SRP Winter Arrivals Across the Country!

Each year, Local Committees mobilize from coast to coast to coast, to sponsor refugee students, support their integration, and develop relationships across cultures and learn from each other. This has been a challenging year considering the pandemic, however Local Committees continue to build more welcoming communities for all newcomers. 

Over 60 Local Committees across the country have worked tirelessly over the past several months to prepare to welcome over 100 students this winter through our Student Refugee Program. The Campus Team is feeling so energized and inspired by the dedication, generosity and enthusiasm that Local Committees continue to demonstrate despite the challenging context and extra barriers this year has posed for sponsorship groups! 

Local Committees have also been as innovative as ever this year to support SRP students during the mandatory 14-day quarantine after their arrival to Canada. The McGill University Local Committee, provided wrapped holiday gifts for incoming SRP students and decorated their quarantine rooms with motivational posters to help them through the two weeks in isolation! Other Local Committees have planned virtual social events, games and movie nights to help SRP students feel as connected to their new communities as possible.

We also want to recognize the Local Committees that went above and beyond their usual sponsorship commitment to ensure as many students as possible can arrive this year: Carleton University, St. Francis Xavier University, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, Alexander College, University of Manitoba, University of Toronto – New College/UTSU, Lakehead University, York University – Glendon campus, and  Memorial University of Newfoundland. Thank you for your fast mobilization to secure additional sponsorships!

We are thrilled that our 42nd cohort of SRP students have been able to arrive and continue their post-secondary journey in Canada, despite the delay we faced in August. We are looking forward to continuing to support Local Committees and SRP students through the next 12 months!