrossOntario, more than 8,000 indi-viduals received assistance.

COSTI also held its annualAction for Youth Summer Camp,providing newcomer childrenwith the opportunity to experi-ence a variety of recreational andeducational activities.

Family and Mental HealthClients Served: 1,239Services Provided: 6,495

COSTI’s Family and MentalHealth Centre also underwent astrong period of growth,witnessed by an increase in thenumber of individuals accessing

its services in the areas of generalcounselling, settlement, mentalhealth, problem gambling, anddomestic violence.

In addition to providing directservice, Family and Mental HealthCentre staff also participate in anumber of public education activi-ties through the media in the areasof problem gambling and violenceagainst women. It is estimated that,through these activities, provided ina variety of languages, COSTI hasreached over 300,000 individualsfrom diverse communities acrossOntario.

One initiative that COSTI iscurrently involved in is theEthnoracial Coalition: Access toAddiction Services, a program forwhich COSTI currently acts astrustee, and which, through thesupport of the Trillium Foundation,is focused on health promotion,capacity building, and researchactivities regarding addiction issuesin ethno-racial communities.

Rehabilitation andTrainingClients Served: 562Services Provided: 8,588

Training and employment for thedisabled continue to be the focus

of COSTI’s Rehabilitation Centre,which experienced a 17%growth in the number of servicesprovided over the previous year.

Through two initiatives fundedby the Trillium Foundation, theRehabilitation Centre has beenextremely successful in assistingindividuals who have sufferedphysical or mental challenges in overcoming their barriers to employment. Most remark-able, however, is the fact thatemployment retention rates forthese programs are far above the average rates for similarprograms aimed at these target groups.

COSTI’s Rehabilitation andTraining Scarborough locationhas recently expanded the scopeof its services to address theneeds of at-risk youth. The goalof the Youth-at-Risk Program isto provide immigrant andminority youth with ongoingsupport and increased access torecreational, educational, andemployment opportunities,thereby assisting them inobtaining the developmentalbuilding blocks that they requirein order to grow into caring,competent and healthy adults.

Through its various educationaltraining services, the EducationDivision continues to experiencesteady growth, with close to9,000 individuals enrolled, and a20% increase in the number ofgraduates.

Language InstructionClients Served: 8,462

For many of the individualsenrolled in COSTI’s languageclasses, either throughCitizenship and ImmigrationCanada’s Language Instructionfor Newcomers to Canada(LINC) program or through theEnglish as a Second Language(ESL) program, language instruc-tion represents an importantstage in their settlement process,and a stepping stone to higher

education, meaningful employ-ment, and successful careers.

Language instruction continuesto be one of COSTI’s mostpopular services.

To remain relevant and respon-sive to the ever changing needsof its clients, a number of newclasses were introduced,including: AdvancedConversation; Pre-IntermediateReading and Writing; andAdvanced Pronunciation.

Advanced LINC classes werealso introduced at various loca-tions to provide clients with aseamless continuum of languageinstruction.

One area that experiencedsubstantial growth in enrollmentis COSTI’s ESL Computer-Assisted Program, a specializedlanguage instruction programdesigned to enhance employ-ability by enabling students toimprove their English grammarskills as they familiarize them-selves with basic computer skills.

Skills TrainingClients Served: 249

COSTI’s computer and skillstraining courses, provided on afee-for-service basis, offer yetanother range of options fromwhich clients can select themost appropriate interventionrelevant to their specific needs.Programs that are currentlyoffered include ACCPAC, Excel,Access, PowerPoint, andMicrosoft Word.

Citizenship PreparationClients Served: 119

An extension of COSTI’s work inhelping newcomers adapt andbecome participating membersof Canadian society, COSTI alsocontinues to offer its CitizenshipPreparation program, preparingparticipants for the CitizenshipApplication test by providingthem with an overview ofCanadian history, geography,and politics.

Aiutando i nuovi immigranti per stabilirsi

nella società di Canada per oltre 50 anni.

Education Services

Language

instruction

continues to be

one of COSTI’s

most popular

services.

6

7

Employment Services

Employment

Resource Centres

remain

effective tools

in helping both

youth and

adults obtain

meaningful

employment.

Ayudándole a los recien llegados a Canadáa ajustarse al país desde hace más de 50 años.

With an unstable economic environment and a high unem-ployment rate, the demand forCOSTI’s employment serviceswas understandably strong –nearly 16,000 clients made theEmployment Division one ofCOSTI’s most relevant and in-demand service areas.

EmploymentCounsellingClients Served: 8,428 Placements: 4,100

As in previous years, the bulk ofCOSTI’s employment serviceswere offered throughEmployment Resource Centreswhich provide the various toolsrequired to conduct an effective,self-directed job search —resource materials, Internetaccess, photocopiers, faxmachines, and workshops on avariety of relevant topics. Over6,000 individuals accessed services in Toronto, Markhamand Vaughan.

