Achēv was proud to partner with Credit Canada in their 2023 Financial Literacy campaign. Our CEO Tonie Chaltas had participated in a panel discussion hosted by Canadian Club Toronto in November to discuss the unique barriers newcomers face when establishing a financial foundation in Canada. The panel of experts shared their insights, experiences, and opportunities to support newcomers’ financial wellbeing.

Tonie was also a guest on the “Moolala: Money Made Simple with Bruce Sellery” podcast to discuss some of the financial barriers newcomers face and how to navigate the job market as a newcomer.

You can watch her segment on the podcast below:

Each November, Credit Canada joins the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) to engage with Canadians during Financial Literacy Month. For 2023, Credit Canada set out to develop a program that will provide value to the newcomers in the Canadian population and will live well beyond Financial Literacy Month.

Credit Canada launched a free, multilingual online learning program about credit, developed specifically for newcomers to Canada. The program aims to empower newcomers by providing them with the knowledge and skills to build strong credit in Canada. 

Available in 8 languages, the e-learning program will teach newcomers the basics of credit in Canada, help them establish a solid financial foundation, and boost their confidence. Each module takes 10-15 minutes to complete and includes short case studies, mini-quizzes and other interactive elements

Topics to be covered in the modules:

• Essentials of Credit in Canada
• How to Build Your Credit History in Canada
• How to Improve Your Credit Score
• What to Do If You Run Into Problems with Credit

The modules are available in the following languages: English, Arabic, Farsi, Simple Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, Tagalog and French. Visit this link for more information.

We’re thrilled to announce that Achēv CEO Tonie Chaltas has been recognized as a WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner! Tonie is the proud recipient of the Canadian Tire Community Impact Award, celebrating women who champion community outreach, connections, inclusivity, and empowerment. These leaders eliminate barriers, act as changemakers, and serve as role models in their communities.

“It is an honour to be recognized amongst this extraordinary group of women. Awards such as these, not only celebrate women’s achievements, but also inspire others to break through barriers, take on big challenges and achieve their dreams,” said Tonie Chaltas. Since joining Achēv in 2021 as the CEO, Tonie has led the organization through a time of tremendous growth and transformation. There has never been a more important time for the services provided by Achēv, which supported over 100,000 clients last year across its nine offices in the GTA, throughout Canada and abroad.    

The 2023 winners will be celebrated in person at the 21st annual Top 100 Awards Gala, hosted at the Fairmont Royal York Toronto on November 30.

“It takes a powerful woman to lead like a legend in her field, organization or community, and it takes a powerful woman to empower those around her to do the same,” said Sherri Stevens, Owner and CEO of WXN. “This year’s winners embody that power, giving us hope when we need it most, setting new bars and changing the status quo. They are legends celebrated not just for the things they do, but also how they touch the lives of others.”

The Top 100 Awards span the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, with the winners selected by WXN’s Diversity Council of Canada. The awards are presented to remarkable women in 12 categories:

• Canadian Tire Community Impact
• Canada’s Most Powerful CEOs, presented by Postmedia
• C-Suite Executives
• Amex Emerging Leaders
• Compass Rose Entrepreneurs
• Executive Leaders
• RBC Future Launch Future Leaders
• Professionals
• BMO STEM
• CPKC Skilled Trades
• Women of Courage, presented by Richardson Wealth
• WXN Hall of Fame

“We stand on the shoulders of giants. Our winners show us how powerful we are today through the continued legacy that weaves through all 21 years of the Top 100 Awards. They also forge a brighter future for Canada through the legends they create every single day,” Stevens said.

That legacy includes iconic Top 100 winners such as The Honourable Rona Ambrose, former leader of Canada’s Official Opposition in the House of Commons; Dr. Makaziwe Mandela, global activist, head of the House of Mandela and the daughter of Nelson Mandela; The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, the first African-Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons; Melissa Grelo, co-host of CTV’s The Social; Michele Romanow, tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist; and Susan Aglukark, award-winning musician.

Since it began in 2012, the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards have recognized and celebrated a total of 1,628 extraordinary women.

For a full list of winners, please visit: https://wxnetwork.com/page/2023Top100AwardWinners

About WXN

WXN (Women’s Executive Network), a member-based organization, is North America’s #1 and only organization that meaningfully propels and celebrates the advancement of professional women at all levels, in all sectors, and of all ages. WXN delivers this advancement through training, events, mentoring, networking, and award and recognition programs for members and partners. WXN operates in Canada and the U.S.

