Together Project – Surrey
Together Project – Surrey
Welcome, connect, empower, belong
The Together Project connects newcomers and Canadians to build stronger, more welcoming communities. It matches groups of volunteers known as “welcome groups” with newly arrived government-assisted refugees and protected persons for meaningful settlement support. Matches are typically made for six months.
Founded by MakeWay Charitable Society – Together Project in Ontario, DIVERSEcity is a program partner delivering the project in Surrey, BC.
How the project works
There are many ways volunteer Welcome Groups provide social support to newcomers through the Together Project, including:
- Regular English language practice
- Tutoring young learners and helping parents engage with their education
- Helping newcomers find a job
- Helping them understand services like the health care system
- Teaching them about Canadian culture
Volunteers attend orientations to help them understand how refugee resettlement works, the unique challenges that refugee newcomers face, and the role volunteers can play in helping newcomers overcome those barriers. Furthermore, the orientation helps volunteers familiarize themselves with important concepts such as trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and empowerment; concepts that are central to this project.
A welcome group can consist of three to five volunteers, who, after volunteer orientation sessions, are matched with a newcomer household based on their shared preferences, interests and skillsets.
Join a Welcome Group
Interested in joining a volunteer Welcome Group?
Volunteers should be able to commit flexible time of three to five hours per month for about six months. Volunteers will be helping newcomer families with practising conversational English skills, navigating services like health care, socializing and learning about Canada and more. Volunteers will be provided training and guidance.
To learn more, please email volunteer@dcrs.ca or fill out the registration form on our Volunteer with Us page.