Combined with COSTI’sEmployment Assessment andCounselling Services, theEmployment Resource Centresremain effective tools in helpingboth youth and adults obtainmeaningful employment.

Between the provincially-spon-sored Job Connect program,which provides vocational coun-selling and subsidized on-the-jobtraining to both youth and adults,and the employment servicessponsored by Human ResourcesDevelopment Canada, jobseekers were provided withindividualized support andcounselling.

Centres for ForeignTrained Professionalsand TradespeopleClients Served: 360 Placements: 206

Funded by Human ResourcesDevelopment Canada, and oper-ated in partnership with Humber

College, the Centre for ForeignTrained Professionals andTradespeople continues to effectively engage newcomerswith foreign credentials in aseries of intensive workshopsaimed at helping them developrealistic strategies for attainingrelevant employment.

Staff of this program have alsobeen involved in producing the“Meaning Business” video series,which addresses two specificobjectives: raising the awarenessof employers to the benefits ofhiring newcomers; and assistingnewcomers to better understandthe expectations of employers.

There can be no doubt thatimmigration is a powerful tool forsocial and economic change.From the Empire Loyalists of the18th century to the modern dayimmigrant and refugee, succes-sive waves of immigration haveshaped Canada’s very culture anddestiny, and altered our nationalperception of what we were,who we are, and what we willbe.

As newcomers continue to come to Canada in order tobuild new lives for themselves,they bring with them the dreamsand aspirations that make up the ever-evolving social fabric ofthis nation.

Immigrants bring with them newideas, energy, skills, resources, anda strong desire to succeed andcontribute to their new country.Newcomers enrich the culturaland economic life of this nation.

Multiculturalism is fundamentalto Canada’s character, and it isthis openness to new cultural andethnic groups that continues tocontribute to Canada’s reputationabroad as an open, humanitarian,and tolerant nation.

Re-building Lives andStrengthening Families

As Canada’s largest educationand social service agency specif-ically mandated to provideservices to new Canadians andtheir families, COSTI embracesthe ideals of this nation, and iscommitted to ensuring that eachgeneration of newcomers isprovided with the opportunity toparticipate in, and contribute to,Canadian society.

Reflecting a holistic view of theneeds of newcomers and theirfamilies, COSTI’s programsencompass orientation, educa-tion, training, and employment.

COSTI originated with the amal-gamation, in 1981, of two majorservice agencies, COSTI(formerly Centro OrganizzativoScuole Tecniche Italiane) andthe IIAS (Italian Immigrant AidSociety), each of which had alengthy and proud history ofservice in the immigrantcommunity.

The 1950s – Establishing aTradition of Helping Others

Formed in 1952, the IIASemerged as an organizationwhose main purpose was toprovide newcomers with thebasic necessities of life.

Meeting immigrants at UnionStation in Toronto, IIAS workerswould assist them with housingand employment, and wouldfollow up with orientation andcounselling designed to helpthese new arrivals integrate morefully in their new country.

The 1960s – StrengtheningTies to the Community

Ten years later, in 1962, COSTIwas established to help recentItalian immigrants obtain theprofessional qualificationsrequired to practise their tradesin Canada. During its early daysof operation, COSTI’s programswere based in a church base-ment in Toronto, eventuallymoving to an old unusedmansion at 136 Beverley Street.

A History in Progress

By the end of

the 1960s,

the agency had

opened

counselling

offices

throughout

Toronto, Hamilton,

and suburban

North York.

8

Celebrating 50 years of

service to the Community.

9

To prepare immigrants for theEnglish-language licensing exam-inations which they wererequired to pass in order to workin Canada, COSTI workers organ-ized English language instructionprograms. As the number ofclients increased, a need wasperceived not only for vocationalcounselling, but for general andfamily counselling as well.

The programs offered at COSTIsoon outgrew its facilities, andthe organization began workingin collaboration with varioustechnical education centres inthe area. In 1966, the Workers’Compensation Board contractedCOSTI to begin a program torehabilitate injured workers. Thisis a program that continuestoday, albeit on a much largerscale.

By the end of the 1960s, theagency had opened counsellingoffices throughout Toronto,Hamilton, and suburban NorthYork. It was also around this timethat COSTI became a United Waymember agency, and beganserving immigrants from othercountries in addition to those from

Italy. The 1970s – Multiculturalism

During the 1970s, COSTI’s serv-ices expanded once again toinclude aid for refugees comingto Canada. Recognizing apressing need for many of theVietnamese “boat people” toconfirm their true level of educa-tion, COSTI developed anexamination and certificationprocess in conjunction withGeorge Brown College, the firstprogram of its kind in Canada.

