building community for syrian refugees - ymca...

Building Community for Syrian Refugees

YMCA Canada

Building Community for Syrian Refugees

3 Canada’s YMCAs

4 Inclusion

5 Warm welcomes

6 Healthy, active living

7 Networks

8 Connection

9 Belonging

10 New beginnings

Building Community for Syrian Refugees2 YMCA Canada

Our thanks to the following YMCAs for providing the photos featured in this special report:• YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario (cover)• YMCAs of Cambridge & Kitchener-Waterloo (pages 6, 7, 10, 11, 14)• YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth (page 4)• YMCA of Greater Saint John (page 5)• YMCA of Kingston (pages 8, 9)• YMCA of Western Ontario (pages 12, 13)

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ymca.ca 3Building Community for Syrian Refugees

Canada’s YMCAs: Building Community for Syrian Refugees

In September 2015, powerful images jolted us awake to the realities of a war that had been raging for four years. In the process they created a tidal wave of support around the world for Syrians fleeing the conflict in their country, risking everything just to survive.

For Canadians, the knowledge that many of these people were trying to come to Canada hit close to home. The humanitarian crisis in Syria became a galvanizing issue in the Canadian federal election, with then-candidate Justin Trudeau pledging to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada, a promise his government honoured by the end of February 2016.

Responding to the needs of newcomers is part of the purpose that YMCAs across the country serve as Canada’s centres of community. With a strong framework of programs and a history of successful partnerships with like-minded community agencies and all levels of government, Canada’s Ys have been welcoming newcomers and supporting them in building their new lives for generations.

Governor General David Johnston held a Welcoming Syrian Refugees to Canada Forum in December 2015, inviting delegates from the charities like the YMCA, community service organizations, the private sector, and all levels of government. He said that it was a “defining moment for Canada, a defining moment for all of us…. an opportunity to mobilize our communities…. to stand together as a

smart and caring country that believes in and fights for equality of opportunity for every single one of us.”

In the months that followed, thousands of Canadians, through churches and community groups, private sponsors and corporate donors, pulled together to help bring displaced Syrians to Canada and rebuild their lives. With more Syrian refugees arriving every day, communities across our country continue to exemplify the very best of Canada, giving in countless ways to ensure a warm welcome and a brighter future for Syrian newcomers.

YMCAs are playing a key role in this effort. As a charity, we are constantly adapting our vital community services to meet ever-evolving social priorities that

affect health and well-being. In the face of a humanitarian crisis like the one created by the Syrian conflict, we are uniquely equipped to respond quickly, by leveraging existing programs and supports, and creating new initiatives where needed.

For more than 160 years, the YMCA in Canada has been dedicated to the growth of all persons in spirit, mind and body, and to a sense of responsibility to each other and the global community. Guided by that mission and by the distinct needs of each community we serve, YMCAs across the country are helping Syrians make Canada a place they can call home—and we will be here for newcomers from Syria and around the world in the weeks, months and years to come.

Here are some of their stories.

Welcoming refugees from Syria during a solidarity rally, November 22, 2015 in Toronto

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Ali Al-Hallaq (left), Homework Club participant and YMCA volunteer; with Youth Outreach Co-ordinator Fadi Hamdan

4 Building Community for Syrian Refugees YMCA Canada

Helping Syrian students succeed At a YMCA homework club run by the YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs in Halifax, Youth Outreach Co-ordinator Fadi Hamdan helps new Canadian students, saying, “This is like a little bit of home now for them.” Hamdan, who came to Canada eight years ago from Jordan, calls the youth an “inspiration.”

“Some of these youth have been here for two months and they didn’t speak a word

of English. Now they can handle a small conversation,” he said in a recent interview.

Ali Al-Hallaq, a 16-year-old who emigrated from Syria two years ago says he found support at the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth and in its homework club. He plans to volunteer with the Y this summer to help young Syrian refugees feel welcome.

“No matter who you are, no matter where you’re from or what race you are when you come here, you are a human,”

Al-Hallaq said in a recent interview. “You meet other humans from other countries, from other races, from other religions. It’s a great opportunity for the refugees when they come here.”

“I was a refugee and I had no future,” he adds. “I used to live in a refugee camp; I’ve been to three refugee camps. I know how they feel now. I know how they will feel when they come to Canada. They will feel safe. It’s a great feeling to be in Canada and feel like home.”

Inclusion

The heart of the YMCA and what we stand for is nurturing the potential of children, teens and young adults to create lasting personal and social change. For many Syrian children and youth, education has taken a back seat to survival for the past few years—but that changes when they arrive in Canada.


I am a retired organizational development consultant, and I wanted to help Syrian families settle into my community. I reached out, and am proud to be a member of a Welcome Team through the YMCA of Greater Saint John in New Brunswick. So far, our team has helped five Syrian Refugee families settle into Canadian life.

Today held a special moment and I feel compelled to tell a story I will never forget. This morning, I took one of our Syrian fathers and his son, who has Cerebral Palsy and is in a wheelchair, for a school interview to determine what support the boy would need to go to school. Besides father and son, there were two school officials, myself, and an interpreter in the room.

The session centered on the son’s needs, what supports would be put in place for

him and basically what school would be like for him. Used to doing everything for his son despite having five other children, the father assured the school officials that he or his wife would always be there to take care of the son’s needs. One of the officials explained that the son would have attendants to help with any of his special needs but that the parents could come and teach the attendants what they needed to know. She stressed that the attendants would be with him at all times.

After a pause, the father explained that in Syria, a disabled person generally is not seen as an equal and that people would regularly dismiss his son because of his disability. He further explained how he would bribe his son’s classmates with candy

so they would be nice to his son and not ridicule him. The school officials said that his son would be treated equally, integrated into the classroom and introduced to a broad range of learning opportunities. They added that the other children were used to having disabled students in class and they would treat him very well.

At this point the father broke down and wept, saying he had never seen anything like this in his life. That did it—all four adults wept with him, and we wiped our eyes in quiet contemplation of the father’s pain. Meanwhile, the son looked around the table at each of the adults and finished by looking directly into my eyes and smiled a huge white grin.

It really made me proud to be Canadian!

Letter from Wayne, a “proud Canadian”

Members of the New Brunswick Welcome Team with some of the members of a newly arrived Syrian refugee family. From left to right: Welcome Team member Bernadette, family members Amal and Muneer, Welcome Team member Brian, family member Odai (middle row) and family member Mohammad (front)


At the YMCA, we believe that stronger families create environments for the happy and healthy development of children—and stronger communities. The YMCA has supported families throughout our history, from programs and facilities that encourage healthy, family-focused activity to top-quality child care programs for working parents.

For new Syrian families to Canada, YMCAs have been providing a range of supports, like the YMCA of Moose Jaw’s Play and Read program, which encourages learning through play and parent

engagement. Through a partnership with the Moose Jaw Literacy Network, Moose Jaw Housing, KidsFirst and the Newcomers Gateway, newly arrived Syrian families share a meal and make connections with already established Canadians in Saskatchewan.

In Ontario, the YMCA of Niagara’s Immigrant Services team has teamed with local organizations and churches to support dozens of Syrian families arriving in their community, providing access to translators and Arabic-speaking doctors, and helping to settle children in school.

The vital role of child careFor newly arrived Syrian families, finding the time to learn English, look for a job, and secure permanent housing is nearly impossible without reliable child care. When Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) approached the YMCA of Greater Vancouver to see if they could help with childminding for Syrian refugee families, they not only stepped up, they offered their Family Development Centre as a meeting space.

For three hours every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Family Development Centre at the Robert Lee YMCA in Vancouver is devoted exclusively to Syrian families. While the parents are in an orientation session with ISSofBC learning about setting up a new life in Canada, their children are playing happily nearby with YMCA staff.

The Centre recently hired two Arabic-speaking staff members to help support the FDC team with language barriers. Janette, a Syrian refugee who arrived in Vancouver in November 2015, is one of them. In February 2016 the former English teacher joined the Youth Skills at Work program to get some help finding a job, as her Syrian credentials were not recognized in Canada. She completed the group-based training component of the program and a few weeks later began her work placement at the Robert Lee YMCA, help to care for and teach English to Syrian children, and orient newly arrived families.

Warm welcomes

YMCAs across Canada are providing safe, welcoming spaces for newly arrived Syrian children to be active, have fun—and just be kids


My name is Ayse Ibrahim. I am 13 years old.

I was born in Syria; I lived in Syria for 10 years. My childhood was like that of any child; I used to go to school with my friends and neighbours. One day when we were playing outside, I saw a policeman holding a gun and he was disturbing my neighbour. The moment I saw the man, my brother and I ran inside the house. From that moment no one was allowed to go outside after 7 p.m.

For four years we lived in fear, without electricity 23 hours a day. I didn’t go to school for a year because we found a bomb in my class and my family decided it was not safe enough to go to school. My dad left for Turkey before us. We had to walk for hours in the desert to reach Turkey, where we saw our dad waiting for us. We were happy to see him, but sad to leave our family and friends, and our home, behind.

Our dream was to go to a country that was safe and welcoming. When we reached Toronto Pearson Airport we were welcomed with smiles and hugs from people we didn’t know. They gave us winter clothes and mittens and we went outside to play in the snow. The next day we were told that we were moving to a different city called Kitchener and that we would be staying in the Reception House. Everyone was friendly there, and we met a lot of people who lived there with us from different parts of Syria.

The first time I went to the YMCA in Waterloo I felt welcomed and accepted. Even though I didn’t know any English they

were still smiling at us and they tried to get us engaged and start a conversation. For the first time in my life I felt like I could trust the YMCA staff.

I took my brother and my sister with me to the program. The staff were nice to us even though there was a language barrier. They helped me learn more activities that I had never played before, I met people from different countries and they were nice, too. My siblings couldn’t believe the amount of care that we received.

Every time we leave the YMCA we count the days till we go back. When my mom saw how happy we were she decided to come and bring my brother Sharif to see if there was anything for him to do there. Sharif has special needs and in Syria and Turkey there is still a stigma with people like Sharif. When he came to the YMCA, I was surprised that he got the same care from the staff there, if not more. And I was told by a staff person to play with my friends and that they would take care of my brother.

The YMCA has taught me to have self-confidence, to express myself and to face challenges. For the first time I learned that giving is more valuable then receiving. When I get older I want to give back and work at the YMCA and help people. There are a lot of jobs out there but to work at the YMCA is my dream right now. Many Syrians have lost hope and their hearts have become hard, so I want to show them that there are still people who been through the war who still have a soft heart and want to help others.

My name is Ayse Ibrahim

The YMCA has taught me to have self-confidence, to express myself and to face challenges.

Ayse Ibrahim, future YMCA team member

”“


One of the main focuses of the YMCA in Canada has been on helping Canadians live active, healthy—and fun—lives. To that end, some Ys have welcomed new Syrian families with free family memberships.

In many communities, programs are being developed to provide recreation opportunities when school is out. The YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario, for example, is working with Jumpstart to deliver a sports program for newcomer youth, introducing young Syrians to various sports and recreational activities. At the same time, they have pledged that every Syrian child in their region will attend summer day camp, regardless of their ability to pay.

In the Prairies, the YMCA of Northern Alberta has partnered with three other community organizations—ASSIST, the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, and REACH Edmonton—to

provide summer camp opportunities for children who have recently arrived in Canada.

Home at lastFor one family of six from Aleppo, after a five-year ordeal they are finally home, in Kingston, Ontario. The family was forced from Syria at the beginning of the civil war and were refugees in Lebanon for five years before arriving in Canada in December 2015.

The YMCA of Kingston provided the family with free one-year memberships, which they have been taking full advantage of. The older boys are keen on team sports, particularly soccer, while their six-year-old brother is most excited about learning to swim. In fact, when he saw the pool for the first time, he immediately pulled some Canadian coins

from his pocket and tried to pay Y staff for his first swim!

The boys’ father, a wheelchair user since childhood, is pleased that his sons are finally in school and have healthy outlets for their physical and social energy. He is anxious to improve his English skills and start working again—he was a clothier in Aleppo and even started a clothing store in the refugee camp. Also on his list: Starting a wheelchair basketball team at the Y—complete with sharp-looking uniforms, no doubt.

It’s Tuesday!Escaping terror and destruction; fleeing to keep children safe. Walking—no, running—with the sounds of guns in the distance. A life left behind. Can you imagine the chaos of moving from your safe home and community to a refugee

Healthy, active living

Shooting hoops together is just one activity this Syrian family enjoys through their free one-year membership offered by the YMCA of Kingston


camp in another country to then be flown off to another country with different norms, culture and language?

Families arrive in Waterloo Region weekly. Temporarily housed in an old, crowded hotel, they have no personal belongings, no toys for children, and no play spaces.

A mom holds her son, who has cried every day since they have arrived. She doesn’t know why and she is desperate for sleep.

A teenage girl sits in the hotel hallway surrounded by a group of young children as she tells them a story.

An eight-year-old boy runs the hallways with other boys he has just met. They are soon asked to stop and go back to their rooms.

The move from danger to chaos to more chaos is not what these children expected when they arrived in Canada. These are

kids who want to be kids—to play, laugh, learn and have some fun.

It’s a sunny Tuesday afternoon and a school bus has just pulled into the hotel parking lot. The kids are lined up and ready; you can feel the excitement building. Today’s the day … They board the bus, filling every seat. Smiles break out across their faces as the bus begins to move. Their eyes sparkle with anticipation. The doors of the bus finally open and it takes everything within them to not run across the parking lot … They are at the YMCA!

Since January 2016 the doors of the AR Kaufman Family YMCA in Kitchener, Ontario, part of the YMCAs of Cambridge & Kitchener-Waterloo, have opened to the delight of the children housed at the hotel. For a few precious hours there is time to have some fun, play with new friends and maybe learn a bit of English.

One little girl knows exactly what she wants as she heads straight for the dress-up clothes, grabs two purses and drapes one over each shoulder, beaming as she shows her friends. A little boy has his sights set on the mat filled with building blocks and sits quietly building cars and towers while he chatters to himself and the others gathered around him. A group of teenage girls sit at a table reading books to one another, making bracelets, laughing as they talk. Every seat at a craft table is filled with girls and boys excited to draw, glue, and colour. Kids are lined up to take their turn on the climbing wall. A rousing game of “football” is happening in the gym, complete with yellow and red cards to ensure everyone plays by the rules.

Laughter fills the halls, faces lit up with joy and excitement. This is their time to leave it all behind, to play—to be kids.

The boys’ father, a wheelchair user since childhood, is pleased that his sons are finally in school and have healthy outlets for their physical and social energy. YMCAs across the country are offering accessible spaces,

community connections and wide-ranging supports to help Syrian children and families build new lives in Canada


For many newcomers, one of the first connections they will make in their community is to a LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) program. Through LINC, English classes are available at no cost to eligible newcomers and immigrants. And in many communities, the LINC programs are run by or in partnership with YMCAs.

In Edmonton, a recent LINC registration day created an opportunity to bring together all of the human service and housing agencies, the city, the public library and of course, the YMCA. The YMCA of Northern Alberta shared information about subsidized day camps, as well as youth and immigrant housing services.

Whether we’re providing safe, welcoming spaces for new Canadians to learn from other organizations, or creating and delivering programs to meet the specific needs of young people and families, YMCAs continue to create connections that grow and strengthen our communities every day.

Newcomer youth create inclusive spaces for each otherOn a cool and cloudy day during March Break in Schomberg, Ontario, an eclectic group of youth gathered to play games, listen to music, take a bunch of selfies, and enjoy the great outdoors at the YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Education Centre, part of the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

Listen closely and you’ll realize that while they are average teenagers, snippets in Urdu, Hindi, Tagalog, Farsi, Ukrainian and Arabic are woven between sentences in English. Perhaps they are not so average—the more than 100 youth gathered at Cedar Glen have one thing in common: they are all immigrants to Canada, and are helping each other in their journeys to become Canadians.

