This 12-week program covers a balanced set of topics that are designed to prepare students for their first year studying abroad in an English speaking country, such as study skills, academic integrity, finding a job, professional etiquette, as well as how to care for their mental and physical health while maintaining a busy schedule. 

Facilitator Mary Hulme:

Ms. Mary Hulme is a highly accomplished, worldly, and motivational educator with a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to offer. Her professional experience includes 9 years of teaching and counseling inner-city teens and 5 years of teaching teens online from countries such as China, Japan, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. She also has also taught employability skills and financial literacy to young adults and has helped them escape poverty and achieve independence. 

Ms. Hulme has been certified by the Ontario College of Teachers and holds a Masters in Education, in which she specialized in community counseling. She is also TESOL-certified. 

She is committed to helping young people find their calling in life and put their best foot forward in their academic and professional careers, all while staying by their side as an unwavering cheerleader. 

As well as a fulfilling professional career, Ms. Hulme has also led a vibrant life full of travel and inspiring personal feats, including the completion of a 100-kilometer ultramarathon. She believes that with the right mindset and proper guidance, anything is possible.

Facilitator Justin Erkess:

Mr. Justin Erkess is an enlightening and inspiring educator and a true global citizen. He has over 20 years’ experience traveling the world and educating learners of all countries, cultures, and creeds. He specializes in life skills, health and wellness, and environmental education, and has helped countless learners get involved and make a positive impact on their communities. He has also worked to establish working relationships between establishments such as supermarkets, farmers, food banks, schools, and religious institutions to build a healthier and more sustainable future for his community. 

Mr. Erkess holds an honors degree in Geography and Social Sciences. He is also TESOL-certified. 

As well as an enriching professional career, Mr. Erkess has also led a life full of travel and culture. He is passionate about language learning and is conversational in Spanish and Russian. He is currently studying Usbek. In addition, he has spent years discovering the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of the Chinese art of kung fu. 

Mr. Erkess is a firm believer in creating deep and meaningful connections between communities and cultures, and supporting his students to become independent and resilient global citizens. 

Facilitator Alfoncina Matungamire: 

Ms. Alfoncina Matungamire is an inspiring, energetic, and well-travelled educator with a desire to help young people succeed in their international endeavours. She has experience teaching and coaching young adults from Spain, Italy, Peru, and Colombia and has helped them improve their Academic English and Business English skills in preparation for a new life in an English-speaking country. In addition, she has volunteered as a mentor for young people attending language schools. 

Ms. Matungamire holds an honours degree in Spanish and Management, where she gained first-hand experience of studying abroad while completing her Erasmus year in Spain. As well as being a proficient Spanish-speaker, she is also fluent in Shona and Portuguese.  

Besides an enriching professional and academic career, Ms. Matungamire is also a talented poet. She is actively involved with her community where she organizes poetry and music nights, giving young people a platform to share their art and increase their confidence. She has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and believes in the importance of cultural and intellectual experiences in growing as a person. 

Facilitator Lindsay King:

Lindsay is an experienced, patient, and upbeat educator who comes with a background in teaching Mathematics at the high school level. Her journey in education led her to explore opportunities abroad, particularly in Indonesia.

Now, Lindsay has shifted her focus to a thriving online teaching career, dedicated to nurturing young minds worldwide. She is deeply invested in ensuring young learners gain the skills they need to thrive in a fast-paced and changing world. 

She holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Education, with a strong foundation in Mathematics. 

Apart from an active professional and academic career, Lindsay is passionate about health and wellness, and loves to stay active. She believes a healthy body and mind are the pillars to creating well-rounded and successful adults. 

Homework Offered
Learners may be assigned a homework task related to the lesson. However, this task is for their own edification and is not mandatory. 
Assessments Offered
Learners will be provided with verbal feedback by the facilitator leading the session on; how well they executed the assignment, how they have developed the target skills, and how the learner can continue to develop what they have taken from the session. 
Grades Offered
A certificate of completion will be offered for this class, which will show:
✅the learner's name
✅the name of the class
✅the date the class was completed
✅the grade level
✅the target core skill

Lesson 1: How to Be Independent
Source 1: www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/becoming-adult/201003/who-is-adult
Source 2: www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-three-things-that-mean-youre-a-proper-adult-a6814576.html
Source 3: https://www.carinocounseling.com/blog/how-to-become-independent
Source 4: https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Independent
Source 5: https://nfil.net/blog/becoming-independent


Lesson 2: Believe in Yourself
Source 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RtUt0RsGMc&ab_channel=Psych2Go
Source 2: https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-believe-yourself
Source 3: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/click-here-happiness/202201/how-believe-in-yourself
Source 4: https://www.mind.org.uk/for-young-people/feelings-and-experiences/confidence-and-self-esteem/