The 1980s – A Shared Vision

Acknowledging the similarities inthe goals and work of the twoorganizations, negotiations wereinitiated in 1980 to amalgamatethe two agencies. On April 1,1981, this goal was achieved andthe organizations were mergedunder the official name ofCOSTI-IIAS Immigrant Services.

The Present – Meeting theNeeds of a Diverse Society

Now known as COSTI ImmigrantServices, the amalgamated organ-ization has expanded to the pointwhere it annually assists over

COSTI’s

programs

have been

broadened

to offer

services to all

disadvantaged

adults, youth,

and women.

Dadka soo haajira waxay COSTI u sahashay degitaanka

Kanada in ka badan 50 sannadood.

Executive

President

Bruno M. Suppa

Treasurer

Michael Yealland

Secretary

Frank Mendicino

Vice Presidents

Vittoria Adhami

John Spina

Executive Director

Mario J. Calla

Directors

Margaret Adamson

Franca Carella

Maria Di Lorenzo

Bernard Farley

Grace Fusillo-Lombardi

Dorothée Gizenga

Pete Karageorgos

Grace Isgro

Adrian Lo

Peter Schatz

Rekha Shah

Mohamed Sharmarke

Jim Tulk

Bev Wong

Board of DirectorsThe fact

that many of

our policies

now serve as

models for

other agencies

is a testament

to the hard

work and

diligence

of our Board.

10

Preko 50 godina iskustva u pomaganju

novo doslima da se prilagode Kanadi.

11

Operating Fund Statement of Revenue and Expense

For the years ended March 31 2002 2001

RevenueGrants and subsidies 15,519,683 16,527,262Fees for service 922,235 833,925

United Way grantsToronto 502,312 501,866York Region 59,247 58,085

Sales of goods and services 109,232 40,188Rental income 115,651 87,671Donations, memberships, fundraising 48,898 124,986Foundation grants 648,070 171,775Interest and other income 81,095 33,757

Total Revenue 18,006,423 18,379,515

ExpenseSalaries and benefits 7,308,234 7,119,625Program partnerships 4,220,548 4,280,018Client services 2,142,373 2,627,985Building occupancy 1,718,390 1,565,346Secondments 978,173 994,206General 442,490 588,530Office 647,288 554,654Costs of goods and services sold 49,491 45,215Amortization 15,813 21,043

Total Operating Expense 17,522,800 17,796,622

Excess of Revenue over Expense 483,623 582,893

Less payment of mortgage principal (394,905) (445,892)

Excess of Revenue over Expense after mortgage payments 88,718 137,001

Financial Report

Head Office1710 Dufferin Street(416) 658-1600

Job Search Workshops (JSW) Program: JSWPrograms assist recent immigrants in securingemployment by providing them with culturallysensitive pre-employment training, through subcon-tracting arrangements with service-providingorganizations from across the province.

Caledonia Centre700 Caledonia Road(416) 789-7925

C:>BITS: Computer technical support fornetworking, repair, and training.

Centre For Foreign Trained Professionals andTradespeople: Assists foreign trained professionalsand tradespeople to find work related to their skillsor professional background. Clients are given theopportunity to assess their academic credentials,establish work search and self marketing strategies,and participate in work placement if eligible, whileobtaining ongoing support.

Employment Planning, Preparation and PlacementServices: Adult and youth services are providedthrough a comprehensive and integrated servicemodel intended to address individual needs.Services include: individual assessment, coun-selling, pre-employment training, job maintenance,group workshops and employment placement.Individuals can also benefit from a range of on-the-job placement/training opportunities relevant totheir specific career goals.

Employment Resource Centre: Individuals accessinformation on careers and occupations, the localjob market, training opportunities, and job searchstrategies to successfully find and maintain employ-ment. Resources include: computerized job banks,Internet access, fax, photocopier, video library,audio tapes, and written materials. Workshops andindividual assistance are available.

Language and Skills Training Services: Languagetraining instruction, related assessment and coun-selling, childcare, and computer training courses.

Summer Jobs Service Program: Provides highschool, college and university students withemployment preparation skills and placement services required for summer employment. Yearround services are also available through theEmployment Resource Centre.

Rehabilitation and Training Services: VocationalRehabilitation for adults with physical, medical andemotional barriers to employment.

COSTICentres and Services

Demonstrating

COSTI’s continued

vitality, and the

ever increasing

demand for its

services, this year

saw COSTI providing

assistance and

support to over

39,000 individuals.

