Our Settlement Services program provides comprehensive support to help newcomers successfully integrate into Canadian life while maintaining their cultural identity and building strong community connections.

Newcomer Orientation and Welcome

We offer structured orientation programs that provide essential information for newcomers arriving in Atlantic Canada. Our orientation sessions cover Canadian cultural norms, government services, healthcare system navigation, banking and financial systems, and local community resources. Through welcoming ceremonies and meet-and-greet sessions with community leaders, newcomers build immediate connections and feel supported from day one.

Settlement and Immigration Support

Our settlement specialists provide hands-on assistance with immigration document processing, government service navigation and applications, healthcare system registration, housing search and tenant rights education, and understanding legal rights and responsibilities. We guide families through complex administrative processes, ensuring they can access essential services with confidence.

Language Support and ESL Programs

Language acquisition is critical for successful integration. We offer English conversation practice groups, ESL (English as Second Language) classes, translation services for important documents, language exchange partnerships with community volunteers, and specialized terminology workshops for employment and healthcare contexts. Our multilingual staff provide support in English, Bengali, and other languages as needed.

Employment and Career Development

We help newcomers build careers and achieve economic prosperity through resume writing workshops adapted for Canadian standards, interview preparation and practice sessions, professional networking opportunities and mentorship connections, credential recognition assistance, job search strategies and employment resources, and ongoing professional development programs. Our career talks feature industry experts, successful community members, and professional counselors who share practical guidance for career advancement.

Housing and Accommodation Assistance

Finding suitable housing is one of the first challenges newcomers face. Our housing support includes apartment search assistance, understanding tenant rights and responsibilities, connecting with landlords and property managers, navigating rental applications and lease agreements, and ongoing support for housing-related issues. We help families find safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.

Family and Youth Support Services

Our family-centered approach ensures support for all family members. We provide school system navigation and enrollment assistance, children’s tutoring and educational support programs, youth mentorship and peer support networks, parenting resources and cultural adaptation guidance, family counseling and conflict resolution support, and childcare resource information.

Women’s Empowerment Programs

We recognize the unique challenges women face during settlement. Our women-focused programming includes women-only support groups and activities, economic independence and career development resources, leadership training and skill building opportunities, childcare support during program participation, and health and wellness education. These programs create safe spaces for women to build confidence, skills, and community networks.

Senior Support and Integration

We provide specialized support for senior community members including healthcare navigation tailored for seniors, social isolation prevention through community engagement activities, technology training and digital literacy programs, grandparent support and intergenerational programming, and cultural activities that honor elder wisdom while fostering Canadian integration.

Community Resource Fairs and Networking

Throughout the year, we host orientation fairs and resource events that connect newcomers with service providers, government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and community organizations. These events provide direct access to essential services while building social networks and community connections.

Mentorship and Peer Support

Our mentorship program matches newcomers with established community members who provide ongoing guidance, cultural bridge support, practical advice for daily living, professional networking connections, and friendship. Through peer support networks, newcomers connect with others who share similar experiences, reducing isolation and building lasting relationships.

Cultural Bridge Programming

We help newcomers balance cultural preservation with Canadian integration through programs that maintain heritage language and traditions, teach Canadian cultural norms and social practices, provide guidance on religious accommodation, create cross-cultural friendship opportunities, and celebrate diversity within our community. This bridge-building approach honors both Bangladeshi heritage and Canadian identity.

Financial Literacy and Prosperity Building

Understanding Canadian financial systems is essential for long-term prosperity. We offer workshops on Canadian banking and account setup, credit building and financial planning, tax system education and preparation assistance, insurance requirements and options, investment basics and retirement planning, and entrepreneurship support for those interested in small business development.

Practical Life Skills Workshops

Our workshops cover essential skills for daily life in Canada including transportation system navigation and public transit use, shopping and consumer rights, legal system basics and rights awareness, emergency services and community safety, seasonal adaptation and winter preparation, and accessing government programs and benefits.

Ongoing Support and Follow-Up

Settlement is a long-term process. We provide quarterly check-in sessions with newcomer families, advanced integration workshops as needs evolve, alumni network participation for continued peer support, volunteer opportunity transitions for community leadership development, and celebration of milestones and successes. This ongoing support ensures families continue to thrive beyond initial settlement.

Program Goals and Outcomes

Through our settlement services, we aim to help newcomers achieve employment placement and economic self-sufficiency, successful integration into Canadian society, strong social networks and community connections, educational enrollment and advancement for family members, and confidence in navigating Canadian systems independently. We measure our success through employment rates, community engagement, family well-being, and long-term settlement satisfaction.