The Newcomer Youth Social project, which took place at Lions Park in Port Coquitlam, was designed to bring together newcomer youth in the community to foster social connections, share experiences, and provide essential support. The project, inspired by last year’s event, aimed to lift social isolation and enhance settlement integration for newcomers youth.
During the planning phase, we prioritized addressing the most crucial needs of newcomer youth, including access to education, employment, and recreational opportunities. Based on these priorities, the event was organized into two interactive sessions. Unfortunately, we were unable to offer additional workshops due to funding constraints. These sessions included icebreakers, social games, and informative workshops, all designed to encourage engagement and conversation among the participants. The event was advertised through word-of-mouth and posters, ensuring broad outreach within the community. This strategy effectively attracted around 13 participants, reflecting the goal of maintaining a small gathering to allow for meaningful interactions. I facilitated the sessions and had guest speakers, who shared their immigration stories and insights on settlement challenges and resources.
This project was a collaborative effort, with friends assisting in various capacities, from setting up the space to facilitating discussions. The speakers were offered honorariums as recognition for their contributions, and local food and beverages were provided to create a welcoming atmosphere. The event also included a land acknowledgment at the beginning, fostering awareness of Indigenous history and systemic discrimination, which tied into broader discussions of settlement and inclusion.
One of the primary challenges was organizing the event in an outdoor setting while ensuring all participants felt comfortable and engaged. The solution was to offer structured activities that balanced fun with informative content, ensuring that everyone could participate. Additionally, weather was a concern given the outdoor space, but contingency plans were set in place to ensure the event could proceed smoothly regardless of conditions. Another challenge was ensuring a diverse range of settlement-related topics were covered in a way that was accessible and engaging for youth. Unfortunately, due to funding and time limits, we were only able to focus on literacy, social, and some employment needs. However, the participants found the information very valuable.
Through the implementation of this project, several key lessons emerged. Firstly, the importance of creating safe and inclusive spaces for newcomers to connect cannot be overstated. The positive feedback from participants highlighted the value of such gatherings in building a supportive network that can ease the transition of youth into their new communities. Secondly, it became clear that a combination of social activities and practical workshops is highly effective in engaging youth, ensuring that participants walked away with both new friendships and valuable knowledge.
The Newcomer Youth Social was a success, meeting its goals of fostering social connections, offering settlement support, and creating a sense of community among newcomer youth. Moving forward, there are opportunities to expand the program by incorporating additional workshops based on participant feedback to enhance the resources available to attendees.