12

13

Centre for Foreign Trained Professionalsand Tradespeople, Etobicoke1620 Albion Road, 2nd Floor(416) 745-0281

Assists foreign trained professionals and trades-people to find work related to their skills orprofessional background. Clients are given theopportunity to assess their academic credentials,establish work search and self marketing strategies,and participate in work placement if eligible, whileobtaining ongoing support.

Corvetti Education Centre760 College Street(416) 534-7400

English language training, childcare, skill andspecial courses, citizenship acquisition courses,orientation and referral, childcare training, andsettlement services.

COSTI Languages Bureau: Certified translation,interpretation, typesetting, and graphic design services available in over 100 languages.

Employment Assistance Services (OUT.L.E.T.): Job search workshops and placement services fornewcomers and immigrants.

Employment Counselling Centre,Dufferin Mall900 Dufferin Street, Suite 102(416) 588-2240

Employment assessment, counselling and place-ment services, self-development and job searchsupport.

Employment Resource Centre,Markham4961 Highway 7(905) 947-0172

Access to job search resources including: computerizedjob banks, Internet, fax, photocopier, and manuals, aswell as workshops and coaching on résumé writing,career planning, and job search techniques.

Family and Mental Health Services1700 Wilson Avenue, Suite 105(416) 244-7714

Individual, marital, and family counselling; groups forwomen who are victims of violence and men whoabuse their partners; psychiatric assessment andfollowup; services for the Italian Canadian community.

Language and Skills Training Services,Markham8515 McCowan Road(905) 472-4688

English language training, childcare, counsellingand referral, and computer training courses.

Language, Employment and Training Services, Richmond Hill129 Church Street South(905) 884-5235

Employment assessment and counselling services,English language training, childcare, counsellingand referral, computer training courses.

COSTICentres and Services

This year, COSTI’s

Housing Help

program helped

386 families

avoid becoming

statistics of

Toronto’s growing

homeless situation.

North York Centre1700 Wilson Avenue, Suite 114(416) 244-0480

Settlement Services: Orientation, referral, informa-tion, interpretation, completion of governmentdocuments, advocacy, supportive counselling,Elderly Persons’ Centre, English language training,childcare, skill and special courses.

Housing Help Program: Housing search assistanceand crisis intervention, information, referral, educa-tional workshops for tenants and landlords, Drop-Infor women, seasonal Share the Warmth, Rent Bank,Identification and Immunization clinics.

Reception Centre100 Lippincott Street(416) 922-6688

Temporary accommodation and initial settlementservices to government assisted refugees, childcare,and housing.

Vaughan Centre7800 Jane Street(905) 669-5627

Employment Planning, Preparation and PlacementServices: Adult and youth services are providedthrough a comprehensive and integrated servicemodel intended to address individual needs.Services include: individual assessment, coun-selling, pre-employment training, job maintenance,group workshops, and employment placement.Individuals can also benefit from a range of on-the-job placement/training opportunities relevant totheir specific career goals.

Employment Resource Centre: Individuals accessinformation on careers and occupations, the localjob market, training opportunities, and job searchstrategies to successfully find and maintain employ-ment. Resources include: computerized job banks,Internet access, fax/photocopier, video library,audio tapes, written materials. Workshops andindividual assistance available.

Summer Jobs Service Program: Provides highschool, college and university students withemployment preparation skills and placementservices required for summer employment. Yearround services are also available through theEmployment Resource Centre.

Family and Settlement Services: Individual, marital,and family counselling for Italian Canadians,completion of government documents, translation,advocacy, access to income security programs.

Tumutulong sa mga bagong dating na mapalagay sa Canada ng higit sa limangpung taon.

COSTICentres and Services

COSTI’s

computer and

skills training

courses offer yet

another range of

options from which

clients can

select the most

appropriate

intervention.

14

15

FundersThe many

dedicated

volunteers and

competent

staff have given

COSTI the

opportunity to

carry on its

original motto of

“integration

through

education”.

COSTI helft Neulinge justieren

nach Kanada für über 50 Jahre.

Government of CanadaCitizenship and ImmigrationCanada

■ Resettlement AssistanceProgram

■ Immigrant Settlement andAdaptation Program

■ Job Search WorkshopsProgram

■ Language Instruction forNewcomers to Canada

Department of CanadianHeritage

■ Family Violence Initiative

Human ResourcesDevelopment Canada

■ Employment AssistanceServices

■ Summer Career Placement

■ Targeted Wage SubsidyProgram

Government of OntarioMinistry of the AttorneyGeneral

■ Victim Services Division

Ministry of Citizenship,Culture and Recreation

■ Newcomer SettlementProgram

Ministry of Community andSocial Services

■ Community Service Unit

■ Ontario Disability SupportProgram

Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care

■ Long Term Care Division

■ Ontario Substance AbuseBureau

Ministry of Training,Colleges, and Universities

■ Job Connect

■ Summer Jobs Service

Workplace Safety andInsurance Board

City of Toronto■ Community Services

Grants Program

■ Ontario Works

■ Homelessness InitiativesFund

Catholic Charities

Gambling ResearchCouncil

Government of Italy

Toronto CatholicDistrict School Board

United Way of GreaterToronto

United Way of YorkRegion

Foundations■ Maytree Foundation

■ The CounsellingFoundation of Canada

■ Toronto Star Fresh AirFund

■ Trillium Foundation

Agencies

Abrigo

Accessible CommunityCounselling and EmploymentServices (A.C.C.E.S.)

