Subject Matter Expert: Working with Newcomer Seniors

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT (SME): WORKING WITH NEWCOMER SENIORS

IN BRIEF

The Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) is seeking a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to update and facilitate the existing Working with Immigrant Seniors course for settlement practitioners and service providers. The updated training will strengthen participants’ capacity to effectively support newcomer seniors through culturally responsive, anti-racist, trauma-informed, and GBA+ approaches that respond to the current and emerging needs of newcomer seniors in Canada. The selected SME will deliver a facilitated workshop that will later be adapted into an online, self-paced course.

ABOUT AAISA

Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) is a non-profit umbrella organization that has represented, supported, and advocated for Alberta’s settlement and integration sector since 1980. Collectively, AAISA member agencies offer services to newcomers in over 22 municipalities across the province. AAISA’s mandate is to build sector capacity to serve newcomers by providing access to relevant and meaningful professional development opportunities, engaging the sector on issue-based initiatives, and by undertaking research to build understanding of context and emerging needs. More info about AAISA: www.aaisa.ca

CONTEXT AND BROAD OBJECTIVES

The original Working with Immigrant Seniors course provided a strong foundation by exploring important themes such as social isolation, cross-generational communication, elder abuse, retirement transition, multiculturalism, anti-racism, and supporting the emotional, social, and practical needs of newcomer seniors. However, settlement and integration realities, service delivery approaches, and newcomer needs have continued to evolve since the course was originally developed. This training remains essential as settlement practitioners continue to support newcomer seniors facing increasingly complex settlement and integration challenges, including emerging issues such as elder abuse, social isolation, dependence on family members, digital literacy barriers, and difficulties navigating services and systems later in life. As a result, the course now requires modernization and expansion to reflect current and emerging needs, evolving settlement practices, and promising approaches to supporting newcomer seniors in Canada.

AAISA is seeking a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to undertake a Course Revision, Development, and Facilitation project in collaboration with AAISA staff. Funded by IRCC, this course aims to explore the issues newcomer senior face with a particular focus on elder abuse, current and emerging needs, and the application of GBA+ lenses, anti-racism, and inclusive approaches to help settlement practitioners address these issues, provide practical support, and develop the necessary tools to support newcomer seniors with ongoing integration and emerging questions or challenges while navigating life in Canada.

The selected SME will deliver a facilitated workshop that will later be adapted into an online, self-paced course.

course must include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Strengthen and enhance settlement practitioners’ knowledge of the adaptation and integration of newcomer seniors, including needs assessment, planning, and settlement support services.
  • Increase awareness of important topics such as social isolation, language barriers, transportation barriers, and community belonging.
  • Examine family dynamics and explore the impact of dependence on adult children, changes in family roles and relationships, as well as issues related to independence among older adults.
  • Examine elder abuse, safety, and well-being while applying trauma-informed approaches and culturally sensitive communication practices when supporting newcomer seniors.
  • Expand settlement practitioners’ ability to recognize signs of abuse and other concerns affecting newcomer seniors, provide appropriate referrals and resources, and use practical support tools.
  • Support and encourage settlement practitioners to promote understanding of digital literacy, technology barriers, and online systems affecting newcomer seniors, including navigating government websites, online services, appointments, communication platforms, and digital resources.
  • Enhance and apply GBA+ lenses to better understand how gender, disability, immigration status, lived experiences, and personal circumstances may influence newcomer seniors’ experiences and how to effectively support them.
  • Provide settlement practitioners with practical tools, case studies, promising practices, examples, and real-life scenarios, while equipping them with practical strategies and approaches to effectively support newcomer seniors throughout their settlement and integration journey

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work of the project is as follows:

  • Design, development and facilitation of professional development sessions.
  • Creation of an Evaluation of Learning effectiveness for the workshop sessions and self- paced online course modules.
  • A development report that provides a summary of workshop and course description, learning objectives and outcomes, learning activities, and course structure.
  • A final report that will assist AAISA in shaping the future direction of its professional development work with settlement practitioners in Alberta’s settlement and integration sector, including reflection by the facilitator(s) on the proceedings of the workshops and activities and possible areas of improvement, and other relevant information.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Courses are developed according to AAISA’s settlement practitioner competency framework, representing best practices and describing a continuum of functions and activities within the settlement sector. AAISA courses comprise 5-7 modules which include guiding materials for up to 15 hours of training time, delivered as an online facilitated course and as a self-paced course over an agreed period of time. Each course is designed to be highly interactive, incorporate participant experience, and provide a balance of theoretical knowledge and skill development. Other AAISA courses can be provided to the selected SME(s) as a guiding resource.

