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Syrian newcomers get a first-hand look at local policing

Sault postsecondary students enjoying summer work, Youth in Policing Initiative (Y.I.P.I.) gives three Syrian youth a chance to see and experience Sault Police, Fire Services activities, Canadian values
20170816-Police with Canadian and Syrian youth outside Police building-DT
Top row, Constable Emily Coccimiglio, Chris Lindsay, Sarah Nadon, Constable Sonny Spina and Yaser Allouz. Bottom row, seated, Zahra Allouz, Madison Greco and Mohammed Haddoud, Aug. 16, 2017. Darren Taylor/SooToday

Three Syrian youth, newcomers to Canada and Sault Ste. Marie, have had a number of thrilling hands-on experiences and an eye-opening look at Canadian values by taking part in the Youth in Policing Initiative (Y.I.P.I.) with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service this summer.

The three (brother and sister Yaser and Zahra Allouz, and Mohammed Haddoud) arrived in Canada in the fall of 2016 and attend Superior Heights Collegiate.

“The Youth in Policing Initiative is to generate positive relationships with the police and young adults and expose them to a very wide range of different police-related groups and services, and a big educational experience while they’re working with us,” said Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Constable Sonny Spina.

The three Syrian Y.I.P.I. youth have helped out with duties at the various Community Hubs and cleaning Police vehicles, but have also had some exciting hands-on visits with the Anishinabek Police Service, the Donald Doucet Youth Centre, Sault Police forensics officers (learning about fingerprinting and photography), enjoying an RCMP boat ride and a tour of the Sault’s Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) station.

“With these particular Syrian students, there is a big contrast between where they came from and where they are now,” Spina said.

“Canada is a wonderful country,” said Zahra, who arrived in Canada with her brother Yaser in September, 2016.

After leaving Syria, they were in Egypt for a period of time before resettling in Sault Ste. Marie.

“The police in Egypt are vicious, they do lots of bullying there . . . the police have a very nice way with the people here, how they react with them,” Zahra said.

The three enjoyed being allowed to perform a mock vehicle inspection scenario at the Sault’s Canada Border Services Agency station. 

“We visited the Courthouse, we saw the judge and he was very nice with us. It’s an amazing court,” Zahra said.

“The most favourite thing was when we play with the kids (helping develop recreational soccer programs for children at Community Hubs),” Zahra said.

Mohammed said he especially enjoyed his tour of a Sault Fire Services hall, donning firefighter gear and using a fire hose. 

“My dream is to be a lawyer,” Zahra said, Yaser a computer engineer, Mohammed a police officer or firefighter. 

While Mohammed’s father is in Canada with him, Zahra and Yaser have been separated from their father for several years.

“(Working with the police) has been a very, very good experience,” said Zahra, smiling as she remembered being on the Sault Police Service float in the recent Community Day Parade.

“It’s been fantastic for us, to reach out to the new Canadians in our community…we’ve built some positive relationships there,” Spina told SooToday.

“We had some extra bicycles here and we gave them to kids, and the Syrian students were with me when we did that, so the next day the three students came up to me and said ‘we have learned it is really important for us in this country to help people the way they have helped us,’” Spina said.

With that, Spina said the three asked him “would you take us to their house and speak to their mother and talk to her about us getting gifts for her children?  We want to see them smile the same way they smiled at the police station the other day (when they received the bikes).”

“They said they learned that from the police department, so that was a proud moment for us,” Spina said.

Another group of Canadian postsecondary students have assisted in civilian duties with the Sault Police Service and its community partners in a separate program, running concurrently with Y.I.P.I.

The two programs are completely funded by the Ontario government, Spina said.

Among the postsecondary level students are Sarah Nadon, an Algoma University graduate heading off to law school in Thunder Bay, Madison Greco, another Algoma graduate currently enrolled in her second year of Teachers College at Nipissing University, and Chris Lindsay, heading into his second year of study in Sault College’s Police Foundations program.

Spina said those students have taken part in building maintenance, working with the three Syrian youth (including English language instruction), working at Community Hubs, Police Services clerical work, the lost and found property department, and also working with the Centre for Social Justice and Good Works to expand on a youth recreation program Sault Police are involved with. 

“They’re doing some great work,” Spina said.

Their duties included hanging out with Mohammed, Yaser and Zahra.

“I think one of the biggest things was taking them hiking at Robertson Cliffs, seeing Canada, seeing how enthusiastic they are,” Nadon said.

“It’s been pretty eye-opening to see the differences between the two cultures, how different and new everything is to them, it’s been interesting and pretty cool for us.”

“We went on a tour of the Donald Doucet Youth Centre and they were mind-blown on how well they were treated there. Where they’re from, kids 10 years old can be thrown in jail for no reason, no education…they were shocked to see people here get beds, an education, that was pretty cool too,” Greco said.

Both women said the program made them feel grateful to have been born and raised in Canada, and pleased to have shown the Syrian newcomers our country.

The two programs began July 4 and wrap up with the Game On Neighbourhood Street Party on Albion Street (across from Rosedale School) Thursday, Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the party hosted by various community partners.

 


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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