If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting Lola Blazevic, you would know what a wonderful person she is. Lola works as a Settlement Facilitator at the Immigrant Centre, but she also volunteers as a Translator in our Language Services Department. She’s fluent in Russian, Ukrainian and Polish, which has made her an asset to our Language Bank, where she assists regularly with document translations.

Lola’s involvement with the Immigrant Centre started many years ago. “When I came to Canada almost 26 years ago, I didn’t know about the Immigrant Centre. I later found out about it from someone and came as a client to do a translation. That was around 2012.”

Lola recalls meeting then Executive Director Linda Lalande and her Employment Facilitator Harouna Samura, both of whom gave her advice about obtaining work experience. “I was working with my husband all along so I was self-employed, and when he retired I wanted to find a job, but I needed to volunteer to get Canadian work experience.” 

Lola started volunteering at the Centre as an assistant to a Citizenship Class Facilitator. Not long after, she was hired to work as a receptionist, eventually moving over to Language Services and to her current position as a Settlement Facilitator. 

“When I started working, I became more confident in myself. I love working with people. It gives me a good feeling when I help a client, and then they come back to introduce you to their husband or wife who has just arrived in Canada, because you helped them. It feels good to do something that makes people happy.”

About the Immigrant Centre itself, Lola can’t imagine herself working anywhere else. “I love the staff, all the people who work here. It’s a loving atmosphere. We don’t see any difference between us and that’s what I like the most.”