How Can You Make Your Community More Welcoming and Inclusive to Newcomers?

Why Does You Community Need Newcomers?

•  To generate more trade and commerce in your community
• To help keep the school and health care  facilities  open/viable
• To create businesses and help generate wealth in the community
• To fill jobs
• To pay taxes
• To keep your community progressive and vibrant (new ideas, new skills, new energy)
• To increase pool of volunteers
• To provide new leadership
• As consumers, they help to sustain the viability of your community

Why Would Newcomers Want to Live in Your Community?

Try to think of what you wanted or appreciated when you moved to another community)

Attributes of Community in South East Saskatchewan:

• Friendly:
  • Is this a local perception by those who have lived in that community for a long time or is this what newcomers are saying?
• Plenty of jobs:
  • Many entry level positions in the service sector;
  • Perhaps not that many opportunities for people with university degrees or professionals
• Reasonable cost of living compared to some larger urban areas
• Business opportunities
• Clean air
• Open spaces
• Low crime rate
• Relatively close proximity to larger centers
• Early pioneers were immigrants (mostly from the United States, United Kingdon and Europe, where as today most immigrants are from Asia, Africa, India and the Philippines
• More opportunities in smaller communities for children to get involved in sports
• Wide variety of youth activities
  • Is this an accurate statement?  Many community leaders recognize that there are insufficient activities for youth in their community.   For example if the youth are not involved in hockey or figure skating during the winter, there is probably very few other choices for youth recreation activities.  What about performing and visual arts?  Martial arts?
• Plenty of opportunity for outdoor recreation for adults and youth
• Wide variety of community organizations and events
• It is often easier to get to know neighbors and meet people in a smaller community
• Diverse climate (opportunity to enjoy all seasons)

Tips for Community Development, Municipal Leaders & Community Organizations:

• Find a suitable person in the community to be the ‘newcomer community coordinator’.
  • Specific contact person for newcomers
  • Provide basic information about the community, who to contact, etc.
  • Person to develop and implement welcoming and integration strategies
  • Help get newcomers involved in community volunteer projects and groups
  • Liaise with city/town council, economic development and other organizations, etc.
• Ensure that basis information about community groups and community services is available in hard copy and on the community website.
• Ensure that someone provides all newcomers with this information first hand.
• Develop and implement a marketing strategy to instill a positive image of the community and its residents
• Develop and implement techniques to help local residents be more accepting of change and progress
• Learn how to say different salutation in the newcomers’ language (hello, good bye, thank you). This will help make the newcomer feel more welcome.
• Do some research on where the newcomers come from:
  • This will help you ask more appropriate questions
  • They are get tired of hearing the same really ‘dumb’ questions about their culture or their country.
  • Show that you care and have made some effort to learn something about their people, country and food, etc.
  • Then you will be better prepared to ask some more targeted questions like, “I heard there is a really nice beach about an hour from where you lived.  Did you ever go there?”
• Don’t make an offer to help them and then never follow through if they call you.
  • If you say something like, “If you need anything, just give me a call”, be sincere and really mean what you say.
  • If you do not honour your offer or if you are never available, the newcomer may be too nervous or embarrassed to ask for help again.
  • Make specific offers, like, “Let me show you how to get your house ready for winter” or “Do you know how to operate a lawn mower?  If not, I can show you.”
• Seek direct input from newcomers and listen to them regarding any concerns or expectations
• Provide current, readily accessible information on community services and things to see and do in the area, as well as community and regional events
• Encourage ‘block parties’ and other neighborhood ‘get togethers’ to help make newcomers develop a sense of belonging as well as to integrate long time residents with new residents
  • Often long time rural residents are very slow and hesitant to welcome new people into their lives, especially if the new people have different cultures, experiences, educations, background and/or faith
• When planning major community events, get input from newcomers and try to include newcomers in most events (showcasing cultural displays, that can include food, special skills, dance
• Make current information readily available (brochures in public buildings and on the community website) about volunteer opportunities, community groups or organizations, including:
  • The name of each organization, (such as business organizations, community service organizations, sports groups, cultural groups, children/youth groups, etc.)
  • Purpose of organization and major initiatives and/or events
  • Description of volunteer opportunities
  • Frequency and dates of meetings
  • Location of meetings (including street address)
  • Listing of executive members including their contact information (phone or e-mail)
  • Application or ‘expression of interest’ form for newcomers to provide their skills and interests as potential volunteers
• Create a package of useful information to give each new resident or family.  Include common things that many local residents might take for granted, such as:
  • Regular store and banking hours
  • When and where the garbage is picked up
  • What recreation programs are available and who to contact, including the location (street address) of local recreation facilities
  • Location and hours of operation for local library
  • Where you pay utility bills
  • How to get a post office box
  • Doctors offices and other health care services
  • Daycare services
  • Name and contact information for the community newcomer coordinator
• Offer a variety of community events that would appeal not just to long time residents but to newcomers as well.
  • Ensure there is a roles and attractions for the newcomers.
  • Ensure all the details about the event (time, date, specific location, attractions/features, costs,  etc.) are well publicized ….often times, only the local know the details because they have been participating in the same events for years!
• When community groups are looking for volunteers or wanting new people to get involved in community projects, provide a simple ‘volunteer job description’ for each task.   Don’t expect them to know how your organization has always done things and be open to new ideas!
• Be assertive – Volunteer groups need to ask newcomers to help – don’t expect them to come to you.  But once they have offered to help, be receptive to new ideas and new ways of doing things.
• Become informed about new cultures in the community and create, on an ongoing basis, ways of integrating the new culture, their activities and newcomers interests into the community
• Ensure there are a variety of ongoing ways to learn English as another language, as well find volunteers to help translate if needed
• Provide opportunities for newcomers (including immigrants) to learn more about entrepreneurship and business practices
• Provide cross cultural awareness training in the community (schools, health care, volunteer organizations, council and municipal administration, and general public)
• Encourage and enhance inter-community cooperation and sharing of information