Every year, youth in the Newcomer Youth Leadership Development Program (NYLD) plan and conduct an Integration Conference, a two-day for-youth-by youth effort connecting

newcomer youth from across the Greater Toronto Area that focuses on a theme the youth feel is relevant to their new lives in Canada. This year, with Canada welcoming so many Syrian refugees, the theme was “Welcome.” As this concept is expressed differently around the world, the youths explored the many aspects of “welcome” from beyond simply saying “come in” to the behaviours that make someone feel welcomed in their new environment. Welcoming Syrian refugees goes beyond allowing them across our borders; it also means including them in our communities and our circles of friends.

Among those participating in outdoor activities such as high ropes, workshops led by Branchout Theatre, and a giant maze were a few Syrian youth and their families, still getting used to their new surroundings. Milad and Tony, NYLD participants, were tasked with making sure the Syrian families had what they needed.

“This is a fun experience and I’ve made a few new friends, but it’s also important for me to be able to welcome someone new to our group,” said Tony, also from Syria.

More than enjoying the outdoors, playing games and creating the perfect snap, it seems the best part about the day’s events was being able to have a space created just for them; somewhere they finally belonged after being told, time and again, they didn’t—just ask Santa, an NYLD participant.

“Being welcomed is an important feeling. I felt homesick and didn’t belong when I came to a new place … being welcomed by someone friendly is a warm feeling; I know that I’m not alone.”

Networks

Finding balance, building strength and nurturing relationships at the YMCA

When they first arrive in Canada, Syrians and their Canadian sponsors are eager to communicate, despite the immediate language barrier. English language classes—as well as sessions for Canadians to learn basic phrases in Arabic—are a priority at many Ys across the country.

Mohammad, a YMCA language program client in Sarnia, recently shared his story of fleeing Syria, with an audience of 100 people, in English, despite having had no English skills when he arrived in Canada just three months before.

Even putting up signs in Arabic to help newcomers navigate the services and facilities available at the YMCA, as the YMCA of Greater Vancouver has done thanks to the smart thinking of one of their

Syrian staff members, helps newly arrived Syrians feel more at ease.

Next stop: CanadaWhen we want to find our way to a destination, we use a map (yes, even those on paper). For those who’ve decided that Canada will be their next destination, the YMCA of Greater Toronto launched a service on April 1 to help newcomers find their way to their next stop in their life’s journey—the electronic Newcomer Information Centre (eNIC) and the Youth Pre-Arrival Learning Site (YPALS).

The new resources, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and accessible online via nextstopcanada.ca, foster communication

between established Canadians and newcomers, even before the refugees arrive in Canada. Developed with the input of established newcomers in the Greater Toronto Area and supported by a team that speaks more than 15 languages, the services are expected to be very popular, particularly with youth.

eNIC, serving those 16 years of age and older, and YPALS, serving youth 12-19 years of age, provide newcomers from Syria and elsewhere with up-to-date, easy-to-navigate information about what to expect when moving to the Greater Toronto Area, as well as knowledgeable and helpful staff and mentors to answer any questions newcomers may have. Think of it as a personalized map to a brighter future.


Connection

One step at a time: Canada’s YMCAs are playing an important role in fostering vital connections for newly arrived Syrians, through our centres and online pre-arrival programs


Arriving in the new country that you will call home—particularly during the chill of a Canadian winter!—can be overwhelming for anyone. YMCAs have found ways to help make new Syrian youth and their families feel more at home by sharing some Canadian traditions and inviting our newest community members to share theirs.

In Sarnia, Ontario, Syrian students attended a Pow Wow at Lambton College’s Aboriginal Cultural and Learning Centre as a field trip with their ESL class run by the YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario. In that same community, the Y is developing a municipal program to promote the cross-sharing of cultures and encouraging newcomer children to express their emotions and experiences through art.

In Essex, Ontario, Syrian and other newcomers enjoyed a taste of

snowshoeing— and learned how real maple syrup is made—on a winter outing organized by the YMCA of Western Ontario in partnership with the Essex Region Conservation Authority.

The newcomer families were invited to experience Canadian winter as the pioneers did, and learned a few family- friendly outdoor games in the process!

