Newcomer Services and Sponsorship

Pictou County has become home to many newcomers arriving from countries around the world. Whether folks are immigrating to Canada for an employment opportunity or being resettled as refugees, Pictou County has a number of community groups and activities to serve newcomers.

Local employers take pride in going above and beyond to ensure any newcomer employees – and their families – are made to feel welcome in the workplace and beyond. As well, Pictou County has gained a reputation for its active role in sponsoring refugees. There are three local groups in the area: Westville Warm Hearts, CAiRN (Pictou), and Pictou County Safe Harbour. The three groups have been active since 2016, and altogether have resettled more than 75 individuals from Syria, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The groups are made up of community members who volunteer their time to support the welcoming and integration within the County. Volunteering with a sponsorship group is a great way to get involved and meet others, while helping newcomers find their way. In addition, The YREACH program is offered locally through the Halifax YMCA, the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth, serving all refugees and immigrants in the area. YREACH works with local partners to create welcoming communities and have staff in multiple smaller centres across the province. They provide inperson settlement and integration support to newcomers, in addition to formalized language instruction that is offered at no cost. Their other services include community orientation, social events and recreation activities, school settlement, advocacy and referrals to outside agencies.

To learn more about any one of these initiatives or to get involved, please contact info@pcsafeharbour.ca

IMMIGRATION

RIGHT: THE LUJEMA FAMILY ENJOYS THEIR FIRST SNOWSHOEING EXPERIENCE IN CANADA.

BELOW: PICTOU COUNTY SAFE HARBOUR MEMBERS AND REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE THE ALMETHYB FAMILY’S MILESTONE OF ONE YEAR IN BUSINESS AT MAPLE CEDAR, THE SYRIAN KITCHEN.

DID YOU KNOW?

The local Multicultural Association has members from more than 27 countries