The Cultural Integration Academy began in 2014 and since then has close to doubled their class sizes. Grande Prairie Crime Prevention Program Manager Karen Gariepy says in their first class in December 2014, they had around 15 graduates.
“Cultural Integration Academy has gone through some changes the last couple of years that it has been here and it is growing. In our last class, we have 30 participants that are attending. Definitely, word-of-mouth is getting around.”
She adds that each class takes about ten weeks to complete.
“We are having connections with a number of agencies that are referring their employees or clients to the program also.”
People who immigrate to Canada and attend the CIA will learn everything from how to deal with police officers, raising children in a new country, and dealing with culture shock. They are also matched up with volunteer mentor families who will help them further integrate.