African Community Services ofPeel

Alternative Youth Centre forEmployment

Arab Community Centre ofToronto

Brampton NeighbourhoodCentre

Canadian Arab Federation

Canadian Mental HealthAssociation, Toronto Branch

Career Navigators

Catholic Community Services ofYork Region

Catholic Cross Cultural Services

Catholic Family Services ofToronto

Catholic Immigration Centre

Centre for Equality Rights inAccomodation

Centre of Excellence forResearch on Immigration andSettlement (C.E.R.I.S.)

Centre for Information andCommunity Services

Centro Anziani

Chinese Community Services

Chinese Family Services ofOntario

Community MicroSkillsDevelopment Centre

Crèche Child and Family Centre

CultureLink

Davenport Perth NeighbourhoodCentre

Delta Family Resource Centre

Dixie-Bloor NeighbourhoodServices

Durham Region UnemployedHelp Centre

Ethnoracial Coalition: Access toAddiction Services

Family Service Association ofToronto

Flemingdon NeighbourhoodServices

Folk Arts Council of St. Catharines

Greek Orthodox Family Servicesand Counselling Wife AssaultProgram

Halton Multicultural Council

Hispanic Development Council

Immigrant and Visible MinorityWomen Against Abuse

Immigrant Women’s HealthCentre

India Rainbow CommunityServices of Peel

Intercede

Jamaican Canadian Association

Jewish Family and Child Servicesof Toronto

Jewish Family Service of Ottawa-Carleton

Jewish Vocational Service ofToronto

Job Skills

JobStart

Kitchener Waterloo MulticulturalAssociation

Kingston and District ImmigrantServices

Kingston Employment and YouthServices

Lebanese and Arab SocialService Agency

Le Caravalle

Local Agencies ServingImmigrants

London Cross Cultural LearnerCentre

Dr. Salvatore Mallia

Malton Neighbourhood Services

Service Partners

Partnerships

with institutions

allowed COSTI

to bring to

newcomers the

specialized

skills and

resources

of those

organizations.

16

17

Agencies

Metropolitan Toronto Police

Midaynta

Multicultural Council of WindsorEssex County

Multicultural Inter-Agency Groupof Peel

National Congress of ItalianCanadians – Toronto District

Neighbourhood Information Post

North York Women’s Shelter

Ontario Council of AgenciesServing Immigrants (O.C.A.S.I.)

Ottawa-Carleton ImmigrantServices Organization

Ottawa Chinese CommunityService Centre

Partners for Access andIdentification

Polycultural Immigrant andCommunity Services

Punjabi Community HealthCentre

Reena

Rehabilitation Network Canada

Rexdale Women’s Centre

St. Christopher House

St. Stephen’s Community House

Settlement and IntegrationServices Organization

Share the Warmth

Skills for Change

South Asian Family SupportServices

South Asian Women’s Centre

Sudbury Multicultural/Folk ArtsAssociation

Tamil Eelam Society of Canada

Thorncliffe NeighbourhoodOffice

Thunder Bay MulticulturalAssociation

Toronto Fire Department

Toronto Public HealthDepartment

Toronto Social HousingConnections

Victoria Childcare Services

Vietnamese Association ofToronto

Villa Charities

Windsor Essex County FamilyY.M.C.A.

Woman Abuse Council ofToronto

Woodgreen Community Centreof Toronto

Working Women CommunityCentre

Y.M.C.A. Newcomer InformationCentre

Y.M.C.A., Toronto

Y.M.C.A., York Region

Youth Employment Services

Colleges

George Brown College

Humber College

Seneca College

Hospitals

Humber River Regional Hospital

Toronto Hospital

School Boards

Toronto Catholic District SchoolBoard

Toronto District School Board

York Catholic District SchoolBoard

York District School Board

Service Partners

By subcontracting

other agencies

from Windsor to

Ottawa, COSTI was

able to provide

newcomers

with job search

workshops and

family violence

prevention

education.

Palıdz jaunpienakusiem adapteties

Kanada vairak ka 50 gadi.

