N.E.E.D.S. Inc., Smoothing the path for a new start in Canada

N.E.E.D.S. Inc., Smoothing the path for a new start in Canada

Immigrants and refugees to Canada arrive with great hope for a safe and happy future. However, the path to success in a new country comes with enormous challenges. Without the proper support, hope can quickly turn to struggle and despair.

Elan Mueller told us about offers and programs for newcomer children, youth, and their families that make integrating into Canadian life easier.

Elan tells us the beginning of N.E.E.D.S. :An immigrant woman, immigrated to Winnipeg with her family in 1989. Full of dreams for a bright future in Canada, she soon faced a harsh reality—learning English and finding meaningful employment was harder than she thought it would be.

Her first decade in her new home was filled with hard work, struggle, and overwhelming doubt. An opportunity to enroll in a career development program for immigrant women changed her future. She began to believe in herself, abilities and skills, her English improved as did her job prospects. She started to work with other immigrant women to help them succeed.

After going back to university to study human resources and management, she developed and established N.E.E.D.S. Inc. to address the gaps in supports she experienced as a newcomer. In 2007 the agency switched to having a focus on serving newcomer children and youth.

Annually, more than 2,000 individuals benefit from the services and resources available at the NEEDS Centre. Their services are free.

They provide the following supports to newcomer children and youth:

• In partnership with Winnipeg school divisions, provide in-school support to newcomer children, youth and their families for the first 18 -36 months of settling in Winnipeg, including needs assessments, referrals to community resources and enhanced services to support their education
• Orientation activities that focus on a variety of different topics including but not limiting to: education, health, employment, financial literacy, community services, safety, pro-social skill development and social recreational activities
• Employability skills training to help newcomer and refugee youth ages 16 -29 to enter and successfully participate in the Canadian labour market
• Psychosocial support to newcomer and refugee children and youth to enhance their success during their participation in activities as well as their general settlement experiences
• Family Engagement Activities to help connect parents and guardians to their child(ren)’s school
• After school homework support to newcomer and refugee children and youth.
• Volunteers and practicum students help support participants in all our activities in addition to mentorship opportunities to refugee children and youth during their settlement experience

Contact Yuliia Kovalenko, our civic journalist, to share your story and explore civic issues: yuliyakovalenko@u-channel.ca.

Find out more civic topics on Civic Journalism: https://u-channel.ca/civic-journalism/

The project is funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage and administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).