When I was young, my parents and I immigrated to Canada, where my aunts and brothers had already lived since the early 60s. The move was challenging, especially at that age. My father wanted me to be an accountant, but I have always been passionate about helping people. I pursued an Economics degree in India and later earned a diploma in counselling in Canada.
Through a random conversation, I met a career counsellor and spoke with her about my aspirations. This led me to become a youth counsellor with the Neighborhood Organization (TNO) Toronto District School Board, working on a pilot project to help new Canadian high school students. That eventually became a national program andI’ve been working at TNO for the last 28 years.
The TNO offers support to newcomers, refugees, temporary foreign workers, Canadian citizens, and employers who work with temporary foreign workers in various ways. We assist with translation services and accompany clients to medical and banking appointments. We help them complete paperwork for CPP, parental benefits, and income tax, and review any forms they need to sign. Additionally, we offer referrals to community legal services and conduct “Know Your Rights” workshops, along with educational and informational sessions on a range of topics.
We also provide mental health support, recognizing that being away from family and support networks can be challenging. Every day brings new experiences. When I started at TNO, there were only eight staff members. Now, our team has grown to over 300, serving communities across Ontario for almost 40 years. We provide services to newcomers, temporary workers, refugees, and Canadian citizens alike. Collectively, our staff speaks more than 60 languages, including some Indigenous languages and regional dialects. I personally speak three languages.
A significant portion of our work—80 to 90 percent—focuses on supporting Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Temporary Foreign Workers who are contracted to work on farms or in food processing facilities across Canada. These workers often face unique challenges, including isolation due to their remote work locations and limited access to community resources. We are dedicated to addressing these challenges by providing comprehensive support tailored to their needs in partnership with other agencies across the province
Our services include regular check-ins to ensure they have access to essential resources, mental health support to help them cope with the emotional strain of being away from home, and assistance with navigating their work environment. We also help with translation and interpretation to ensure they understand their rights and responsibilities, and we facilitate access to medical and legal services when needed.
In addition to the agricultural and food processing sectors, we also support clients working in retail, childcare, construction, tourism, and food service. These workers make vital contributions to the Canadian economy, and we are committed to ensuring their success and well-being. Our mission is to support their integration and address the specific challenges they face in their work and personal lives.
Our services are highly utilized. In the first three months of 2024 alone, we served 7,131 unique clients and had 12,654 interactions with first-time clients. We conducted 151 webinars and informational sessions, and organized 78 community events. To accommodate the demanding schedules of farm workers, our offices remain open late, and we offer WhatsApp chat lines and tip lines to provide support whenever needed.
This work is incredibly rewarding. Navigating Canada’s systems can be quite complex, especially for those who are new to the country (and even sometimes for those who have lived here all their lives). However, witnessing the impact of our support—seeing a smile on someone’s face and knowing we’ve made their life a little easier—is immensely fulfilling. For example, one of our clients on an Ontario farm recently received Permanent Residency status and was able to bring his wife and children to Canada. Seeing the joy and relief on his face was a highlight for all of us. Our sole purpose is to support both employees and employers, and to be seen as helpful neighbours wherever our services are needed—hence the name of our organization.
My late husband was from India. He was a mechanical engineer and a naturopathic doctor. He had a big dream to build an orphanage in India and have the land around it run as an organic farm. I still hope someday to fulfill that vision of his.