New program to help Ukrainian refugees coming to Mundare

Mundare council was briefed on a new program designed to help Ukrainian refugees relocating to small Albertans communities get easier access to government aid.

Lisa Degara said the organization she works for, Action for Healthy Communities, was slated to have an office open in the Vegreville/Mundare area in July, and she wanted to brief council on what they would be offering to the community.

She addressed council, April 18.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with a community before we’ve expanded into it before, so I think this is a much better route to take,” she told council.

She said she works in the settlement sector which is funded by the Federal government to ensure when immigrants and refugees come into the community they have the “softest possible landing.”

“They get access to employment that makes sense to them using the skills they have, support for their children to succeed in the schools and access to health care,” she said. “We want to ensure that when people choose to make their new homes in Canada we give them all the supports they need to be successful.”

She added her area, which is dealing with small centres, had been established for the last 15 years in an effort to have immigrants consider small centres as a viable alternative to locating in larger, urban centres.

“We provide settlement services and school settlement services,” she added, noting that they work in several communities surrounding Edmonton and with several school divisions throughout the region.

“Settlement services means when people come to the country what do they need to be successful,” she said.

“We help them get the various things they need like social insurance numbers, health cards, where is the housing, how they can find work, what benefits exist in Canada, and how they can celebrate their cultural holidays.”

She added her team had workers from the Philippines, South America and African communities to help with the language and cultural differences that might be encountered.

She said they were going to be hiring someone to work in the Vegreville/Mundare area who hopefully would be fluent in Ukrainian and knowledgeable in Ukrainian culture.

She added the main focus of her team was working with kids entering the school system.

READ THE REST OF THIS STORY IN THE APRIL 26 EDITION OF THE LAMONT LEADER

John Mather, Staff Reporter