PEI Association for Newcomers celebrates banner year

To say the last year has been a memorable one for the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada would be an understatement.

The staff and volunteers welcomed 1,786 newcomers to the Island, including hundreds of refugees from Syria.

On Monday night the association will hold what it is calling an annual community meeting, to look back on the accomplishments and challenges of the last year and to thank the community for being so supportive.

"It was an extraordinary year," said Yvette Doucette, the association's information officer. "There were almost 300 Syrian refugees that were settled on the Island. Per capita, Prince Edward Island received more refugees than any other province, so I don't know if a lot of people know that."

New challenges

It was a challenge that was unprecedented for the organization.

Doucette said the organization normally settles between 40 and 60 refugees in the span of a year, but the Syrian refugees mostly arrived within a two-month period, presenting significant logistical challenges.

"Generally, the lack of language, so that's a challenge," she said. "And just wanting to have everyone feel welcome, have everyone feel secure, have a place to be that they can call their own as soon as possible, and get their lives on track in terms of kids and school, and language training, and just to have some sense of normalcy."

Doucette praised the Island's sponsorship groups for their efforts, and the teamwork provided by all three levels of government working together on a settlement situation for the first time.

Record number of volunteers

She said it also led to the public learning about the newcomers association, and volunteering in record numbers.

"I think one of the most moving things for us as staff was that there were over 300 Islanders that volunteered within a very short period of time to help with what we called the welcome project," said Doucette. "It was incredible. Actually, it still gives me shivers."

For the group's yearly meeting, it has decided to change the title from the annual general meeting to annual community meeting, to let people know it's not a formal, business-like evening.

"We're going to have some amazing videos from throughout the year, some of clients, some of events that have happened throughout the year," said Doucette. "This is just open for everyone to come and to find out what we've been up to ... There will be international food at the end, a little bit of snacks, and it's usually a great time."

The meeting, open to the public, will be held at 7 p.m. at the Murphy's Community Centre in Charlottetown.

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