Lesson 3: How to Choose a University
Source 1: https://oxfordsummercourses.com/articles/things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-university/
Source 2: https://www.whatuni.com/advice/choosing-a-uni/20-things-to-compare-when-looking-at-unis/67613/
Source 3: https://universitycompare.com/
Source 4: https://www.topuniversities.com/
Source 5: https://www.gotouniversity.com/

Lesson 4: First Year - Making Good Choices
Source 1: https://youtu.be/SSwp-UTNzus?si=ecKtxIoVCQ6n7W2J
Source 2: https://youtu.be/RZl1PuWS860?si=UA4dPPp95MPf6nZq
Source 3: https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/after-you-apply/making-right-decision
Source 4: https://www.u2tuition.com/resources/university-choices

Lesson 5: Applying to University 1 - Interviews
Source 1: https://youtu.be/qKBubKO-798
Source 2: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/applying-to-uni/university-interviews
Source 3: https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/admissions-advice/how-prepare-university-admission-interview

Lesson 6: Applying to University 2 - Admissions Essay
Source 1: https://youtu.be/xExBbX79nS4
Source 2: https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/personal-statements/the-ten-biggest-mistakes-when-writing-your-personal-statement
Source 3: https://medschoolinsiders.com/pre-med/bad-personal-statement-examples
Source 4: https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/college-application-essays/

Lesson 7: First Year - Reaching Out
Source 1: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/managing-college-stress/#:~:text=Transitioning%20to%20college%20can%20be,in%20small%20amounts%20of%20time.
Source 2: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/help-for-teenagers-young-adults-and-students/student-stress-self-help-tips/
Source 3: https://thehavenatcollege.com/5-causes-of-stress-in-college-students/

Lesson 8: It’s OK to Not Be OK
Source 1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470361
Source 2: https://atlanticcoastrehab.blog/depression-physical-symptoms-treatments
Source 3: https://www.verywellhealth.com/bipolar-disorder-5090253 and https://www.walkinmyshoes.ie/library/about-mental-health/bipolar-disorder
Source 4: https://katekendrick.com/ptsd-signs-and-symptoms
Source 5: https://www.talkspace.com/mental-health/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=organicsocial
Source 6: https://www.priorygroup.com/mental-health/anxiety-treatment/what-causes-anxiety
Source 7: https://www.priorygroup.com/mental-health/depression-treatment/causes-of-depression
Source 8: https://barendspsychology.com/bipolar-disorder-treatment
Source 9: https://mind.help/topic/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/causes
Source 10: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/medical-myths-mental-health-misconceptions
Source 11: https://www.providencecenter.org/news/the-dos-and-donts-of-supporting-someone-with-mental-illness

Lesson 9: Weather Changes Change Me
Source 1: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2023/06/01/come-rain-or-shine-adverse-weather-matters-for-our-health/
Source 2: https://www.rethink.org/news-and-stories/blogs/2023/06/how-to-manage-your-mental-health-in-a-heatwave/#:~:text=Things%20to%20do%20in%20a,the%20room%20where%20you%20sleep
Source 3: https://happiful.com/mindfulness-tips-for-hot-weather
Source 4: https://www.mpcp.com/articles/healthy-lifestyle/surprising-health-benefits-cold-weather/#:~:text=Reduced%20inflammation%3A%20Similar%20to%20putting,soreness%20than%20in%20the%20summer.
Source 5: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/health-wellbeing/winter-and-mental-health#:~:text=Look%20after%20your%20physical%20health&text=If%20you%20can%2C%20try%20and%20do%20some%20regular%20physical%20activity,activities%20like%20housework%20or%20gardening
Source 6: https://tellmethegoodnews.com/benefits-of-rain/
Source 7: https://stigmafreesociety.com/blog/10-ways-to-boost-your-mental-health-on-a-rainy-day/


Lesson 10: Sleep Hygiene
Source 1: https://youtu.be/VNaxM0H9S-I
Source 2: https://www.verywellhealth.com/thmb/ZXALi8R12qExkhBrINDU3eQOAZk=/1500x1000/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-four-stages-of-sleep-2795920_FINAL-5c05c2fc46e0fb00018dac3d.png
Source 3: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep

Lesson 11: Staying Active, Even When You’re Busy
Source 1: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/sitting-disease-how-a-sedentary-lifestyle-affects-heart-health
Source 2: https://talkintrashwithuhn.com/2023/05/30/june-is-bike-month
Source 3: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/12/how-to-stay-fit-for-ever-25-tips-keep-exercising-expert-advice
Source 4: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/

Lesson 12: Gym Enthusiasts
Source 1: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
Source 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34LJX-arUo8
Source 3: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/workouts/a30774746/gym-machines/
Source 4: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/article/gym-workouts-for-beginners

