Workshop gives Black students tools to succeed

Loy Excellentia Initiative hosted its first “Beyond The Classroom” to help post-secondary students navigate life, school and careers in Canada on Saturday.

The event, held in Brandon University’s Faculty of Education, was a professional development and community-building workshop designed to help Black, African and Caribbean post-secondary students navigate life in Canada.

The full-day event brought together professionals from areas that included banking, writing, academic success, career development and mental health to share their knowledge with students.

The workshop was created to give international students practical information about systems and resources they may not be familiar with after arriving in Canada, founder Aloy Anyichie said.

“The objective is to create opportunities for international students, especially those of them that identify as African, Blacks, and Caribbean, to understand how the system here in Canada works,” Anyichie said.

Anyichie said the event’s programming was shaped directly by students, who were surveyed beforehand about what they wanted to learn and the challenges they were facing.

The approach appeared to resonate with participants, with students asking questions and speaking with facilitators throughout the event.

RBC senior mortgage specialist Angela Hainsworth, one of the presenters, focused on financial literacy and homeownership.

She spoke to students about what is required to become a first-time homebuyer, including income, down payments and maintaining good credit.

Hainsworth also discussed financial tools such as the First Home Savings Account, which allows eligible individuals to contribute up to $8,000 a year, as well as TFSAs and RRSPs.

She also warned students about the financial consequences of taking on large debts and about scams, including fraudulent investment and cryptocurrency offers.

“Knowledge is power,” Hainsworth told the Sun. “Students who begin saving, establishing credit and managing their finances early will be better positioned when they are ready to purchase a home.”

For some students, the workshop also provided an opportunity to build connections and find a sense of belonging.

The event has benefits across social, academic and professions. BU student Rene Lorraine, who arrived from Jamaica about a month ago, said it brought groups and cultures together to build genuine connections.

Among her key takeaways was the importance of building genuine friendships, becoming involved in the Brandon community and thinking beyond immediate academic concerns.

“We don’t only think of when we’re in school, but we also think about what the next five years hold for us,” she said.

Lorraine said she would like to see the event return, particularly because she has not yet met many other Jamaicans in Brandon.

The experiences of other Black immigrants on campus were particularly meaningful, BU student Hjevon Banks-Flinn, who arrived from California about a week before the event, said.

“I wasn’t sure what the diversity was going to be like, or whether I would feel like I belonged,” Banks-Flinn told the Sun. “But it was really nice to be able to come with other people who look like me and hear their experiences.”

Financial and homeownership discussions were among the sessions that stood out for Banks-Flinn as she prepares to graduate and considers her future.

She also said hearing from an entrepreneur about building something from nothing was inspiring.

For Tayosan Kafal, the event offered encouragement from people whose experiences reflected some of her own.

Kafal, who is originally from Somalia and grew up in Ethiopia before moving to Canada, is beginning her studies at Brandon University after previously earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health in Ethiopia.

She said hearing from people who had once been new immigrants and had faced similar challenges gave her confidence.

“Everybody who stayed in while it was hard and got patient and didn’t give up, showed up in here today,” Kafal said. “If you want to go further, you have to be more patient and don’t give up.”

Program co-ordinator Uzodinma Chilaka said the event achieved its objective of helping students identify with their peers and communities while becoming more aware of resources and issues that could affect their academic and personal journeys.

He said organizers also recognize that many students are balancing their education with the need to find employment and pay bills, which can make it difficult to participate in programs designed to support them.

Chilaka said organizers want students to take greater ownership of the event by becoming involved from the planning stage through to its delivery.

“We would really love for more of them to be part of what we are doing,” he said.

The organizers hope to make the workshop an annual event and use participant feedback to improve future editions.

Anyichie said the longer-term vision extends beyond a single annual workshop.

The initiative is considering more frequent gatherings, potentially on a quarterly basis, where students could check in, raise concerns and receive guidance.

There is also discussion about creating an online mentorship platform that could connect students with professionals and mentors between in-person events, he said.

“We try to have multiple events each year, so that they will have a natural opportunity to connect,” Anyichie said.

The goal, he said, is to build a community where students know where to turn when they encounter challenges, both during their studies and after graduation.

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola