It’s such an amazing experience to observe how newcomers examine and process our culture, especially youth who arrive during the snowy, winter months. Last month we bundled up a group in several layers of warm clothes and took them for their first ever skating and tobogganing adventure at The Forks. There were smiles and laughter all around despite the chilly weather, something we Winnipeggers forget to do once it dips below -20.

Watching these young people experience something I have always taken for granted reminded me about how important it is for all Winnipeggers, not only service providers, to support newcomers during their resettlement in our city. By providing opportunities and support in education, employment, heath and recreation we can help ensure newcomers have a safe, positive and successful integration in our unique Winnipeg culture!

Every year, tens of thousands of people immigrate to Canada in search of new opportunities, education, employment and experiences. Many of these individuals are refugees who are re-settling in Canada after being forced to leave their home due to conflict, war, religious, ethnic and political persecution. In my work with N.E.E.D.S. Inc I have the good fortune to work with some of these children, youth and families during their first year in Canada.

There are many challenges associated with re-settling in Winnipeg, including navigating our health, education and legal systems and youth have so many questions. During their first weeks in our country, they are introduced to many new and exciting experiences. Our INTRO and Crime Prevention programs provide a safe place for these young people to learn about our culture, practice, build their English language skills and ask questions about life in Canada.

Written by Heather Robertson, INTRO/Crime Prevention Program Coordinator at N.E.E.D.S. Inc.

Have you recently come to Canada or met a newcomer? Share your story by leaving a comment below.

I remember it clearly. It was white, cold, and fluffy. That was my first sight of snow when I first immigrated to Canada in 1997. I remember stepping off the plane, expecting to see a scene from the hit movie Home Alone. I also remember what I was wearing – a tank top and skirt. I didn’t know what to expect just coming off a plane from the Philippines, but I was suddenly hit with culture shock, and a temperature shock.

I was nine years old and I knew the sacrifices my parents had to make to immigrate here. They quit their job, and left everything they’d ever known to move to a country to provide better opportunities for me and my siblings. Am I thankful? Heck, yes.

I’m not going to lie, moving here was hard – the snow, the temperature, the language barrier. I could go on and on. I remember my whole family trudging through the snow with a shopping cart in the middle of a blizzard just to get groceries. I remember when I stood outside for over an hour in -40 degree weather waiting for the school bus, because we didn’t adjust our clocks for daylight savings time.

But with every hardship comes an opportunity or a silver lining, as we like to call it. One of those was Career Trek, a not-for-profit organization who gave me the opportunity to experience up to 80 careers in post-secondary institutions here in Winnipeg.

It’s been 13 years and I proudly call myself a Canadian. I’m not only thankful for my parents for taking the huge risk of moving here, but for all of the people we’ve met along the way who’ve helped us one way or another.

Written by Meryl Kaye De Leon, Director of Community Relations at Career Trek

Have you recently come to Canada or met a newcomer? Share your story by leaving a comment below.

“Are you sure it’s minus 50 dear? Isn’t that incompatible with human life?”

It was my first long-distance call home and my father, a doctor, was skeptical of my grasp of all things numerical or scientific. I assured him that on this occasion I knew I was right because they told me on the CBC. And though bizarre statements such as “It’s school day four and trash day six today” still flew right over my European head, temperatures were something I could deal with: ‘Minus’ followed by a single digit, very good, ‘minus’ followed by a number bigger than my age, very bad.

I followed my Canadian partner to Winnipeg from Britain on Dec. 28, 2003 and the first few months of my new life here were skin-freezingly cold. But the thing I loved about ‘Winterpeg’ was that people just get on with it; streets get cleared and Manitobans stay friendly. In Britain the relatively small snow falls take everyone by surprise and bring life to a halt, every year. Here we are told to remember our ‘toques’ when the wind chill is going below minus 40. Back home, a similar weather forecast would be accompanied by a command to stay indoors, stockpile non-perishables and await Armageddon.

I’m learning about a whole new section of Canadian life as my oldest son starts Elementary school and I have a job I love at Immigrant Centre Manitoba – the very place that welcomed me as a client when I first arrived here, a volunteer EAL teacher while I waited to become a Permanent Resident, and a proud employee as soon as my papers came through. And yes, I am still a bit of a moaning Brit about the weather, but after all, I know Canada likes us immigrants to hold on to our cultural heritage!

Written by Vicki Sinclair, Communications and Development Coordinator at Immigrant Centre Manitoba

Have you recently come to Canada or met a newcomer? Share your story by leaving a comment below.

Newcomer children and youth arrive in Canada often having experienced tremendous conflict and loss. Established Immigrants know that culturally-sensitive and community-driven education support services help children and families bridge the cultural divide between their country of origin and their new home. In response to the city’s growing immigrant and refugee population, The Winnipeg Foundation has supported African-led organizations to work together to deliver after-school and summer programs for newcomer families.

Helping Hands Resource Centre for Immigrants, the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg, Sierra Leone Refugee Resettlement, and the Congo-Canada Charity Foundation have formed the Newcomer Youth Education Support Coalition to develop programs, advocate, fundraise and promote awareness of the profound need for educational supports. They work with approximately 200 youth from a total of 14 different African countries.

The Coalition encourages learning through sports, play, and cultural and language emersion. It has recruited university students from the African community to serve as positive role models, developed teen mentors, and invited African elders to promote cultural and intergenerational learning. As a result, teachers note an improvement in participants’ performance and behavior. Parents appreciate the nurturing, safe environment and often volunteer to provide meals or transportation.

The Coalition is dedicated to providing support for newcomer youth and receives assistance from the Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg, Mount Carmel Clinic, the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, and countless community partners. It does indeed take a village to raise a child.

Written by Marie Bouchard, Community Grants Coordinator, The Winnipeg Foundation