$5,000 +Edward Burtnsky

Henry White KinnearFoundation

Look Communications

Jay Mandarino

Bev Rodin

$1,000 +Alpha Computer Systems

Bell Mobility Foundation

Danny Bellissimo

Norman R. Brown

Eli Lilly Canada Inc.

First Canadian TitleInsurance

GlaxoSmithKline

Janssen-Ortho Inc.

Oasis Indoor Golf Club

Raptors Foundation

Michael Stadtlander

$500 +Ace Bakery

Aqua Vera

Casablanca Cigar Co.

Cave Spring Cellars

Cilento Wines

Creekside Estate Winery

Daniel Lenko Estate Winery

Datawave

Designcards

Doug Forsythe Gallery

FDM Contracting

FTD Construction

Hugo Frones

Henry of Pelham FamilyEstate Winery

Ideal Coffee

Illy Espresso Canada Inc.

Inniskillin Wines Inc.

Lakes Restaurant and Bistro

Malivoire Wine Company

Mills and Hadwin Chrysler

Oysterboy

Pantry Press

Vince Pietropaolo

Mary Pocock

Reif Estate Winery

San Remo Florist

Michael Schmidt

Dragan Sekaric

Southbrook Winery

Penny Taylor

Vineland Estates Winery

Vinnie’s Toronto

Susan McLean Woodburn

$100 +AFTM Foods Inc.

Aida Abdi

Mohammed Abdullahi

Maya Abouibrahim

Kennedy Acheampong

Andrew Adams

Jeanette Adams

Racqual Adams

Cheryl Adoranti

Muhammad Adris

Timothy Adzua

Bisma Afzaal

Moinuddin Ahmed

Al Palladini’s Pine Tree FordLincoln

Ewa Aleksandrowicz

Hussain Alhasani

Nina Aliston

Roselyn Alleyne

M.D. Ruhul Amin

Janet Anthony

James Matthew Arsenault

Kathiravelu Arumainayagam

Rajanan Arumugam

Marissa Arzadon

Janet Atkinson

Herman Austin

Australian Boot Company

Avalon

Hassan Ayoub

Dean Bailey

Vinnette Bailey

Nicole Baker

Denise Balgobin

Savitri Balkaran

Janis Bannister

Tara Barr

Navinsuresh Basdeo

Leelawathy Bastiampillai

Andrew Baxter

Andrew Becker

Bell Canada TorontoEmployees Fund forCommunity Service

Dave Benham

Martin Benson

Brain Best

Raheel Bhatti

Nadene Bish

Christine Blake

Ann Boddington

Filsan Bogoreh

Christophe Bonnière

Chris Boothe

Creig Bowen

Karen Boyle

Beverley Brine

Dominic Briscoe

Brenda Brown

Lori Brunette

AnneMarie Bryant

Sarah Bucciarelli

Alicia Buckley

Cheang Bun

Heather Burns

CN Tower

Julita M. Cabogoy

Lisa Cadoo

Sean Calder

Veronica Callo

John Campregher

Canadian Tire, Store #294

Angela Canales

Canon Canada

Capo, Sgro, Di Lena,Hemsworth, Mendicino

Doug Cartmill

Ronald Cassius

Margaret Chafoya

Colvin Chambers

Chau Lin Chan

Lai-Ying Chan

Rishi Chand

Thea Chea

Shanmukanathan Chelliah

Ken Chen

Weimin Chen

Anne Marie Chin

Raymond Chin

Warner Chin

Jennifer Chou

Chan Chow

Hyo-Jin Chun

Ada Chung

Jill-Ellen Churcher

Blossom Clarke

Steve Clarke

Andrew Clement

Clint Cluster

Coca-Cola Bottling Ltd.

