Integration of Children in Francophone Communities

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Transcript: “Integration of Children in Francophone Communities”

Video length: 2:33 minutes

DIDIER RABESOA (British Columbia, originally from Madagascar, Customer Service Representative): My daughters integrated easily at school because they are taught in French. The focus is really on personal development and confidence … self-confidence. So it’s easy here for the kids to integrate at school. They are exposed to French because the instruction is 100 percent in French. They have a few hours of class in English at school, and their extracurricular activities are in English.

VIRGINIE DE VISSCHER (Manitoba, originally from Belgium, Director, Trade): For them, it’s heaven on earth. They love it, they’re involved in all kinds of activities. Kids rule here, much more than in Europe. Parents’ lives revolve around their kids. I don’t know why, but that’s the way it is. We spend our time driving them from one activity to another. And they do what they want. They’re really happy to be here.

CYRIAQUE KITI (New Brunswick, originally from Benin, Banking Services Advisor): Kids adapt better than we do, so the kids haven’t had a problem. My 12-year-old daughter is very busy learning English at the same time. And what’s interesting is that she corrects her friends’ French at school. It’s because of the level of French she had before we came. So she feels even more accepted because she’s an asset to the community.

NADINE KABWE-KITI (New Brunswick, originally from Congo, Pediatrician): It’s always stressful to come into a new environment. That’s why it was important to know how they were going to integrate into the school environment. I remember that the first thing my daughter Lorraine said was, “Oh Mom, everyone here wants to know who I am, everyone wants to know where I’m from, everyone …” She was really very, very, very happy to be able to come. That’s for sure.