Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston reads a Welcoming Week proclamation alongside several newer residents of the city, on October 12, 2023. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

helping newcomers feel at home

Newcomers, mayor & RDLIP share insights at ‘Welcoming Red Deer’ kick-off

Oct 12, 2023 | 5:00 PM

For a community to be welcoming, newcomers must feel comfortable and respected by others, but they should also be grateful.

Those were the words of one newcomer who spoke at a kick-off event Thursday for Welcoming Red Deer 2023, an offshoot of Welcoming Week, which is a national observance in September each year.

This year, Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership, in conjunction with the Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre, are hosting their rendition of Welcoming Week throughout October and November, with anti-racism training and other learning opportunities for community members from all walks of life.

You can read more about what’s happening for Welcoming Red Deer 2023 in our story from Oct. 11: Welcoming Red Deer proclamation to kick off series of events to help newcomers

Things got started at the Snell Auditorium downtown with a proclamation from Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston, which you can read in its entirety below:

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“I think this proclamation comes down to recognizing that we can be great, not just in terms of welcoming people, but in building community with people,” said Mayor Johnston. “Look at how much newcomers and immigrants have added to the fabric of our cities, our province and country. We have an opportunity in Red Deer thanks to the great work of so many people to make us stand out as a welcoming city, as a place where people can come to and get plugged in quickly to services, to culture and to opportunity.”

Johnston, in his speech and interview, used the word imagine, an invocation of the sentiment in John Lennon’s famous song, to describe what Red Deer can be.

“Imagine was an invitation, so the proclamation is by extension a call to imagine a city where people can come, feel accepted and feel empowered toward the fullest life possible,” he added.

Celisop Fone arrived in Red Deer from Cameroon in February this year with dreams of making it as an intergovernmental consultant. A fluent French speaker with a Master’s Degree, Fone says Red Deer has been good to him, but finding employment is a challenge.

Celisop Fone arrived in Red Deer from Cameroon in February this year. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

“I came to Canada because I have dreams. When you arrive [as a newcomer], you will see that Canada is a beautiful country, and if you work hard, you will arrive at what you need,” said Fone, who has volunteered with Care for Newcomers, FRAP and Ubuntu-Mobilizing Central Alberta. “If language was really the problem for me though, I would have had an interview by now. Employers won’t give me the chance to explain my experience.”

Fone’s message is simple: applicants should be treated more equally, and not be judged so much on the name at the top of their resume.

“When I became a permanent resident, the government recognized my education, so why do employers not recognize it? When you have candidates who didn’t learn in Canada, it’s important to give yourself a chance to ask them about their experience,” said Fone. “My dreams have been damaged because of this.”

For Tetiana Polishchuk, who arrived in Canada from Ukraine nine years ago, the experience has been mostly positive.

Her advice for newcomers is to dedicate time to learning English, as it is one of the largest barriers.

“The first time I came to Canada, it was very great to be here, there were all new people and I like changes, so I was happy and optimistic,” says Polishchuk, who’s in her fourth year of the nursing program at RDP.

Tetiana Polishchuk, on the left speaking at an event on Oct. 12, 2023, arrived in Canada from Ukraine nine years ago. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

“In my personal experience, Red Deer organizations are doing a great job to help newcomers, but my advice to fellow newcomers is to learn English in different ways. When I came here, I spoke zero English. The last year of nursing is very hard and it’s doubly hard for an immigrant. But if you work hard, you can achieve everything.”

Dieulita Datus-Hall, programs manager at Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership, believes more resources need to be allocated to ethnocultural community organizations for them to better assist newcomers.

“Edmonton and Calgary are amazingly prepared to welcome folks and have so much more than we do in Red Deer. We’re continuing to build that capacity up so there are resources and funding in smaller communities which will allow them to welcome newcomers, and also allow people to feel like they can stay in those communities,” said Datus-Hall.

“It has to be a partnership between every level of government plus community. We’re on the same team.”

Further, her advice to newcomers is to give themselves time.

“Get to know the community around you. The more involved you can be in community, whether it’s through volunteering or connecting with various ethnocultural communities, it will allow you to meet people and open avenues to remain an engaged part of the city,” she added, noting there are often waitlists for English classes.

“One thing I’d like to see is a stream for employers to be able to hire newcomers so that they can shadow other people in the field in which they hope to work. That way, they can learn English while also getting job experience.”

For more on events happening for Welcoming Red Deer 2023, visit the RDLIP website or their Facebook page.