Safe Haven program
Safe Haven program
Free services for refugee claimants in Surrey and Delta
DIVERSEcity’s Safe Haven program delivers wraparound services to support the social and economic integration of refugee claimants in Surrey and Delta who are ineligible for federally funded settlement services.
Our services are designed holistically to support refugee claimants and others in meeting their initial settlement needs, including:
- Access to food and housing
- Community orientation
- Navigation of immigration and legal systems
- Employment support
- English language training
- Clinical counselling
Safe Haven’s Four Main Service Areas
DIVERSEcity offers four main service areas: settlement, employment, language and counselling.
Our staff are ready to support your journey! We speak Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, Dari, Pashto, Farsi, Swahili and Arabic. We also offer support services like transportation and childminding.
1. Settlement and Integration Wraparound Support Services
- Settlement support with information orientation and referrals for services related to health, housing, income, legal aid, employment, education, language and community services
- Claims submission support and assistance completing non-immigration forms
- Housing search and support
- Short-term non-clinical counselling
- Resourceful workshops and group orientation
- Community connection activities and Community Kitchen sessions
- 2SLGBTQI+ support
Who’s eligible?
- Refugee claimants and asylum seekers
Contact us
To learn more, register or refer a client, email safehaven@dcrs.ca or call 604-799 0798.
Wraparound Support Workers:
| Sanjay Jangra (Punjabi) | E: sjangra@dcrs.ca | C: 778-789-3258 |
| Hameedullah Asadi (Dari & Pashto) | E: hasadi@dcrs.ca | C: 604-307-5609 |
| Karla Garcia (Spanish) | E: kgarcia@dcrs.ca | C: 604-306-6823 |
| Adeem Younis | E: ayounis@dcrs.ca |
Housing Coordinator:
| Rachel Mwakajwanga (Swahili) | E: rmwakajwanga@dcrs.ca | C: 604-307 5153 |
Group Orientation Facilitator:
| Mohammed Kromah | E: mkromah@dcrs.ca | C: 604-597-0205 |
2. Employment and Labour Market Services
- Customized employment counselling, job skills support, and labour market and workplace rights and responsibilities information
- Short-term training (e.g., FoodSafe, First Aid)
- Job fairs and hiring events
- Workplace rights and responsibilities workshops
- Employment readiness training
- Career decision-making and labour market workshops
- Canadian workplace culture, interview skills, digital literacy and more
- Resumé and cover letter workshops
Who’s eligible?
- Refugee claimants and asylum seekers
Contact us
To learn more, register or refer a client, email safehaven@dcrs.ca or call 604-799 0798.
Employment Specialists:
| Shivani Arora (Punjabi, Hindi) | E: sarora@dcrs.ca | C: 604-307-6493 |
| Sara Keshmiri (Farsi) | E: skeshmiri@dcrs.ca | C: 604-307-2738 |
3. Language Training
- English assessment and referral
- Core English language classes
- Employment readiness language training
Who’s eligible?
- Refugee claimants
Contact us
To learn more, register or refer a client, email safehaven@dcrs.ca or call 604-799 0798.
4. Clinical Counselling Services
- One-on-one trauma clinical counselling
- Psychosocial clinical counselling groups orientation
Who’s eligible?
- Refugee claimants
- Protected people
- Government and privately sponsored refugees
- CUAET visa holders
- Other humanitarian newcomers including:
- Palestinian nationals with family in Canada issued a temporary resident visa from IRCC
- Certain foreign nationals affected by the conflict in Sudan with family in Canada with permanent resident status issued by IRCC
- Certain Colombian, Haitian and Venezuelan nationals with family in Canada with permanent resident status issued by IRCC
Contact us
To learn more, register or refer a client, email safehaven@dcrs.ca or call 604-799 0798.
Please complete the clinical counselling intake form here.