Lesson 13: Applying for Jobs
Source 1: https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/cvs-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cover-letter
Source 2: https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-31-tips-you-need-to-know
Source 3: https://novoresume.com/career-blog/how-to-write-a-resume-guide
Source 4: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-make-a-resume-with-examples


Lesson 14: Keep it Professional
Source 1: https://newaydirections.com/2018/01/29/10-tips-keeping-professional
Source 2: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-be-a-professional
Source 3: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-be-more-professional
Source 4: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/why-is-professionalism-important
Source 5: https://globalpeacecareers.com/magazine/why-conflict-resolution-is-important

Lesson 15: Managing Money
Source 1: https://meratas.com/blog/how-to-manage-money-as-a-college-student
Source 2: https://consumer.gov/managing-your-money/making-budget
Source 3: https://uniacco.com/blog/cost-of-living-in-the-usa#:~:text=The%20average%20cost%20of%20living,for%20the%20weather%2C%20and%20entertainment.

Lesson 16: Bites on a Budget 
Source 1: https://www.businessinsider.com/food-inflation-chart-2015-7?r=US&IR=T
Source 2: https://www.statista.com/chart/26006/cpi-increase-by-item-united-states/
Source 3: https://studentsavingsguide.com/7-creative-ways-to-save-money-on-food-in-college
Source 4: https://www.urbanstudentlife.com/blog/food/heres-how-students-can-save-money-on-food-shopping
Source 5: https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/ways-to-save-money-on-groceries

Lesson 17: Making Excuses
Source 1: https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-132-how-to-politely-excuse-yourself?lp=172
Source 2: https://courageouscreativity.co/blog/how-to-make-polite-excuses
Source 3: https://www.theteenmagazine.com/how-to-come-up-with-excuses-for-any-occasion

Lesson 18: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do
Source 1: https://taraenergy.com/blog/power-outages-101-what-causes-them
Source 2: https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/12-common-home-emergencies-and-how-to-deal-with-them
Source 3: https://333help.com/blog/common-water-leak-causes, https://www.bl3inc.com/blog/the-10-most-common-causes-of-leaky-pipes
Source 4: https://wateruseitwisely.com/blog/what-to-do-when-you-have-a-water-leak
Source 5: https://www.1tomplumber.com/the-5-common-causes-of-gas-leaks
Source 6: https://www.constellation.com/energy-101/home-natural-gas-safety-tips.html
Source 7: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/air/toxins/index.html, https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/c/carbon-monoxide-poisoning.html
Source 8: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/carbon-monoxide-poisoning
Source 9: https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/emergencies-and-disasters-in-canada/types-of-emergencies/home-fires/home-fires-information-facts
Source 10: https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/emergencies-and-disasters-in-canada/types-of-emergencies/home-fires
Source 11: https://youtu.be/lR92wg5e5V8?si=jprMLSq-j--DAuoM

Lesson 19: How to Spot Fake News 
Source 1: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/spotfakenews/
Source 2: https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/how-to-identify-fake-news
Source 3: https://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/research-assistance/fake-news
Source 4:  https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/26/845151290/speaker-pelosi-president-trumps-effort-to-sideline-the-who-is-dangerous
Source 5: https://www.politicususa.com/2019/09/25/trump-pence-impeached.html

Lesson 20: Academic Honesty - Strategies and Techniques 
Source 1: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-collegesuccess-lumen1/chapter/academic-honesty/
Source 2: https://www.scribbr.co.uk/preventing-plagiarism/academic-integrity/
Source 3: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/students/course-administration/academic-policies-and-regulations/types-of-academic-misconduct

Lesson 21: Academic Writing
Source 1: https://www.evelynlearning.com/types-of-content-writing/
Source 2: https://slideplayer.com/slide/14596525
Source 3: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/464152305320235639
Source 4: https://www.ccsdut.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=300&dataid=1199&FileName=persuasive-3parts.pdf

Lesson 22: Teamwork Strategies
Source 1: https://content.wisestep.com/top-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-working-in-a-team/
Source 2: https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc/overview/
Source 3: https://www.sandler.com/blog/professional-development-blog/ways-to-deal-with-team-conflict-effectively
Source 4: https://www.brighthubpm.com/resource-management/95564-ten-ways-to-halt-conflicts-with-project-team-members

Lesson 23: Polite, Yet Firm
Source 1: https://skillpath.com/blog/11-assertiveness-tips-for-nice-people
Source 2: https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Assertive-Without-Being-Rude
Source 3: https://www.thealternativeboard.com/blog/tips-ceos-save-time-learn-say-no

Lesson 24: Ethical Leadership
Source 1: http://www.corruptioncontrol.com/Types_of_Corruption.html
Source 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCKU3VCq_9k
Source 3: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5537-how-to-be-ethical-leader.html
Source 4: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/effects-corruption-bribery-employment-patricia-koekemoer