Bassima volunteered as Library Champion with the Vancouver Public Library. She shares her experience of moving to Vancouver from Lebanon, trying to find work, and encountering employment scams. We were delighted to catch up with her to hear her journey.
Becoming a Library Champion
I moved to the City of Vancouver in June 2023 from Lebanon. In the year that followed, I began volunteering with the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House. Through our ESL group, I learned about the Library Champions Project with the Vancouver Public Library (VPL). I was inspired by the project’s potential to deepen my understanding of the community and explore the resources available to support newcomers like myself who would be arriving in Vancouver and finding new opportunities.
Becoming a Library Champion
It was an excellent experience. I got to be engaged in something resourceful and useful for myself and the community, and I got to meet other newcomers. This program also gave me an opportunity to discover my own skills and talents, and those of others arriving in Vancouver and finding new opportunities.
Experiencing the Central Library
I was astonished and mesmerized when I visited the Central Library downtown Vancouver for the first time. The building’s architecture is something else. The 9th floor offers a panoramic skyline view of Vancouver – stunning – and the librarians are so resourceful.
Libraries as a Hub for Connection and Learning
When you think of libraries, you often picture a quiet space to sit and read. However, my experience with the Vancouver Public Library has been completely different—it’s a vibrant hub for connection, sharing, and learning. As a newcomer, I’ve found the library to be a one-stop resource for everything I need. Whether it’s information, support, or community programs, it’s all conveniently available in one place. This concept was entirely new to me and has been an eye-opening experience.
Exploring the Library’s Perks
The perks at the Vancouver Public Library are numerous. You can read, watch movies, do crafts with your kids, or play in the Inspiration Lab. You can use the computers and technology on-site. There is free Wi-Fi. The Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre helps newcomers understand the Canadian labour market and offers support in finding employment. There is a stage area for people to share their talents, music, painting or art, creating a buzzing and a positive atmosphere. You really can go there and enjoy it and simply forget about the time. It’s wonderful!
Taking on the Immigrant Women Advisory Committee 2024 (IWAC 3) Program
While volunteering at the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, we received an invitation to participate in Immigrant Women Advisory Committee 2024 (IWAC 3) Program with Pacific Immigrant Resources Society (PIRS). I like to challenge myself and I definitely feel coming to a new country as a newcomer, I don’t just want to put a laptop in front of me and sit and wait. Personally, I like to go outside, and meet people and discover my new neighbourhood. This allows me to feel more included in my community. I completed my application, and within a few days, I heard that I was a part of this group.
Developing a Project on Employment Scams
We were tasked to come up with a project to shed light on the difficulties faced by newcomer women in some aspects of their life. We then provided tips to help them to overcome that challenge. After some consideration, we chose to examine employment scams. I was looking for a job, and my group partner was too. Many women are at home with kids and want to do something to support their husbands and their family. They’re looking for part-time, and ideally remote, work with a decent income.
Personal Experiences with Employment Scams
I found some opportunities on Facebook, and after communicating back and forth with the employers, I felt they were becoming too pushy. I was receiving a lot of email, messages through SMS or Messenger, and phone calls. They were using all avenues they could to target me as a newcomer. They were trying to convince me to do something that I was not certain about. As they continued to push me, I finally blocked them. When I went back and checked their accounts again on Facebook, I discovered they had disappeared.
Researching and Educating About Employment Scams
With this experience in mind, I started researching for our project. I started with internet research and then reached out to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the Competition Bureau for an interview. Within 24 hours, I had a response with a multitude of information. They provided me with a PowerPoint presentation showing how employment scams occur. They outlined how fraudsters are evolving and using social media to reach their victims. A member of the Competition Bureau management team was kind enough to collaborate with us and participate in our video presentation.
Raising Awareness Through a Video
Our goal with the video is to reach many newcomers from diverse backgrounds. People are moving to Canada for a new life, new opportunity, and a new future; not only for us, but for our children. When newcomers become victims of fraud, they often feel like the country has let them down; but it’s not Canada – fraudsters are contacting us from all over the world. They’re continually inventing new ways to reach their victims.
Recognizing the Red Flags of Employment Scams
In our video, we demonstrate the red flags. Is it too good to be true, is the pay too good for the tasks required, is the email received from an authentic organization? Also, does the company have a website? Just recently, I received an SMS asking if I was still looking for part-time work. I looked at the phone number, and it was from the United States. We need to be extremely aware and cautious. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is!
Tips for Protecting Yourself
In 2022/2023, employment fraud was the 4th largest type of fraud in Canada. In the first six months of 2024, it’s moved up to 2nd place. As newcomers arriving in Vancouver and finding new opportunities, our group is more at risk than others. Surprisingly, only 5% to 10% of victims report fraud, so these numbers could be very different entirely. Reporting fraud is confidential, so there’s no shame in reporting it. At the very least, you’re protecting others.
Moving Forward with Optimism and Action
Moving to a new country is both an exciting adventure and a challenge. I think it’s important for newcomers to try to maintain a positive mindset. Nothing is going to come easily, and you need to stay open to all possible opportunities. Don’t look for only the same position that you held before moving to Canada. Here you need to start from step one and my best advice is to: volunteer, volunteer, volunteer! Volunteering is a gateway to open new opportunities, meet new people, and discover your inner talents and skills.
Embracing Growth and Opportunities
Stepping outside your comfort zone is one of the best ways to grow. It allows you to discover who you are and what you’re capable of —you might even surprise yourself with what you can achieve. Doing your research is key. I’ve made it a priority to fill my time with activities that benefit both myself and the community. Vancouver offers countless opportunities; we just need to seek them out, embrace the challenges, and step beyond our comfort zone to make the most of them.