“I have a much stronger connection to Syria than I did before and it’s more important to me now in a whole new way,” said Welcome Group volunteer May Tyrrell.

For May’s thoughts about her experience as a volunteer, click below!

A new report from the Transatlantic Council on Migration finds that “the rapid rise in the numbers of arriving humanitarian migrants has been matched by an equally unprecedented outpouring of public support, with offers to volunteer or provide donations….

While volunteer efforts cannot replace specialized social service agencies or well-resourced social assistance programs, they offer unique resources that can be an invaluable complement to the services that professional agencies and case workers provide.”

For more of this research, click the link below!

“It can feel very overwhelming when you hear negative news,” said Welcome Group volunteer Brittany Lavery.

“It’s easy to think you can’t do anything about it. But you can do small things and small things can make big changes. Thinking globally and acting locally is, I think, the best way that people can make change. This is definitely the best thing that I’ve ever done.”

For more of Brittany’s experience as a volunteer, click below!

“Within my community and at work, I encourage people to volunteer to help newcomers settle and integrate,” said Welcome Group volunteer Mohammed Ahmed.

“I talk about how rewarding my volunteer work has been and I try to inspire others to welcome newcomers to Canada. My advice is to see the whole experience as a learning opportunity.

When people come from another part of the world, they have something to share with you. You can learn a lot from them. You will need to be patient, learn to be a good listener and a problem solver. There is nothing to lose by making this effort to welcome someone to Canada but there is a lot to gain.”

For more of Mohammed’s story, click the link below!

Did you know that Turkey currently hosts 4 million refugees– the highest number of refugees in any country worldwide?

Last week, locally-based community organizations gathered in Ankara, Turkey at “Meet, Share, Inspire: International Conference of Good Practices on Refugee Protection.”

Together Project Co-Director, Anna Hill, shared our approach to fostering social connections to support refugee integration.

Learn more here.

“During my time with the Welcome Group, I started off thinking about the impact I hoped to make on the lives of this newcomer family,” said volunteer Zein Hindawi.

“What I did not expect was how my life was about to be transformed after getting to know this incredibly intelligent, brave and compassionate family in return.

This has been one of the most inspirational experiences I have ever been a part of. I truly encourage everyone to volunteer their time because if you come into it with an open heart and an open mind, you will truly receive as much as you give.”

For more of Zein’s story, click the link below!