 Tips for Employers:

• Match up the newcomer (buddy system) with another staff member (keeping in similar interests, age, size of family, etc.) to act as confidant, mentor or ‘go to person’ for any questions about the community, Saskatchewan culture, etc. and help integrate the newcomer into the social life of the community
• Listen to the newcomers, as they will express what they need or expect when given the opportunity to share their thoughts or concerns
• Make a concerted effort to get staff members (especially new staff) involved in community functions
• As part of new staff member orientation, make special efforts to have the newcomer and his/her family to attend community events or functions (especially during the first year of employment)
• Provide all newcomers with basic information about the community and help introduce them to people in the community that can help them…such as the librarian, the municipal administrator, the economic development officer, the recreation director, etc.

Tips for Long Time Residents to Meet and Get to Know Newcomers:

• Ask questions and listen, then act upon the new information you have gathered
• Be open minded about other cultures, new ideas, new approaches and new ways of doing things.  Be willing and interested in incorporating new things into your community to create a welcoming, all inclusive community for everyone to live, play and work.
• Add new programs and events based on newcomers’ culture and/or experiences
• Bring a small gift of homemade food to the home of a newcomer, introduce yourself and offer to help if and when the newcomer or family has any questions about the community
• Be assertive and take the first step to welcome newcomers and offer assistance (Don’t wait for them to approach you)

Tips for Newcomers to Meet and Get to Know Long Time Residents of the Community:

• Learn about and participate in popular community events; join community groups; take part in some sport or popular recreation activity
• Find out about some of the local community groups and projects…volunteer to help with a community event or project
• Observe the community for a few months during your initial orientation to the community…then decide where you can get involved/help out
• Visit the local library often.   Read as much as you can to improve English skills, information about the community and cultural awareness
• Ask questions and listen…be willing to adopt a new culture and lifestyle