An Ottawa organization that used to focus on helping Chinese newcomers get settled in the capital has a new focus on Syrian refugees.

The Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre (OCCSC) held a party at the Boys and Girls Club on McArthur Avenue in Ottawa Sunday afternoon to spread awareness of its new programs, which include language, job and technology workshops.

The centre's settlement manager said the OCCSC has widened its focus to helping all new Canadians since it was founded in 1971, but the influx of refugees from Syria deserves special attention.

"They need a lot of services because many of them have spent years in refugee camps where the kids didn't have any opportunity to go to school," said Rupert Yeung.

"Among the newcomers they're a very high-needs group. This is why we wanted to do something about it."

Rupert Yeung of the OCCSC says half the people in their language and job programs aren't from China. (Andrew Foote/CBC)

English lessons important

In June the centre moved Hassan Ezdahmad, an Arabic-speaking IT worker who they hired after he finished one of their job programs, to a new job as manager of its Syrian refugee services.

He said it's helped around 100 Syrians who have been to one of its workshops so far.

"The most important need for them is the language ... this is what we are trying to help them with," he said.

"We've started offering them special workshops in computer literacy and smartphone applications literacy. This will help them easily use the bus, they can use it for other things — for language, for translation, for communication."

Ezdahmad said they've been running this new program without any provincial or federal government funding and getting some would let them expand their workshops and daycare program.

"I hope to help the new Syrian Canadians to make Canada their home. This is the most important thing," he said.

"Now they will know about the Boys and Girls Club, they will know more about our services, they will interact with Chinese-Canadians, with Arab-Canadians, with other Canadians as well … they will know they are not alone, we are here to help them."