COMPONENTS

  • A brief description of the course and intended outcomes
  • Demonstration of how learner outcomes align with AAISA’s Settlement Practitioner Competency Framework
  • Key tasks and activities, including the course assessment (course quizzes, case studies and assignments), main content and additional resources, discussion questions and announcements for the LMS
  • Facilitator guide including notes to facilitators with instructions for delivery and materials required
  • Digital learning resources (electronic documents, Microsoft PowerPoint presentation slides, audio, video and other multimedia resources)
  • List of resources and references

DELIVERY TIMEFRAME

The development and revision of the course is expected to begin in June 2026. It is anticipated that course development deliverables will be submitted by the SME beginning in July 2026, with the facilitated synchronous sessions delivered in August 2026. The facilitated synchronous session may be online via zoom or any other video conferencing platform or in-person over 1 to 3 weeks, as to be agreed. The self-paced version of the course will be developed and completed in consultation with AAISA’s Online Learning Coordinator no later than September 2026. The self- paced course is to be delivered in October 2026. Please note that the self-paced delivery of the course may involve some live sessions and active participation of the SME.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Proprietary right to all data, materials, documentation and products originated by and prepared pursuant to the contract shall belong exclusively to AAISA. The contractor will acknowledge and agree that any Product and/or Deliverable created shall be considered a “work made for hire” and all rights to said Product and/or Deliverable shall belong exclusively to AAISA. The contractor will be prohibited from disseminating products and information developed.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

The SME (also known as the “consultant”) will be responsible for:

  • Assisting in developing a plan with a timeline for each project component and deliverable
  • Conducting a literature review and exploring current best practices to identify key areas of focus for the workshops and modules of the online self-paced course
  • Ensuring all facilitated workshops and online self-paced course components are developed in alignment with AAISA’s settlement practitioner competency framework and current contextual needs
  • Providing the content for the online facilitated and self-paced course including drafts, revisions, and finals
  • Meeting with AAISA’s programs & services department to plan for the development of the online self-paced course
  • Collaborating with AAISA’s learning & Technology Coordinator to develop content in relation to AAISA’s structure of the online self-paced course
  • Committing to generation of digital learning resources for the online self-paced course (this would include electronic versions of pre- and post- assessments of competencies, discussion board tasks, full course content, descriptions and course outlines, assignments and quizzes, readings and references, and Microsoft PowerPoint slides)
  • Assisting in the creation of the audio and video recording of content for the online self- paced course. The SME will require a commitment of an estimate 25 hours (approximately 5 hrs per module) to complete audio and video recording. The SME will coordinate with AAISA’s Learning & Technology Coordinator to arrange suitable dates to undertake recordings
  • Attend a virtual technology orientation session with AAISA’s Learning & Technology Coordinator on managing online and self-paced sessions including breakout rooms, group discussions.
  • Create an Evaluation of Effectiveness of Learning for the online self-paced course modules to AAISA’s Learning and Professional Development Lead.

AAISA will be responsible for:

  • Securing the online webinar platform or in person location, advertising, and promoting course on social media, and handling registration, enrolment, and distribution of workshop materials
  • Schedule and host a virtual technology orientation session with the SME on managing online and self-paced sessions including breakout rooms, group discussions, online engagement on AAISA’s LMS, etc.
  • Providing the SME with the AAISA Competency Framework and other course preparation templates.

PROPOSAL

We require a detailed proposal with a cost estimate and projected timelines for the project that includes the above deliverables. PLEASE NOTE that the proposal should not exceed $6,000.

The proposal should include:

  • Project design: proposed activities, cost estimates, and timeline for the various components (approach to learning/facilitation, learning goals, proposed modules, etc.) of the project
  • Resume of the Project Leader responsible for the development and coordination of the project
  • List of courses/workshops developed/delivered previously
  • Two references of people whom you have developed/delivered course or workshops previously and their contact information

SELECTION CRITERIA & PROCESS

The following are the criteria we will use in the selection process:

  • Detailed plan and timeline, including projected costs for each component
  • In-depth knowledge of the core skills, strategies, and processes related to supporting newcomer seniors, elder abuse, trauma-informed approaches, culturally responsive practices, curriculum design, and adult learning principles.
  • Experience working with older adults and understanding their settlement and integration needs and challenges.
  • Demonstrated experience facilitating learning and development workshops for adult learners.
  • Knowledge of and/or experience working within the settlement and integration sector is considered an asset.
  • Ability to generate and work to a strict project timeline to design, develop, and deliver the project outcomes
  • Familiarity with online learning environments preferred (e.g Moodle, etc)
  • Familiarity with online webinar platforms preferred (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.)
  • Familiarity with processes and practices of online course development, assessment and evaluation. The AAISA Learning and Professional Development team will guide you at every step to assist you in developing pertinent training resources
  • Fluency in English, both written and verbal; fluency in French would be considered an asset
  • In your proposal, please identify the following information:
    • Learning goals and outcomes
    • Key focus questions
    • Main areas of awareness and attitude

The proposal will be reviewed in detail according to the above criteria. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide portfolios of their work or examples of previously designed and developed courses and/or workshops, as well as to participate in an interview. All applicants will be promptly notified when a selection has been made.

Both individual and collaborative proposals will be considered.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Please send an electronic submission on Collage including the following: letter of intent, resume, plan, examples of past work, and proposed fees. Please ensure that your name or your organization’s name appears in the file name.

Your electronic submission should be sent by Friday, June 05, 2026 @ 5PM MDT. If you would like to submit via email instead, please send your application to pd@aaisa.ca with the email

title: “RFP Submission: WORKING WITH NEWCOMER SENIORS”

Qualified applicants will be added to AAISA’s network for notification of future opportunities. If you have any questions, please contact pd@aaisa.ca.

AAISA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we work to sustain anti-discrimination and anti-racism practices in our workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression, age, physical or mental health, religion or beliefs, or any other status protected by law. Harassment or discrimination is not tolerated at AAISA. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business need

PLEASE NOTE: AAISA is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal. In addition, AAISA need not accept any of the proposals. All decisions of AAISA shall be final and binding.

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