Newcomers to Canada can find their financial footing and an opportunity to develop essential life skills when enrolled in New Foundations, a program now offered by the Mennonite Central Committee in Victoria.
The goal of the program is to teach participants, the majority of them new immigrants and single parents, how to navigate everyday life in an unfamiliar country, adapting to a different culture, different systems and different customs.
The program, which is also offered in Surrey, Vancouver and Abbotsford, helps participants build skills over a nine-month period.
“We match the participants with volunteer mentors to help them create a plan to meet savings goals,” said Sue Kupp, interim program director. “Throughout the time, we connect them with resources, such as Work B.C. for basic employment readiness.”
The local group, made up of nine participants, meet together twice a month in a community-building environment, with workshops taught by local experts using a participatory learning approach.
Participants are matched with one of five volunteer mentors for the duration of the program.
Along with learning about financial literacy, the participants are given job readiness and life skills.
The highlight of the program for some is not finances, but when they get the opportunity to come together for community kitchen sessions. At these sessions, they get to socialize while learning how to cook low-cost and healthy meals using local ingredients.
The program has been running with success on the mainland for the past 10 years. Offering the program in Victoria was made possible through a grant endowed by the Victoria Foundation.
“Although we knew of the program’s value to single-parent newcomers, we didn’t have the budget to expand to Greater Victoria until now,” said Kupp. “We are excited and appreciative of the Victoria Foundation to help make it happen.”
The current group will graduate in June and they all have a vested interest in achieving their savings goals. Graduates who have met their savings goals will have their funds matched 2:1.
For more information, go to mcccanada.ca/learn/more/new-foundations.
