Dr. Alina Sutter and Dr. Victoria Esses of The Network for Economic and Social Trends (NEST) at Western University have just completed their 2.5 year research study, “Leveraging Technology to Connect Volunteers with Government-Assisted Refugees and Protected Persons for Social Support.” 

The purpose of this report is to assess the Welcome Group Program’s effectiveness and efficiency in supporting refugee newcomers in Canada. The program aims to provide tailored social and integration support to government-assisted refugees, protected persons, and Ukrainian CUAET arrivals by matching them with “Welcome Groups” of 3-5 volunteers six months. Newcomers and volunteers had the choice to participate in remote or hybrid (combination of remote and in-person) matches.

The goals of the evaluation were to determine if the two support models (remote versus hybrid) met the program’s expected outcomes for refugee newcomers – such as improved access to services, enhanced social connections, stronger community ties, and more informed decision-making.

See the full report here.