Together Project makes change in three interconnected ways: building newcomer social connections, supporting newcomer integration priorities, and amplifying community involvement in newcomer integration in Canada.
We match Welcome Groups of 3-5 volunteers with newly arrived refugees for social and integration support. We are delivering the Welcome Group Program in Mississauga, Moncton, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.
We share volunteer resources to help support newcomer households in our Welcome Group Program.
Together Project supports our work through evidence-based program evaluation and research to inform and improve our impact.
Everyone needs community. We make that happen by connecting refugee newcomers and volunteers to build social connections and break through barriers. For World Refugee Day, we’re featuring the story of Mohieldin and Claudia’s match in Vancouver to illustrate how community can be built. As Mohieldin explains,
“I felt so much better every time I connected with them. I was actually pretty nervous when I started my match but it only took one coffee outing with my group for me to feel safe and like I wanted to continue; I knew this program was right for me.”
Read more here (link).
“My previous job involved working from home and I wanted to make a career transition. At the same time, when I got my citizenship, I suddenly did not have to worry about immigration papers. I realized I wanted to spend time helping people who just moved to Canada.
I think now about how many things I take for granted versus people who come here and do not know. And I realized I could be a bridge because I speak the same language; we have the same culture and I am connected to part of that culture.”
Read more about Duha here: link
As a newcomer to Moncton, Folaranmi was eager to apply the knowledge and skills gained from his Master’s in Organizational Management classes at Crandall University to support and guide other newcomers.
Through Together Project, Folaranmi is a Welcome Group Program volunteer for a Syrian family in Moncton, and is eager to encourage others to learn more about the Welcome Group Program:
“We need to make sure that people understand the value of Together Project in New Brunswick and beyond.”
Read more about Folaranmi here: www.togetherproject.ca/blogpost/folaranmi