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. 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.

Join the Al-Qazzaz Foundation and Together Project this Wed. Aug. 28th from noon-1 PM when Together Project’s Co-Director, Andrew Lusztyk will talk about The Welcome Group Program: How Effective Social Connections can Accelerate Refugee Integration. To attend, please register at https://meetinglab.zoho.com/meeting/register…

This report from the Chief Medical Officer of Health Ontario explains why social connections are so important for our personal and community health. Thanks to our Welcome Group volunteers and newcomer participants, Together Project is working to decrease refugee newcomer social isolation and increase refugee social networks. Learn more about the power of social connections here. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/common/ministry/publications/reports/cmoh_19/cmoh_19.pdf

Together Project wishes to thank the Toronto Foundation for supporting our Co-Directors’ attendance at the International Metropolis Conference in Ottawa. Highlights include a keynote address from the minister, a thought-provoking address from Ketty Nivyabandi, and workshops on Social Inclusion and Refugee Integration; Making Connections: Community’s Role in Immigration; Implementing the Global Compact for Refugees; and Increasing Immigration Sustainability in an Era of Populism.

In partnership with The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, Together Project is pleased to host The Ritz-Carlton Succeed Through Service Newcomer Hospitality Program for refugee newcomers. Through the generous support of the Ritz-Carlton Community Footprints team, this program is providing an introduction to the hospitality industry for 25 refugee newcomers. Participating newcomers have arrived in Canada from around the world. This program is running for the third consecutive summer until the end of August.

Together Project is honoured to receive a Vital Ideas and Leadership grant from the Toronto Foundation. Our Refugee Social Capital Accelerator initiative will allow us to deepen the impact of our Welcome Group model through further social capital research, building off of the Toronto Foundation’s Toronto Social Capital Study 2018. As well, we will develop and formalize relevant curriculum for volunteer training, and strengthen our evaluation and reporting mechanisms.