In partnership with ISSofBC, Together Project, a MakeWay charitable initiative, is matching groups of volunteers with refugee newcomers for social and integration support in Greater Vancouver.
Since 2016, the Together Project has matched 1,500 volunteers with 1,450 newcomer participants in 423 Welcome Groups across four provinces.
Luwam, a young Welcome Group Program participant in Surrey, shared her experience at Vancouver’s Pathways to Prosperity conference:
“Looking back, I see the power of what the Welcome Group does. They aren’t just providing services to newcomers; they’re helping us feel like we belong. It’s not just the services; it’s the kindness, the smiles, and the moments you share. So, to the volunteers, you might think you’re just giving your time, but you’re giving so much more. You’re giving hope, confidence, and creating connections. Trust me—it makes a difference.”
How does the Welcome Group Program work?
The Welcome Group Program pairs Welcome Groups, each with three to five volunteers, with refugee newcomer families to provide social support and assistance with settlement and integration.
Over a period of three to six months, volunteers work together as a group to address the priorities identified by their matched household. In this way, both newcomers and volunteers have the opportunity to get to know each other over time.
Volunteers help newcomers with:
- practicing conversational English skills
- accessing and navigating services, like healthcare
- finding and applying to employment opportunities
- helping youth with school and extracurricular activities
- socializing and assisting newcomers to learn about Canada
“I see the power of what the Welcome Group does. They aren’t just providing services to newcomers; they’re helping us feel like we belong.“
– Luwan, WELCOME GROUP PARTICIPANT, Surrey, BC
Volunteers are matched with newcomers based on factors such as availability, skills, location, shared interests, and family composition.
Volunteers like Karen Yarosky were inspired to sign up because they wanted to help refugee newcomers, but in a structured way:
“I realized that you can give somebody clothes or food or coffee, but that’s more of a band-aid solution, and I wanted to volunteer at a place that did something on a larger scale. Volunteering with the Welcome Group Program gave me a sense of purpose…It made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile, and I got a lot of love and friendship out of it.”
With weekly in-person or online interactions between Welcome Groups and matched newcomer families, volunteers can focus on various activities that suit their experience and interests. Most volunteers dedicate three to four hours a month to their match.
Volunteers will benefit from supervision and guidance from Together Project staff and receive training prior to their match beginning.
They can sign up as an individual, or with friends, colleagues, or family members.
A minimum of intermediate English is required to volunteer.
The following languages would be considered a strong asset: Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Farsi, Kinyarwanda, Pashto, Rohingya, Somali, Spanish, and Swahili.
Learn more or sign up today!
For more information, contact Mohamud Olow, British Columbia Programs Lead, at mohamud@togetherproject.ca or 236-999-4340.
