Joining CWICE as Research Assistant

My experience joining Peel CAS’ Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE) has been valuable and provided me with additional insights into what I want to do. Working for Peel CAS has been one of my aspirations, especially since I was a former child in care.

I got this position with the support of someone I appreciate the most for her heart of helping and caring for others. Michelle Cerasuolo, a member of the Trailblazer’s Youth Success Team, knew I was enrolled in Niagara College in Canada's Protection, Security, Investigation program (Customs Border Services).  This program, which I recently completed, is extremely relevant to the position that I am in currently. Michelle introduced me to an outstanding individual who is now my manager at CWICE. Danielle Ungara is one of the most hardworking people I know, ensuring that her team and everyone around her is comfortable and try to meet their needs. Danielle and I have been discussing this position as a Research Student since late February 2024. Danielle was patient with me, and I was eventually employed in late May as a Research Student with CWICE. So far, it has been a journey centered on knowledge.

As I previously stated, I was a child in care and experienced my own challenges and trauma; yet this did not deter me from finishing my education and following my interests. I enjoy helping people in the same way that I have been helped. I have always wanted to help individuals younger than me, providing advice and guidance to them so they may access as many resources as possible and supports available. There is a lot of support out there, but it is not always obvious, so one of the duties I assigned myself was to get it out there and offer information to everyone around me.

I was not an immigrant, though I lived in Syria as a Canadian citizen, for much of my life. When I returned to Canada, after sixteen years, I was an Unaccompanied and Separated Child (UASC) because I arrived in Canada on my own. Peel CAS responded and provided me help, and I have been grateful ever since.

At the start of my current role, I felt confused trying to figure out what I needed to do and how to navigate. The staff at Peel CAS assisted me in navigating and becoming comfortable with the job by offering various advice and support. From Prasad Nair, the Director, to Liz Okai, CWICE Manager, I’ve also been receiving support from Claudia Obreque and Ghezal Wallid on the team. As well, I want to acknowledge the support I’ve received from the IT team, Accountability and Analytics and Youth Success teams, many social workers, and all my CWICE colleagues – who have all helped me get started and grounded.  I have been able to become comfortable in a role that supports my education; I have been interested in immigration after encountering one of my professors in college who taught about immigration for customs students.  My interest is there because, when I was living in Syria I witnessed the challenges and struggles of those living in another country and I can relate to the experience many immigrants have here.

In order to learn more about the organization and its partners, I started my position by reading articles, reports, and delving into the CWICE website. I began by connecting the dots and constructing the organization map and connecting things in my head. In addition, I established connections with the team to learn more about their responsibilities and previous positions they held before joining CWICE. The knowledge from the team had an important part in building CWICE into what it is today: a unique division for Peel CAS and for Canada.

The CWICE National Conference was quickly approaching as I got situated in my new role and began to settle in. The conference was a success, with over 275 attendees learning about CWICE and its partners. I had an evaluation position where I interviewed several people to learn about their experiences at the conference. I collected data during the conference, as well as listened to panelists who were quite informed about their fields. Furthermore, I also took photos and videos to help document and preserve the day and CWICE's accomplishment.  

While I have been enriched by working with my esteemed colleagues and organization, I’ve been meeting with staff at Peel Newcomer Strategy Group and Peel Multicultural for CWICE’s first community-based research project funded by IRCC.  Currently, I work as a Research Assistant at CWICE, where we gather data for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) project about newcomers who do not have access to digital settlement services. I collaborate with the Peel Newcomer Strategy Group (PNSG) research lead to collect this data. Together, we are conducting interviews and surveys to better identify who has and does not have access to digital settlement programs, as well as the challenges that they face. We are continuing to recruit individuals who are interested in sharing their perspectives and experiences. Below is the poster for our research project.

Our next steps are to finalize interviews and surveys and begin the lengthy process of data coding and analysis. I will continue to learn about the research process as the project unfolds. My eagerness to learn more has been growing and it matches my keen sense of learning and making connections. I am confident, with this fantastic crew, I will continue to feel at home, am certain that I will be successful in my role, and the research project I contribute to will provide meaningful insights for service providers and newcomers alike.

About the author:

Peter Almounauar is a Research Assistant at Peel CAS’ Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence. Peter first was engaged with Peel CAS in 2019 as Unaccompanied and Separated Child (UASC) and now he is working with CWICE. Peter has lived outside of Canada, as a citizen living abroad, and this experience made him passionate about helping others. He is a recent graduate of Niagara College with his diploma in Canada's Protection, Security, Investigation program (Customs Border Services).