Calling Swahili-speakers in Ottawa: we have East African families who are ready to make their first Canadian connections!

Volunteer with us as part of a Welcome Group or as a Cultural Ambassador– both roles are important and would go a long way to help a refugee newcomer family in Ottawa.

Please get in touch with us at ahmed@togetherproject.ca if you have any questions.

We’d love to hear from you!

Meet Jennilee, Communications Coordinator at Together Project!

As a former School Settlement Worker, Jennilee reflects on the feeling that no matter how much she would support her newcomer clients, she always felt like they needed more than she could give.

After working in various “settlement-adjacent” jobs, she discovered Together Project, where she was delighted to find a thriving program that could help settlement workers sleep better at night.

As the Communications Coordinator, Jennilee will be celebrating Together Project’s successes on social media, promoting volunteer opportunities in Toronto, Ottawa, and Surrey, and keeping tabs on the latest helpful resources to support newcomers.

Click here to read her story!

What’s the link between Refugee Rights Day and a group of Indian and Guyanese refugee claimants in 1985?

This day commemorates the Singh Decision of April 4th, 1985 when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that everyone, including refugee claimants, has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof.

This ruling is known as the Singh Decision to recognize Harbhajan Singh, Sadhu Singh Thandi, Paramjit Singh Mann, Kewal Singh, Charanjit Singh Gill, Indrani Singh and Satnam Singh– a group of Indian and Guyanese refugee claimants who changed the course of Canadian history to protect the fundamental rights of refugees.

At Together Project, we stand in solidarity with refugee newcomers and uphold our commitment to welcoming them as they begin their new lives in Canada.

To support refugee newcomers, we have an extensive list of Resources Page. From services for infants to seniors, our page shines a spotlight on some incredible initiatives. Tell us if you know of a program or organization we could add to our Resources Page!

As part of the stateless Palestinian diaspora, Ahmed’s story takes him from the business world of Dubai to his new home in Toronto in pursuit of one goal: continuing his family’s global journey to find better opportunities and to finally gain citizenship.

As our new Volunteer Coordinator, Ahmed will be connecting Welcome Groups with newcomer refugees in order to help them on their own “relay races” as they work towards their dreams.

Click the link for his story!

Create a Welcome Group of 3-5 volunteers– you can invite your friends and family to get involved with you! Send in our application form, and we’ll help you get connected to a refugee family for the next six months.

Concerned that you won’t be able to communicate with the newcomers in your match? Don’t worry– a volunteer interpreter will assist you.

Every week, you can meet your match either virtually or in person. You’ll help them adjust to their Canadian lives, while pointing them towards local resources that’ll make their transition easier.

And all along the way, you’ll be making new friends!

Volunteers are needed in Surrey, Toronto, and Ottawa. To get involved, click here.

Lastly, the Together Project wishes to thank the United Way for giving us the opportunity to support Afghan resettlement. Thank you, United Way Greater Toronto!

Thank you N4 for inviting Together Project to participate in a panel discussion with Dr. Vanessa Redditt and Dr. Gabriel Fabreau on Supporting COVID-19 Vaccine Access for Newcomers Through Multisectoral Collaboration.

To learn more about the Vaccine Access Project in Toronto and about Dr. Fabreau’s health equity work in Calgary, click here.