Achēv is pleased to announce our new specialized Employment Services is now available in York Region. This free Employment Ontario service helps job seekers who are in receipt of ODSP or self-identify as a person with a disability with their job search needs and achieve their employment goals.

People with disabilities still face many barriers to employment. Achēv believes everyone deserves an equal opportunity to build a better life and a successful future. We are dedicated to helping people with disabilities achieve their full potential by providing them with personalized employment support.

Job seekers will have access to the following:

• Job search support
• Workshops
• Professional one-on-one career support
• Hiring events and job opportunities
• Employers

Eligible clients can contact our Richmond Hill office to book an appointment. Virtual employment services are also available through interactive video conferencing, webinars and e-learning modules.

Learn more about Achēv’s specialized Employment Services at: https://achev.ca/service/employment-ontario-odsp/

We are pleased to announce that the Achēv Mississauga location has been selected to be a part of the Ontario government’s Investing in Women’s Futures program. The Ontario government is expanding the program through funding for Achēv’s new RISE program. RISE, which stands for Resilience, Independence, Support, and Empower, is a program open to all women & self-identifying women individuals based in the Peel & Halton region facing abuse and gender-based violence.

We’ll provide employment readiness programming, including digital literacy and workplace intercultural training, financial workshops, networking, mentorship, and one-on-one coaching, to survivors of gender-based violence. We’ll also offer wraparound supports, including counselling, safety planning, and legal rights workshops.

The program will focus on preventative measures as well as helping women access resources and information that will help them feel safe and ultimately become economically empowered and develop a strong sense of well-being.

“Achēv is grateful for this investment which allows us to better serve women facing barriers in a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment,” said Tonie Chaltas, Chief Executive Officer, Achēv.

The expansion of the Investing in Women’s Futures program to 10 additional locations is part of a $6.9 million investment over three years to enhance the program and create more economic opportunities for women. It will also help more women experiencing social and economic barriers connect to supports and develop the skills they need to gain financial security and independence. Read more here: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1003285/ontario-helping-more-women-in-mississauga-build-skills-and-get-jobs

Mississauga, ON – In May 2022, Achēv received a $149,700 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to support their efforts to create an accessible, user-friendly digital library of resources to support staff, clients and the community. The project will be completed in May 2023 and will support the organization’s digital transformation journey and countless clients for years to come.

“I am thrilled with the announcement that Achēv, a cornerstone organization in my riding of Mississauga Centre is benefitting from a $149,700 Resilient Communities Fund grant. The grant has been used to help Achēv enhance their technological capacity with an increased emphasis on digitizing services. This will increase accessibility and efficiency and, in turn, better serve vulnerable residents in both Mississauga Centre and beyond,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, MPP for Mississauga Centre.

Achēv used the grant to research options and develop a digital asset management system (online library), AchēvShare, to consolidate and share a wealth of client service resources and make them accessible to more clients and staff. “Making our company-developed resources available to all our staff and clients is critical. This OTF-funded project has enabled us to create a customized digital library consolidating a wealth of resources on topics such as job search tips, language learning, and more. All in formats that address needs on an immediate basis,” said CEO Tonie Chaltas.

OTF has also provided Achēv with a $37,300 Capital Grant to purchase 10 Smart Boards and accessories. Smart Boards will allow Achēv to provide interactive in-person, hybrid and virtual services to their clients. The touchscreen feature aligned with easy sync to staff’s laptop content results in dynamic events, sessions, classes, workshops, meetings etc. The new technology was received by staff with excitement: “Great! Yes, very excited! I have been suggesting it for some time. I use them for teaching and love the experience.”

Achēv aims to change people’s lives as they discover their potential and achieve their purpose. It is one of the largest non-profit providers of employment, youth, settlement, women and language services in the Greater Toronto Area, serving over 100,000 clients in 2022. Since the pandemic, the organization has quickly adapted tools and processes to provide more online services in record time, providing essential community supports to job seekers, women, newcomers and youth. Further information can be found at www.achev.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

Achēv celebrated its inaugural Achēvment Awards at a community breakfast this morning in Mississauga. 

The first of its kind in Peel, the Achēvment Awards are designed to recognize those individuals and organizations that excel in fostering diversity in the workplace, promote cross-sector collaboration, and have the courage to fulfill dreams.  

