Emotional and Physical Wellness Support for Newcomers

The Cause

Newcomers to Canada often experience the pressures of assimilation in their work, school, and social settings, where dominant beliefs and behaviors are often emphasized. There are many barriers (racism, financial, language, cultural, transportation, lack of information and time and etc.) for newcomers to Canada to integrate into new country.

With our project we would like to organize support for newcomers to lower financial and lack of time barriers through providing free arts, swimming, and stretching classes to provide a respite for the stressed newcomers, who face challenges such as supporting their children and partners amidst issues like racism, cultural differences leading to exclusion in places like schools and workplaces, permanent residency concerns, and the struggle to establish support networks in a new environment.

Who Will it Benefit?

Our objective is to enhance the physical well-being of our community by encouraging their active participation in the swimming, stretching, and arts programs. As members engage in these activities, they stretch, strengthen, and improve their overall health. This will not only have positive physical effects but also lead to emotional and interpersonal benefits. In total we expect 80 newcomers to Canada in our three programs that will be able to enjoy various mental health advantages associated with increased aerobic exercise, such as enhanced mood and reduced feelings of lethargy and fatigue. Furthermore, our craft activities are designed to strengthen the emotional bonds among community members. This environment will foster greater openness in discussing emotional and familial concerns, ultimately enhancing their connections with one another and promoting emotional well-being. Importantly, these activities provide an opportunity that was previously unavailable within the community.