Communities of Welcome
What are
Communities of Welcome?
Emulating Canada’s Private Sponsorship Program, Journey Home trains and coaches community groups and faith communities to receive a refugee claimant family, and walks with them for a year providing housing, and sharing information and referrals for access to settlement supports. Most importantly the Community of Welcome group provides a welcoming experience and offers friendship in an orientation that mutually benefits the newcomer and the volunteer.
What Does
Welcome Look Like?
Settlement Support
Your group assembles a a team of 4-8 people, and after receiving orientation and resources from Journey Home, provides assistance in the following:
Navigating the refugee claim process
Establishing food security
Accessing health care, schools, ESL, etc.
Shelter & Basic Needs
Refugee Claimants can access social assistance to assist in their housing, food and living expenses.
Your group helps a family locate housing and obtain the basics needed to set up a home. This includes furniture and household goods. You can ask Journey Home if there are any Meanwhile Space units available to assist your group in providing housing.
Share Friendship
Your group offers relationships and community.
Practicing mutual relationships and extending welcome will be the greatest gift you can share.
Why Welcome a Refugee Claimant Family?
“Convention Refugees” arriving in Canada are supported by Government and Private Sponsorship groups. Upon arrival, they are provided with status, housing and settlement assistance.
“Refugee Claimants” (Asylum Seekers) do not receive these same supports. They are left on their own to find housing, and seek out the settlement support and navigate the resources available to them. This leaves them at risk of homelessness.
Through the Communities of Welcome program, Journey Home Community partners with your group to help these refugees access housing, settlement assistance and relational connections.
How do Communities of Welcome Work?
01. Interest
A church or community members express interest in the program. Journey Home presents and educates the group.
02. Application & Criminal Record Check
Once the group determines they are interested, they fill out an application and do background checks.
03. Training
The group goes through a full day of Journey Home Community orientation before starting with a family.
04. Team Organization & Questions
Through conversation, the group develops a clear understanding of what is expected, then develops their own structure. They then set the criteria for the refugee/family they will journey with.
05. Fundraising
The church or group decides how much money is needed, where it will come from and how it will be accessed.
06. Team, Family & JHC Intake
Journey Home does an intake with the team lead and the family/individual.
Amina’s
Story
My name is Amina, and I’m from Central Asia. In my country, I was a social justice activist. I longed to see change in my country, particularly for the rights of women. I raised my voice. When I did, I was targeted and received death threats. These threats came from government officials and terrorist groups.
For safety, I had to shelter in my home for a few months. Eventually the pressure was too much and I had to run. I was able to get a visa to the United States and then I traveled to the Canadian border. My first few days in Canada were so hard. It was the toughest time of my life. I had to live in a shelter. I didn’t know anyone. I couldn’t sleep. I was afraid and lonely.
But then I was referred to Journey Home Community and they connected me to a Community of Welcome team at Tenth Church. When I met them, everything changed for me.
I felt safe and secure. I felt like I found a new family, friends, and community. They gave me what is required for life. I have new memories which I will always appreciate. The Community of Welcome team made such a difference to me and I will never forget what they did.
Do You Want to Support More Story’s Like Amina’s?
To fully fund our Communities of Welcome, we rely on the generosity of individuals and foundations so we can continue this critical work.