Program Schedule
In-Person Meetings |
Sundays
11:30 am to 3:00 pm 202 Woodside Road, Beaconsfield, QC H9W 2P1 |
Online/Zoom Meetings |
Wednesdays
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm |
Context:
In recent years, the Centre has seen a drastic increase in requests for support from people identifying themselves as refugees. These requests have come from both within Montreal and the West Island, as well as from across Canada and around the world. While the Centre does not have the resources to support people beyond our local communities, the Centre is committed to providing services to 2SLGBTQIA+ people within our community. The creation of support services for migrants and refugees was a natural progression of the Centre’s work, and so work to create this new program began in 2022.
This program is designed to support migrants and refugees in our community in building a life for themselves here in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada. From supports in their immigration/asylum process, to community building, to livelihood support, the program will support the wellbeing of our participants both as queer people, and as migrants/refugees.
Goals:
Activities:
Following our initial pilot project, the Centre is now in the process of building a more permanent program informed by the experiences of the pilot project, as well as through the input provided by participants and members of the affected community. The activities the Centre is currently structuring, as well as activities to be incorporated in the future as the program scales up are as follows;
Drop In-Meetings:
Regular meetings where participants can come and meet other LGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees and build community. This space will also allow participants to explore their own sexuality and gender identity and grow to understand and accept themselves better.
Workshops:
In addition to our Drop-In meetings, the Centre aims to support our participants by providing workshops to foster the personal growth of all of our participants. These workshops will focus on life skill and wellbeing content, and will give members the tools needed to thrive.
Material Aid:
Many refugees face acute challenges to thriving when they first arrive in Canada, namely the limited stipend received from the government and low wage work available. The Centre sees the role of providing material aid as essential to the well being of members, and may include, food, clothing, furniture, and more.
Outings:
The Centre aspires to create a space where participants are able to connect with the community and culture of Montreal. As such the Centre will create events for members to experience quintessential parts of the Canadian/Quebecois/Montreal experience.
Education and Resources:
A future activity of this program is the development of livelihood resources to support members in rebuilding their lives in Montreal, and will focus on helping members navigate complex institutions and processes, like converting driver’s licenses, accessing healthcare, and more.
Referral Pathways and Asylum Support:
A future activity of this program will be to support members by connecting them with the necessary resources to successfully pursue their refugee claim/immigration process, including writing Letters of Support, connecting them with legal counsel, and whatever else may be required.
And so much more to come!
In recent years, the Centre has seen a drastic increase in requests for support from people identifying themselves as refugees. These requests have come from both within Montreal and the West Island, as well as from across Canada and around the world. While the Centre does not have the resources to support people beyond our local communities, the Centre is committed to providing services to 2SLGBTQIA+ people within our community. The creation of support services for migrants and refugees was a natural progression of the Centre’s work, and so work to create this new program began in 2022.
This program is designed to support migrants and refugees in our community in building a life for themselves here in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada. From supports in their immigration/asylum process, to community building, to livelihood support, the program will support the wellbeing of our participants both as queer people, and as migrants/refugees.
Goals:
- To provide a space for LGBTQIA+ migrants and refuges to build community.
- To support LGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees in their gender/sexuality journey.
- To support migrants and refugees by providing resources and services.
- To educate the wider community on the reality of LGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees.
Activities:
Following our initial pilot project, the Centre is now in the process of building a more permanent program informed by the experiences of the pilot project, as well as through the input provided by participants and members of the affected community. The activities the Centre is currently structuring, as well as activities to be incorporated in the future as the program scales up are as follows;
Drop In-Meetings:
Regular meetings where participants can come and meet other LGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees and build community. This space will also allow participants to explore their own sexuality and gender identity and grow to understand and accept themselves better.
Workshops:
In addition to our Drop-In meetings, the Centre aims to support our participants by providing workshops to foster the personal growth of all of our participants. These workshops will focus on life skill and wellbeing content, and will give members the tools needed to thrive.
Material Aid:
Many refugees face acute challenges to thriving when they first arrive in Canada, namely the limited stipend received from the government and low wage work available. The Centre sees the role of providing material aid as essential to the well being of members, and may include, food, clothing, furniture, and more.
Outings:
The Centre aspires to create a space where participants are able to connect with the community and culture of Montreal. As such the Centre will create events for members to experience quintessential parts of the Canadian/Quebecois/Montreal experience.
Education and Resources:
A future activity of this program is the development of livelihood resources to support members in rebuilding their lives in Montreal, and will focus on helping members navigate complex institutions and processes, like converting driver’s licenses, accessing healthcare, and more.
Referral Pathways and Asylum Support:
A future activity of this program will be to support members by connecting them with the necessary resources to successfully pursue their refugee claim/immigration process, including writing Letters of Support, connecting them with legal counsel, and whatever else may be required.
And so much more to come!
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Thank You to our proud sponsors for making this work possible!
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