WELCOME & INTEGRATION PROGRAM -WIN
With the ultimate vision of making Edmonton a destination of choice, we are very pleased with the success of this program, which fills a deep community need.
Officially launched in February 2022, in the space of two months we welcomed close to 15 families. The idea is to optimize conditions upon arrival by providing essential logistics and building strong community connections to facilitate integration.
In this spirit, we are proud to count among our strategic partners the Edmonton's Food Bank, which has officially welcomed the Cameroonian Association of Edmonton into its Closed Hamper Referral Program. Through this partnership—secured until March 2028—our organization is now able to place food hamper referrals directly for the families we support, significantly strengthening our capacity to respond to immediate food security needs upon arrival.
In short, the WIN consists of providing a complete support package to every newcomer: pre-arrival assistance (finding accommodation and preparing the trip), reception at the airport, and ongoing support with administrative procedures, community networking, and professional integration.
However, we are facing a major challenge: the lack of adequate storage space for donations received and a truck to transport them.
We thank all the volunteers, donors and our direct partners on this program Francophonie Albertaine Plurielle (FRAP), Newcomer Centre.
<< It is important to preserve the cultural references during the immigration process for an optimal integration. This is what makes our program so special and so successful. But a success that unfortunately relies on many individual sacrifices: in energy, time and own funds. For the first quarter of 2027, we expect another round of more than a hundred families. The plan is to keep enhancing the operational management effectiveness and efficiency of the WIN program, especially, in terms of human and material resources.>> Brenda T. (WIN Program Coordinator)
As part of our efforts to support professional integration, we are delighted to collaborate with leading employment organizations such as Parallèle and the Afro-Canadian Trades Network (RMA).
However, it is very important to note that these organizations act as facilitators; it is up to each newcomer to take the necessary steps to meet the labor market’s skill requirements or the requirements of a professional college.
Furthermore, Alberta, like the rest of Canada, is a land of opportunity where any career change is possible. Many tools exist to facilitate this. Be confident and take advantage of these resources.
We would like to express our gratitude to the City of Edmonton, which provided $5,000 in funding for the pilot project aimed at defining a realistic and viable model. This includes a needs assessment: what services can we offer? The cost per family size,...
More details in the report. Project duration (6 months) January - June 2023.