ComedyWood

Karen Connelly

Maria Contreras

Melba Copeland-Baksh

Donald Copelind

Dave Cormigr

Virgina Cornelius

Fe Cortez

Jody Costain

Debra Couture

Amanda Cruz

Marlo Cruz

Jimmy Cuda

Herschel Cumberbatch

Shawnette Cummins

Donna Currie

Mohammed Daghar

Shazia Dar

Tarangkumar Dave

Delroy David

Merna Davidson

Erin Dearing

Dawn Dejonge

Mark Dekaj

Lloyd Denton

Chivonne Desilva

Emanuel Desira

Sylviane Devos

Jibendu Dhar

Tanya Dickie

Jane Diep

Amina Dirie

Rachel Disalle

Sherleen Dockery

Shon Dominique

Darishanan Doobay

Flora Dorazio

Daniel Dostie

Marshalene Drummond

Marie Dwarika

Denise Dwyer

Edo

The Elmwood Spa

Brian Elvidge

Andrea Emanuel

Eric English

Garfield English

Chris Enright

Georgia Eronis

Terrance Esprit

Famous Players

Ginan Fanous

Brian Faria

Camille Farley

Pauline Farrace

Pat Finelli

Sue Fisher

Inge Fowlie

Ursular Francis

Marilyn Franklin

Fraydoon Frever

Genia Fromm

Marilyn Fuller

April Gale

Vicky Galloro

Nick Garthoff

Joy Gayle

Peter Gaziano

Maria Giacchetta

Pushba Gill

Lisa Gladish

Brian Glen

Golf Town

El Mer Gonzalez

Lynne Gordon

Wanda Gordon

Ken Emmanuel Grant

Nichole Grant

Sophia Gray

Violet Gregory

Maria Grino

Adalgisa Guevara

Guia Hispana

Anna Hamilton

Lorna Hanson

Martin Yuan Hao

Sarah Harmer

Herma Harris

Rick Hawk

Heather Haynes

Qunrui He

Ken Heath

Lorrie Hedderson

Jewel Henry

Joanne Henry

Diane Holden

Holiday Inn TorontoYorkdale

James Holmes

HomeLife/Cimerman Real Estate

Jorge Huezo

John Humphries

Anis Huq

Zandra Jacob

Chan Jaggit

Beejat Jaglal

Guy Janey

Joginder Jassal

Kumana Jekeswaran

Chrissie John

Errol Johnson

Jennifer Jones

Nichole Jordan

Nimal Kanagarajah

Kanaga Kanagarajan

Ganeshan Kanthawanam

Rajeev Kapoor

Wanda Keefe

Angela Kell

Ken Danby Studios

Alan Kent

Irene Kerridge

Khalyl Khan

Minocher Khavarian

Shari Kilmer

Jung Eun Kim

Lomy Kim

Ann Marie King

Dusty King

Timothy Kokkas

Dana Konecny

Ofer Krausz

Ieng Mui Kuan

Surendran Kulanthivadivel

Satkunam Kumarasamy

La Scala Men’s Wear

Tolongan orang-orang penghijrah melaraskan

di-negeri Canada lebih 50 tahun.

Donors

18

19

Brianne Lafleur

Mary Jane Lafleuren

Simone Lall

Frances Lam

Yolande Lashley

Javaid Latif

Michelle Lea

Tina Leblanc

Jose Ledesma

Jacky Lee

Mae-Lynn Lefebure

Charmaine Lemonious

Maria Leonce

Linda Letterio

Stan Lick

Bob Little

Samantha Livett

Nakarani Lokeswaran

Stan Long

Arnolofo Lorenzo

Lotus Yoga Centre

Geoff Lovelock

Xi Lu

Billie Lucaci

Hayson Lyder

Jemma Lyder

Jason Lynch

Sandra Lyn-Ogilvie

Gary Ma

Melodie MacCharles

Deborah MacDonald

Lori Mackinnon

Vashti Maharaj

Christina Manos

Edna Maraggun

Belkis Marrero

Troya Martin

Christine Matheson

Sonya Maywood

Samuel McCoy

Trevor McFarlane

Lynn McKenna

Loreena McKennitt

Roger McLaughlin

David McLean

Kathleen Mcrae

Rosemarie Menyongai

Brian Metcalfe CharteredAccountant

Therese Miller

Noor Ahmad Mirpour

Naghmeh Mirshahi

Ana Miu

Karim Mohammed

Jason A. Monaghan

Jose Antonio Monzon

Louise Moore

Susan Mootoo

Jo-Ell Moroney

Linda Moss

Jeffery Munro

Gertrude Mushikori

Sarah Mushikori

Carole Muzzi

My Blue Umbrella

Jacqueline Myers

Charmaine Myrie

Mysteriously Yours…Mystery Dinner Theatre

Mark Nanan

Nasima Nathalia

National Ballet of Canada

Bonifacio Natividad

Amir Nawah

Novelette Nelson

Laszlo Nemeth

Pirasanna Nesarajah

Belinda Ng

Niagara-on-the-lake VintageInns

Anne Noronha

OMG Media

OPG Employees’ andPensioners’ Charity Trust

Ruth O’Keefe

Oliver Bonacini Restaurants

Eileen O’Reilly

Fadumo Osman

Agnes Owusu-Ansah

Telli Ozgur

Tanya Paddock

Dominic Page

Alexandria Palacios

Siva Paramoothy

Jeehyeon Park

Janine Parkinson

John Parnham

Brenda Parthelmes

Hanif Patel

Thayalini Pathmarajah

Jacob Pawlowski

Carroll Pearce

Shawna Pearl

Parveen Peero

Carolyn Pellettier

Lorna Perena

Farida Persaud

Lennox Pertabsingh

Keith Peters

Cynthia Phouthonesy

Pinedale Properties

Rasim Pirishov

Pizza Pizza Ltd.

