Making newcomers feel at home in the community has been one of the primary goals for the Chatham-Kent Local Immigration Partnership (CK-LIP) for the past five years.
Recently, the group took the next step by launching the Chatham-Kent Welcome Network, an initiative that brings together organizations that celebrate the importance of newcomers.
CK-LIP Project Co-ordinator Victoria Bodnar said the network provides partners with a decal to display, recognizing that they are newcomer friendly.
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“The decals go in windows of member groups and show support,” she said. “The symbol will be recognized by newcomers, especially those who don’t have English as their first language.”
The network was launched with nine initial members, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, St. Clair College, the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, the Diocese of London Migrant Worker Ministry, Goodwill, United Way of Chatham-Kent, Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres and Scotiabank.
Groups who want to join can contact Bodnar at the United Way office.
“We’re happy to have more groups and businesses join and celebrate the diverse background and skill sets of those who come here to build a life for themselves and their families.”
CK-LIP began as a pilot project in 2010 by establishing a community partnership council and since then, it has developed strategies to link newcomers with the information and services they need and educate the community about the value of immigration.
“We work with the council to communicate what services are available, to find gaps or duplications of service and act as a facilitator as needed,” she said.
She said the services of the more than 20 member organizations of the council are as varied as the newcomers.
“Locally we can provide everything from helping to write resumes to helping with language issues, education or social programs,” she said.
With a declining population, Chatham-Kent needs newcomers to contribute to the community.
“Many professionals including doctors, are often newcomers,” she said. “We have people who come to establish a business, those who have been transferred here or have simply chosen Chatham-Kent as a wonderful place to live and raise a family.”
She said Chatham-Kent’s newcomers often fall into the category of “second wave immigration”; those who immigrated to Canada and have lived in a larger centre with more support before choosing to come here.
“Our services are important because as a smaller community we don’t have concentrations of any particular group so newcomers may not have the support they did elsewhere,” she said.
