PROGRAMS

The Learning Lab is designed to offer refugee and new immigrant women English classes from Level 1-7 using the Canadian Language Benchmark guidelines taught by certified TESL Instructors. This program is for women only, taught by women. This program is open to any woman wanting to learn English regardless of her immigration status. Since the classes are offered virtually, women from countries around the world are joining to learn English as they prepare for a better opportunity. 

Overcoming the language barrier opens the door for women to many opportunities of employment, promoting economic security. Understanding English assists refugee women with helping their children navigate the school system, communicating with doctors, and supporting their families. 

Proficiency in English is a significant empowering tool which will change the life of a woman from being withdrawn and afraid to empowered and an advocate. The confidence motivates refugee and new immigrant women to upgrade their education and pursue higher education. An educated woman can help provide for her family and feel like a contributing member both to her family and to her community. 

When you change the life of a woman, the effects are felt through the entire family. She will be determined to help move herself and her family out of poverty and become self sufficient. Her strength will be the role model her children will need to pursue their own education. This may also motivate her to pursue further education.

The Women Helping Women program is designed to help newcomer women feel safe as they navigate through their settlement. It’s a support group offering refugee and new immigrant women a safe space to share the challenges they may be facing. For newcomer women facing isolation and depression, this confidential, nurturing, supportive environment gives access for support and referrals to counselling. 

Refugee women are struggling with their mental health and find the support group a safe and understanding space for them to share and learn how to help themselves. They receive counselling and help to work through their mental health. Imagine having to escape their home with little and transitioning to another country to await safe passage to Canada - they have not been able to process what they feel and how to help themselves. The support gives them an opportunity to explore and feel what they have gone through. They need to first identify it then heal from it. 

The Women Helping Women support group also encourages women to take an active role in their caregiving duties and access support systems in their communities. They also help women to become advocates for their children and elderly family members by seeking support from the group. 

Women find access to resources for their family like food banks, clothing banks, and household items. Newcomer women need support to access services, fill out forms for housing, financial support, or medical questionnaires. They need help to read their child's report and learn what questions to ask their children's teachers, and how to help their children.

At Women Helping Women, newcomer women can access various supports in multiple languages and find a helping hand as they resettle in their new community. 

With the support of the Shock-Proofing Grant, through the Federal Government and Canadian Women's Foundation to support women facing gender-based violence, refugee women are receiving education and support to learn about the types of violence they may be facing and find support amongst other women in the same situation. Gender-based violence is the abuse that women, and refugee women, who are at highest risk of experiencing, are facing. It can be physical or emotional abuse such as: name-calling, hitting, pushing, stalking, criminal harassment, sexual assault, control, manipulation, and many more. These are against the law. It can happen between spouses or other family members, and it can happen by strangers or people you work with. It occurs in private places, often by people you know.

With the translator, women from different cultures learn that violence is against the law in Canada and are given tools to become self-sufficient and confident to leave their environment. With many refugee women arriving from Afghanistan, cultural support becomes vital in understanding how women are married to their immediate relative. Leaving their husband becomes a difficult decision because they are leaving their entire family. Thus, they are learning what other choices they have or just being able to have a safe space to discuss their struggle.

They are also learning how the importance of skill-building helps their decision to leave and become self-sufficient when they are ready.

Digital Empowerment is giving women access to technology that enhances their ability to learn, to become confident, to access information, and become empowered in knowledge. Digital empowerment is giving women the tools they need to move further and learn skills that are employable and transferrable. 

Refugee women begin their training in the basics of technology to give them the ability to communicate via email and Zoom. 

Most of the digital empowerment program is translated in Farsi to support the growing number of Afghan women attending the programs. 

Clients have access to technology sponsored by VISA Canada and supported through Human IT. 

Clients are also trained to use the tools available on Zoom to fully participate in the programs. They develop virtual etiquette skills along with basic computer skills. They are learning how to send emails and email etiquette. 

Digital Literacy is an empowering tool giving refugee women skills that are employable. 

Financial literacy skills are about learning how to earn, save, and invest your money. For refugee women, access to money is limited but learning how to save and grow your money is important for all. 

At Refugee Women’s Network, we believe financial literacy is a critical component for refugee women to work towards being self-sustained, confident women. We have introduced various programs about financial literacy with subject-matter experts in banking, savings, starting an RESP, RRSP, and learning how to manage their investments. We have also provided basic tools from opening their own bank account and learning about online banking.

We are also pleased to offer the VISA Practical Money Skills training which we translate in Farsi/Dari for our clients. This training is an introduction to personal financial literacy to help refugee women understand the fundamentals of personal finance and learning to set financial goals. Refugee women will learn how to make informed decisions about their finances, how to budget, how to plan and how to save. Learning about financial literacy will help refugee women feel empowered and give them the ability to control their finances. 

Newcomer women will learn how to start their own small business from catering, baking, or sewing from their home. The program will teach women how to start their business, the skills to manage the day to day and maintain financial independence. The training will teach them marketing skills, how to follow health guidelines in the food industry, and managing the administration of running a small business. The program will give newcomer women the tools to put a business plan together and apply for the necessary permits. It will also give women the confidence to be a self-sustaining business woman.  Entrepreneurial support leads to self-sustaining, economic empowerment.