Since 2018, YWCA has been working on several initiatives to support engagement and participation of Newcomers in our community and province.

Fostering Collaboration of Services for LGBTQIA+ Newcomers in Newfoundland and Labrador

In partnership with Dr. Sulaimon Giwa of Memorial University, YWCA St. John’s is delivering this project to enhance the settlement and integration experience of LGBTQIA+ newcomers in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We aim to achieve this by strengthening community partnerships, identifying gaps and service needs of this population through a research study, as well as implementing programs to directly support LGBTQIA+ newcomers.

As part of this project, we are delivering two programs for LGBTQIA+ newcomers- a peer support group, and a mentorship program.

Read more about this project and our programs for LGBTQIA+ newcomers here.

Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Connextions Employment Program

This is a 20-week employment program for newcomer women and gender-diverse folks (ages 18+) experiencing barriers to employment. The program includes:

  • A paid 8-week in-person employment skills development group program

  • A paid 12-week work experience

Learn more about the program here.

Funded by Immigration, Populations, Skills and Growth (Government of NL)

Connextions Workplace Language Development Program

This is a 12-week program for newcomer women and gender-diverse folks (ages 18+) who identify English as a barrier to employment.

  • Workplace Language Skill development: Document Use, Oral Communication, working with others, reading, writing, problem-solving

  • Language skill development related to securing employment: Résumé and cover letter development, navigating job ads, interview skill development

  • Opportunities to practice using English language skills through community involvement

Learn more about the program here.

Funded by Immigration, Populations, Skills and Growth (Government of NL)

 

Past Projects

Research & Innovations in Childcare: Alternative Delivery Models to Address the Unique Needs of Newcomer Women in NL

This project focused on newcomer women’s experiences in accessing childcare and entrepreneurship-focused programming in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project explored ways in which services to support economic opportunities for newcomer women could be improved through an innovative approach to childcare design and delivery. We investigated a model of childcare delivery that is experiencing success in other areas and assessed its applicability for newcomer women in our province. The project also explored the role that mentoring and leadership play in supporting newcomer women within its innovative model, as well as the financial supports required for small business start-ups.

Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

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Immigrant Women’s Leadership & Employment Mentorship Project

Newcomer women were at the center of this work and applied the critical lens of lived-experience through which the findings were filtered, analyzed and presented. Newcomer women were engaged as peer researchers, participating in skill-development and capacity-building training sessions, and then conducting community-based research to inform the development of strategies supporting newcomer women’s economic self-sufficiency and successful labour market participation. YWCA formed a key partnership with Dr. Delores Mullings (Memorial University, School of Social Work) and together, coordinated with government, community, and industry partners to host ‘Opportunity Knocks’, a symposium focused on multicultural women in leadership. The event, held in March 2019, sought to identify ways to support and encourage women from diverse cultural backgrounds to make long-term attachments to employment in their communities by identifying the barriers and challenges faced in gaining economic self-sufficiency. This project contributed to local knowledge about the experiences of newcomer women in Newfoundland and Labrador, and created opportunities for newcomers to participate in identifying the challenges and barriers they face, as well as developing the solutions to increase their ability to participate equally and fully in the labour market.

Click here to download the full report.

Funded by The Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism, Department of Advanced Education, Skills, and Labour