Resignation of Ms. Hajni Hos as Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2019, 9:00am

It is with regret that the Board of Directors announces the resignation of Ms. Hajni Hos as the Executive Director of the New Canadians Centre Peterborough, effective August 10, 2019.

Hajni began her employment with the New Canadians Centre (NCC) as Employment Counsellor in 2008 and became the Coordinator of the Peterborough Immigration Partnership (formerly Peterborough Partnership Council on Immigrant Integration) in 2009. She took on the leadership role of Executive Director in January 2011.  During her leadership, the NCC grew in size and complexity.

Many programs and services were added so that the NCC could better meet the language, educational, employment and settlement needs of new Canadians. In her tenure, client and employee numbers have increased significantly: last year a team of 27 staff served close to 700 new clients from 103 countries. Programs such as the Workplace Integration Program and Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) were put in place. Her successful Ontario Trillium Foundation and Citizenship and Immigration Canada grants enabled the NCC to complete the 2013 renovation and move to our current premises at St. James United Church.

In 2016, Hajni was instrumental in facilitating the approval of Peterborough as a Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Centre by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – one of a few small cities to receive this honour. This resulted in the resettlement of 200 government-assisted refugees in 2016-2017 (and almost 400 to date). This initiative has been met with resounding community support, starting first with 400+ community members attending an information session in 2016 to find out how they could assist with resettlement by forming volunteer support teams. This model of support originated in Peterborough; it was acknowledged and duplicated nation-wide and continues to be held up as a successful resettlement strategy.

Hajni’s leadership is recognised by her staff and peers. In particular, she has built strong relationships with partners in the formation of the Peterborough Immigration Partnership (PIP) which was formed in 2009 with the goal of advancing a targeted community strategy for immigrant integration, the first of its kind in our community. The work of the PIP is organised around a five-year plan and the goal of meaningful economic, social and cultural integration of newcomers and a  prosperous and inclusive community for all is organised around various working groups which include over 80 community partners.

“Her passion, warmth and enthusiasm inspire us to achieve better things for our clients and community,” says Faye Shien Tan who has been working at the NCC since 2010. “As a newcomer herself, she is a wonderful role model for what we can achieve through hard work and collaboration,” adds Olga Stetsyuk, Employment Counsellor.

Hajni has chosen to resign as Executive Director in order to take on the position of Executive Director at Hospice Peterborough. While her journey of immigrating to and settling in Canada from Hungary in 2007 has motivated her work at the New Canadians Centre for the past 12 years, she is drawn to give back to her community by focusing her energies on supporting families facing life-threatening illness or grief.

Hajni will always be a part of the NCC family. We wish her and the team at Hospice Peterborough the very best.

Media Contact:

Yvonne Lai, Director of Community Development, 743-0882, [email protected]
Steve Kirton, Chair of the Board, [email protected]

Updated 3 July 2019: