Ripples of Change: How Newcomer Centres create vibrant communities

By reaching out to help another human being, you're sending ripples of positive change.”--Dana Arcuri

On a typical day at our Newcomer Centres (comprising 3 programs--the Newcomer Information Centre, Language Assessment, and Newcomer Youth Leadership Development) you’ll see many people from many walks of life find out how to find a job using the Internet, what kinds of cultures live in Toronto (and Canada), taking a language assessment to improve their English or French skills, getting a crash course in Canadian history and politics, or meeting new friends. You might see YMCA staff—the majority of them possessing their own stories of coming to Canada—leading a workshop on the Canadian job market, organizing a networking event for newcomers, their friends and families or simply lending an ear for those who just want to talk about their life experiences and any difficulties they may face.

What isn’t typical, however, is the clientele— over 35,000 people access the services of Newcomer Centres every year (funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada), and they are served in over 60 languages by our very multi-lingual staff. They do not necessarily fit what one may think when they hear the word “newcomer”, as they come from all walks of life. They are marketers, engineers and architects. They are accountants, social workers and financial planners. Some have just arrived, while others, though new to the Newcomer Centre, have been in the country for a couple of years or longer. No matter their background, or what country they come from, they have one thing in common—the desire to succeed in the new country they are learning to call “home”.

Learning and helping; by having these as the guiding principles of everything that happens at all 5 Newcomer Centre locations every day, Newcomer Centres play a part in the evolving stories of Toronto’s newcomers by providing a helping hand to those who need it. Our hope is that by helping a newcomer in need, they will do the same in turn for someone else, likely in the same situation--kind of like a ripple effect, sending waves of positive change across the communities many already call home, and where many more are learning to do the same.

For more information about the programs and services that our Newcomer Centres offer, click here.