Settlement.Org
From SettlementAtWork
| Organization: | OCASI |
|---|---|
| Started in: | November 2000 |
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Settlement.Org is an award-winning website for newcomers to Ontario. It offers an amazing range of information on key settlement topics such as employment, learning English, getting health care and finding housing. It also refers newcomers to agencies in their area that provide vital settlement services.
The 2010-2011 year has been a big one for Settlement.Org! The website now boasts a modern and professional design, where users can find the information they need more easily. Search results are more reliable. Hundreds of articles have been rewritten so that they are shorter and easier to read. In the "Services Near Me" section, users can search for settlement agencies and other community services by region and by keyword. The agency information comes from the 211 Ontario database and we are partnering with Findhelp Information Services to make this information available through Settlement.Org. We launched a comprehensive resource around alternative jobs to various regulated professions, which includes labour market information and videos of newcomers speaking about their experiences in an alternative job. We ran TV, radio and digital ads for the first time. Our Discussion Forum continues to be one of the most popular areas of the site –there are now over 19,000 registered members.
In the coming year we will implement some improvements based on responses we got from a survey conducted in the spring of 2010. Over 600 people filled out the survey, which is part of a larger project evaluation for Settlement.Org. Another key focus will be to continue to create smart linkages between Settlement.Org and InMyLanguage.Org.
The very popular Settlement.Org demonstrations will continue across the province this year. So look for them in your area. For a free demo, you can also contact Miranda Harpell at mharpell@ocasi.org for demos in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or Ann-Marie McGregor at ann-marie@ocasi.org for demos outside the GTA.
The Settlement.Org tenth anniversary contest, which was launched at the November 2010 conference, was successful. There were many newcomers and service providers sharing wonderful stories. Nine (9) of them were winners of some really great prizes. The names of winners are announced bi-weekly in the Settlement.Org and At Work eNewsletters, so don't miss an issue!
You can read some of the stories at: http://www.decadeofsettlement.org/your-settlementorg-stories
For more info contact:
- Theresa White
- Settlement.Org Content Coordinator
- twhite@ocasi.org,
- tel 416-322-4950 x 263.
In June of 2010 we began Social Media initiatives for Settlement.Org, with the purpose of further engaging our online audience - newcomers to Ontario, those planning to settle in Ontario or those in the settlement sector. Utilizing Social Media tactics has allowed us to further promote, engage and connect with Settlement.org users. Our goal is to work towards ensuring Settlement.Org is more easily linked to, more highly visible in Social Media searches and more frequently included in relevant posts on blogs, podcasts, video logs (vlogs), etc.
The main focus has been the creation of our Twitter page (@Settlement_Org), the implementation of Social Media bookmarking on Settlement.Org, further development of the YouTube channels, and the promotion of Social Media initiatives at outreach activities. Through these exciting new Social Media initiatives, we are not only increasing our visibility and strengthening relationships with existing partners but we are also utilizing the most current online tools to seek out new audiences and link them back to Settlement.Org.
Settlement.Org is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
For more information contact
- Miranda Harpell
- Social Media and Outreach Coordinator
- mharpell@ocasi.org.
At a Glance
Statistics from April 1, 2010- March 31, 2011
- 1,300,938 Visits
- 932,741 Absolute Unique Visitors
- 3,312 Visits / Day
- 20,775 Discussion Forum Members at Year End
Top 5 User countries
- Canada (72% of our users)
- United States
- United Kingdom
- India
- United Arab Emirates
Site management
The site is managed by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) and is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