Orientation day for Syrian newcomersIn February 2016, a team from YMCA Immigrant Services at the YMCA of Hamilton/ Burlington/ Brantford in Ontario organized an orientation day to

welcome 42 newly arrived Syrian refugee youth to their community.

On hand were staff from the YMCA Settlement Workers in School program and the Newcomer Youth Centre, as well

as Arabic-speaking peer leaders. The peer leaders themselves are recent immigrants to Canada who have successfully settled in the community and have actively participated in YMCA programs over the past two years.

The day included an introduction to the students’ new school and the Canadian education system, and a number of games and activities. But a clear highlight was the tour of the YMCA in Hamilton, during which the youths were offered subsidized memberships.

Following the tour, the group was greeted at the YMCA Newcomer Youth Centre in Hamilton, where staff had organized a fun-filled afternoon for the newcomer youth with competitive games and orientation to other YMCA settlement services designed to assist youth in their settlement and integration phase.

The Syrian youths who visited that day have since made the Newcomer Youth Centre—a space where young people can share their cultural traditions and learn about others at weekly meetings that include traditional cultural foods, and the sharing of stories, artwork, skits or musical performances—their favorite hangout spot after school. Many of them have said that they are happy to have found a home at the YMCA.

Belonging

The newcomer families were invited to experience Canadian winter as the pioneers did, and learned a few family- friendly outdoor games in the process!

Getting a taste of a Canadian pioneer winter, complete with snowshoeing and maple syrup tasting, through a YMCA partnership


YMCAs are creating positive spaces for social interactions through our centres and through fun outings that help introduce newly arrived Syrian refugees to their Canadian communities


Not long after they arrive safely in Canada, Syrian newcomers are anxious to find meaningful employment as the foundation for their new lives.

YMCAs, along with community partners, are answering the call by delivering English language programs as well as services in Arabic to complement their already well-established employment programs and partnerships. Ys also help to address specific needs within their communities through unique program offerings. In Windsor, for example, the YMCA of Western Ontario is offering Arabic orientation and workshops, and has so far helped more than 244 refugees from Syria understand the process of getting the Ontario Driver’s License and how to successfully pass the written G1 test.

My First Job in CanadaThe federal government offers a range of employment programs for new immigrants. Many of those programs, however, require a certain level of English and job-hunting skills. Enter the YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region’s “Finding My First Job in Canada” workshop series, developed to help bridge that gap for lower-level English speakers like Majid, a refugee who was affected by the Syrian Crisis and settled in the Ottawa area in late 2015.

Majid was referred to the Y’s “Finding My First Job in Canada” through the Catholic Centre for Immigrants. The pre- employment workshops cover topics like Canadian workplace culture, and teaches job search, networking, resume writing and interviewing skills.

Upon completion of “Finding My First Job in Canada,” Majid was referred to the Y Employment Access Centre as the next step in his job search process, which includes establishing clear employment goals.

Among Majid’s goals: Using his teaching and planning background in civil engineering to teach others in the Ottawa area, and to provide support in some capacity within his new community. His passion and drive in these areas have been a source of continued strength as he seeks employment. He meets with engineering mentors on a weekly basis, and continues to improve his English and networking skills.

Majid also enjoys teaching others around him and often shares news and information about the Syrian culture—as well as some of the Arabic language—with others at the Y Employment Access Centre.

New beginnings

Learning to communicate in English is an important part of building a new life in Canada. YMCAs are answering the call by expanding English As A Second Language programs as well as services in Arabic where possible


The North American idea that diversity is strength is our greatest gift to the world. No matter where you are from, nor the faith you profess, nor the colour

of your skin, nor whom you love, you belong here. This is your home.—Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau

”“

As Canada’s centres of community, YMCAs across the country are playing a vital role in not only

welcoming Syrian refugees to their new country, but in helping them create new, positive futures for

themselves and for their adopted communities.

For generations of new Canadians, and for generations to come, healthy, active lives—and

better tomorrows—start at the YMCA.

Your YMCA is helping your community to welcome and integrate newcomers from Syria and around the world,

creating a stronger, healthier future for all Canadians.

To find out more about how you can help, please contact your local YMCA. Visit us at ymca.ca to find the Y near you.

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