Zoran Popov

Janeen Pringle

Erica Proctor

Michelle Pua

Tessa Ng See Quan

The Queen Mother Cafe

Lawrence Quinlan

Dannel Rahamut

Kamala Raja

Mohamed Rajan

Karamchand Ramassar

Juliet Ramsay

Doris Randall

Mathivarnan Rasanayagam

Margaret Rathbone

Lisa Rayner

Clint Richards

Sonia Richards

Ryan Richardson

Rita Risby

Charmaine Roach

Leilani Roberto

Tracy Robertson

Marcia Rodney

Wayne Rogers

Rafael Romero

Lidia Rona

Roni Excavating Ltd.

James Roset

Roger Rousselle

Craig Gordon Rowe

Royal LePage

Mark Rudderham

Rundles

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

Gus Saad

Sivalingam Sabaratnam

Angela Sabato

Sable and Rosenfeld

Marsha Saith

Abas Salari

Marcelina Salerno

Allan Salih

Dahlia Salih

Ramesh Samaroo

Shari Samuel

Donna Sancho

Jorge Santizo

Maria Santon

Jacqueline Santos

Wendy Saunders

Maylene Saylon

Pauline Scrivens

David Sealy

Laura Sebastiampillai

Shane Seelal

Michelle Seivewright

Vathanarajan Selliah

Banasree Sen

Settemezzo Restaurant

ThayaparamShanmugasuntharam

Sunita Sharma

Shahid Sheikh

Paul Sheppard

Andrew Sherbin

Abdul Sheri

Fathiya Sherman

Kent Sherrard

Harold G. Shipp

Norbina Silva

Silver Springs CulinaryRetreat

Maria Simas

Sinclair-Cockburn FinancialGroup

Sajiwan Singh

Shannon Singh

Prem Siva

Satish Sivaprakasapillai

Barb Skinner

Carol Smith

Devin Smith

Michelle Smith

Rayon Smith

Tanya Smith

Valerie Smith

Vivienne Smith

Alex Solovieve

Ilko Sossev

Tanya Spencer

Bob Sramm

Rajaratnam Sritharan

Wendy A. Stevenson

Christine Stibor

Zeen Su

Barry Sues

Balachanderan Sundaram

Waqqas M. Syed

Margit Szollos

Mozhgan Tabibi

Amarnath Taitram

Joyce Tanner

Tasting Rooms Restaurant

Sharon Taylor

Terra

Nageswary Thayalan

Kandiah Thiruchselvam

Ben Thomas

Wanda Thomas

Greg Thompson

Jeremy Thompson

Quenton B. Thompson

Wai Ting

Iqbal Tirmizi

Tristan Tolentino

Pamela Tomchishin

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Rock Lacrosse Club

Francis Torres

Michele Townley

The Tragically Hip

Dennis Tran

John Tret

Patty Truong

Alexandros Tsolos

Latoya Tubana

Universal Workers UnionLocal 183

Dushyant Vadgama

Irma Valmadrid

Jessica Vanacker

Jason Vandermoer

Verlyn Vandyck

Vaughan Electrical Supply Co. Ltd.

Brian Vegas

Punithwathy Vignarajah

Rupert Vigo

Viking Tire Sales Ltd.

Ruby Viloria

William Walker

Gwendolyn Walters

William Walton

Tanya Walwaski

Sean Wang

Margaret Waye

Laurene Weeks

Dwight Westacott

Christopher Williams

Susan Wilson

Zaida Wilson

Anna Wojdera

Calvin Wolridge

Charmaine Wong

Laval Wong

Mary Woodcox

Kim Hyun Wook

Petoca Wright

Wynford Beauty Salon and Spa

Fatima Yamani

Le Yang

James Kaiyu Yao

Youjiang Ye

Marknou Yogeswaran

Pzi Har Yong

Denny Young

Vanessa Young

Rukiya Youssuf

Zinat Yousuf

Jingyi Yu

Yuk Yuk’s International

Agha Zahid

Zarazuddlyarado Zhao

Zucca

Donors

Duke ndihmuar për më shumë se 50 vjettë porsaardhurit për tu sistemuar në Kanada.

Head Office: 1710 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M6E 3P2

Tel: 416-658-1600 ■ Fax: 416-658-8537 ■ Web Site: www.costi.org ■ E-mail: admin@costi.org

COSTI provides educational, social, and employment

services to help all immigrants in the greater Toronto

area attain self-sufficiency in Canadian society.

COSTI, founded by the Italian Community to meet

a shortage of services for immigrants in the post war

era, is today a multicultural agency that works with all

immigrant communities having a shortage of

established services.

Mission Statement