“Today we are celebrating the power of collaboration between our partners, clients, and the communities we serve,” said Achēv CEO Tonie Chaltas. “We hope our Achēvment Awards recipients will inspire other businesses, organizations, and individuals to work together to help Canada prosper.”

Achēv’s inaugural Achēvment Awards recipients are:  

• Maple Lodge Farms, an Achēv employer partner, who is being honoured for its innovative and inclusive approach to employing newcomers and breaking down barriers to employment. 
• Catholic Crosscultural Services, a longstanding and trusted community partner, who is being celebrated for its shared passion and commitment to serving Achēv’s clients.   
• Samantha Palloo, an Achēv client, who is being recognized for her determination and courage in building the human resources career she dreamed of in Canada.    

Click here for the videos of the awards granted. 

As one of the largest providers of employment, language, newcomer, youth, women’s, and inclusion services, Achēv occupies a unique place in the communities it serves. By leveraging its scope and scale and its long-standing partnerships in the community, Achēv offers clients the services they need, when and where they need them.   

Achēv’s team of over 400 dedicated staff works with each client to understand their unique goals and needs. “Achēv is proud of the work we do, online and in-person at our nine locations across the GTA, to help over 100,000 people each year achieve their goals,” said Ms. Chaltas. 

Achēv is one of the largest providers of employment, newcomer, language, youth, women’s and inclusion services in the Greater Toronto Area. Last year, we served over 100,000 clients and 3,600 employer partners at our nine locations. Our dedicated team of nearly 400 staff, delivers a wide range of personalized programs and services that empower our clients to prosper and our communities to thrive. Learn about our impact at Achēv.ca 

We’re excited to share that Achēv has been featured in the Mississauga News as part of their International Women’s Day special issue. The article highlights our client success stories from our Workforce Pathways for Women in Senior Care and Career Pathways for Women programs. Achēv CEO Tonie Chaltas also discussed our continued commitment to helping women and girls achieve their potential.

Download or view a copy of the article here: https://achev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Mississauga_NewsWomens-Day.pdf

Achēv women’s services pillar empowers our team to be more intentional about how we are helping women identify and access the employment, language, newcomer, youth and other services they need. Click here for a list of all women-specific programs Achēv offers: https://achev.ca/services/women-services/

Broadening and extending women’s workforce participation, particularly for newcomer and racialized women, is critical to addressing our current and future labour shortages. Read our National Post feature on how Achēv’s women services give newcomer women the boost they need to succeed and secure successful pathways here.

Download or view a copy of the article here.

We’re excited to share that Achēv has been featured in the Mississauga News! The article covers the launch of our women’s services pillar and discusses how we are helping immigrant and racialized women develop skills and find better and more meaningful jobs.  

Achēv’s women’s pillar empowers our team to be more intentional about how we are helping women identify and access the employment, language, newcomer, youth and other services they need. To read the full article in the Mississauga News, click here. Learn more about our Women’s Services here.

Achēv, one of the largest providers of employment, newcomer, language, and youth services in the Greater Toronto Area, launches a new service offering dedicated to women who face unique barriers in securing employment, settling in a new community, and building the networks they need to thrive. Achēv is committed to increasing its support to this integral segment of our society. 

“We support women across the continuum of their lives, from first jobs and settlement to skills development and charting career paths,” said Achēv CEO Tonie Chaltas. “Achēv’s dedicated Women’s Pillar will allow us to provide more targeted support to the more than 50,000 women and girls who access our employment, language, and newcomer services each year.” 

Canadian businesses must diversify their workforce to remain competitive and meet 21st-century labour demands. But women, particularly newcomer and racialized women, face barriers to full-time, meaningful employment. It takes immigrant and racialized women longer to integrate into the labour market than men. They also earn less median income in a year compared to Canadian-born and non-racialized women. 

“We are increasing our work with employers to build pathways to employment and help set women up for success in the workplace,” explained Ms. Chaltas. “Broadening and extending women’s workforce participation, particularly for newcomer and racialized women, is critical to addressing our current and future labour shortages.” 

“I know firsthand some of the challenges that women in the workplace face, especially if they are a newcomer or a woman of colour,” said Jessica Luh Kim, a consultant at Seasons Retirement Communities. “Seasons Retirement Communities is proud of the work we do with Achēv to empower women in the workplace.” 

Achēv is actively seeking opportunities to expand our women’s program offering and to collaborate with employers and partner organizations. Learn more about Achēv’s women’s services at https://achev.ca/services/women-services/