Olga Shcherbyna

Professional Experience

View Olga’s Inventory of Skills and Qualifications

Olga Shcherbyna is the Founder of and Senior Consultant at Diversity Clues Consulting Inc. Mrs. Shcherbyna’s core expertise includes project management, social policy development and “best practice” research. Olga Scherbina has a favourite quote by M. Gandi: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It’s a saying that has inspired her approach to problem solving and one she incorporates while working with multiple stakeholders in the field of immigrant labour market integration.

Since her arrival to Canada in 2001 Mrs. Shcherbyna has been a dynamic member in immigrant community in BC. Through her volunteer and paid work she actively advocated for changes in the way immigrant credentials and experiences are recognized by Canadian and BC’s government, professional associations and employer community in the province.

Mrs. Shcherbyna holds a Honours Bachelor Degree in Economics from Odessa State University of Economics (OSUE, 1998, Odessa, Ukraine), Honour Certificate in Human Resources Management (BCIT, 2004, Burnaby, BC) and Career Development Practitioner Certificate (Douglas College, 2003, New Westminster, BC). Most recently she received Masters Degree in Social Planning from the School of Community and Regional Planning, UBC. Her thesis research focused on  evaluating the the definition of success and identifying success factors for multis-takeholder collaborations aimed to bring about social change.

At Diversity Clues, Mrs. Shcherbyna has leadership responsibility for managing a number of project-based and research initiatves aimed to address systematic barriers immigrants face in Canadian labour market.
For the last ten years Olga Shcherbyna has been working with immigrant and business organizations to develop new innovative ways to improve immigrant economic and social integration into Canadian society. Among other projects, Olga initiated and managed the development of the first in BC Cultural Competency Toolkit for HR professionals in 2009 and coordinated the first in Metro Vancouver Civic Engagement Initiative for Immigrants (2008). As a consultant, Olga worked with BC HRMA, City of Coquitlam, City of Richmond, Immigrant Employment Council of BC and other organizations. Olga holds M.Sc. in Planning from UBC where her research focused on identifying success factors for multi-stakeholder collaborations such as TRIEC.

Recent achievements:

• Conducted the first in BC Environmental Scan of BC-based Immigrant Professional Networks (2012)
• Led the re-conceptualization phase of the Social Development Strategy for the City of Richmond (2012)
• Conducted research about alternative pathways for BC’s immigrants in regulated professions (2011)
• Managed «Reflecting Coquitlam’s Diversity» Photostock Project, City of Coquitlam — 2010 — project is in progress
• Conducted research and developed a new Go-to resource for employers titled Immigrant Talent Integration — 2009
• Managed the development and production of BC HRMA’s Cultural Competency Toolkit for Employers — 2008–2009
• Led successful proposal development for ITI Project, phase I and II
• Conducted BC HRMA Member Survey and environmental scans to identify gaps in services and training available to HR practitioners to successfully recruit and integrate immigrants — 2007
• Organized successful media launch for Immigrant Civic Engagement Initiative — Maple Bamboo with attendance of high profile guests and coverage by over 20 local and ethnic media — 2007–2008. The project was profiled at the Vancouver Public Space Network, Richmond Now, Georgia Straight, the Canadian Immigrant, by Allison Jones who wrote her Graduate project about the Maple Bmaboo (SCARP), etc.
• Led the national survey on professional development activities for settlement sector across Canada and contributed to the development of the provincial BC SAP Training Framework
• Actively contributed to the success of BC’s Annual ENET Training Events for employment counselors serving immigrants’ population 2004–2006
• Played a significant role in the development and presentation of the Capacity BC research/advocacy paper on Barriers for Skilled Immigrants in the province, launched in June 2006
• Has been invited by the Vancovuer Mayor to contribute to the Mayor’s Working Group on Immigration, Spring 2005
• As a Vice Chair of the City of Vancouver Advisory Committee initiated and researched the proposal of Mentorship Project for Skilled Immigrants presented to the Council in Nov. 2005
• On behalf of the City’s Advisory Committee on Diversity Issues developed and co-presented the paper on Challenges of Credential Recognition to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, April 2004
• Received a prestigious Dr. Kes Chetty Award for community services, Sept. 2003

Community Engagement:

• Member, BC’s Ethno Business Council Steering Committee, 2013 – present
• Co-Chair of the Diversity in the Workforce Roundtable, BC HRMA 2009 – 2013
• Member, UBC Continuous Education Advisory Committee, 2011 – present
• Member, Programs and Services Committee, Immigrant Employment Council of BC, 2009 – present
• Board Director, Vancouver Economic Development Commission, 2009 – 2010
• Judge, Lilian To Scholarship, The Canadian Immigrant Magazine, 2008
• Member, Citizenship Ceremony Organizing Committee, Vancouver chapter, ICC 2007- 2011
• Member, Mayor Immigration Group, City of Vancouver, 2005 – 2007
• Member/Vice Chair, Advisory Committee on Diversity Issues, City of Vancouver, 2004 – 2007
• Member, BCITP Net Leadership Roundtable, 2005 – present
• Member, The Employment Access Strategy for Immigrants Initiative, 2004 – 2006
• Member, Conference Organizing Committee, ENET Education Society Training Day for Employment Counsellors Serving Immigrants 2004 – 2006