Issue 18 | April 2022
Dear friends and supporters,

As we welcome Spring, its flowers and new opportunities, here are a few of the important happenings at Reception House, beginning with the arrival of our new CEO.
After a thorough candidate search, Reception House Waterloo Region board of directors is pleased to announce Babur Mawladin as the new Chief Executive Officer.

As an Afghan refugee himself, Mr. Mawladin understands – firsthand – the difficulties newcomers face throughout their resettlement journey. He is motivated to help improve that journey for all newcomers by leveraging his 10 years of experience as Executive Director at Jane Alliance Neighbourhood Services (JANS), a charitable organization serving newcomers, immigrants, and residents of Toronto West Neighbourhoods. During his tenure at JANS, the organization was transformed from a local nonprofit to a multi service agency serving thousands of clients every year through collaborating and building strategic partnerships with local and international partners to expand and extend services beyond the organization’s traditional boundaries.
Pictured: Babur Mawladin, CEO of Reception House Waterloo Region
Mr. Mawladin has served as member on various boards and had the honor to serve as Co-chair of Toronto West Local Immigration Partnership, President of the Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee and President of the Afghan Network of Ontario. 
Reception House’s Board of Directors would also like to recognize Lynne Griffiths-Fulton for her steadfast leadership throughout the transition period, ensuring that the organization could not only meet its obligations to those we support, but also identifying opportunities for improvement along the way. 
A message from our Interim CEO

“We just want to go back home”, is a refrain we often hear at Reception House. It does not reflect ingratitude to be in a place of safety, but the fact that people who arrive in our community through refugee resettlement had no choice and long for home. Refugees are forced to flee their homes due to armed conflict and persecution. And for most people, the journey to safety is fraught with all kinds of perils. At Reception House, we have the great privilege of finding ways to support the people we serve to settle, thrive and hopefully, in the long run, feel at home.

But, it is not easy. Here are just some of the obstacles that our systems present and through our services we support people to navigate and overcome:
  • Many people arrive with complex physical and mental healthcare needs and experience multiple barriers to accessing our health care system. One of our key partners, Neil Arya of Refugee Health Clinic was recently interviewed by The Record about these challenges – you can read the article here: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2022/03/24/refugee-medical-clinic-appeals-for-help.html
  • People also need housing. Our current housing crisis means that rental costs exceed the monthly income assistance provided by the federal government forcing people to use other benefits, like the Child Tax Credit to cover their rent. This places people in a precarious situation and requires them to spend well above 30% of their income on housing.
  • Those who can, want to work but many jobs require a level of English that few people have. Employers also often require people to have prior Canadian work experience, while not recognizing foreign credentials or education.
  • Children are placed in school according to age, but due to years where access to education was denied or sporadic, gaps in education can hamper progress.

The gaps in services in our community are going to become even more pronounced with the number of refugees Canada has pledged to resettle over the next two years. We are preparing to receive over double the average number of people and are concerned that the lack of health care providers and housing will have a serious, negative impact on our ability to meet the needs of people arriving in our community.
We are committed to working with partners in the community to address these needs for everyone, as we can also expect to see an increased need for housing, health care and financial support to cover basic needs of the anticipated influx of Ukrainians.

As we welcome Babur Mawladin to the role of CEO and I transition back to my position as Program Director, I look forward to working with program staff teams to strengthen our services and ensure that we keep the perspectives and experience of the people we serve at the centre of all we do.

The first time I heard someone say, “we just want to go back home”, was in 1985 by a classmate from Afghanistan. It is tragic that almost 40 years later refugees continue to flood out of that country with no hope of returning. I am proud that Canada is a leader on the international stage in response to refugee crises, but we need to ensure that when people arrive, we are all - at every level of government and community services - ready and able to respond.

-Lynne, Director of Programs
There’s a place for everyone in Canada’s workplace
After placing resourceful refugees with workplaces, our Working Together Project team works directly with employers and refugees to provide wrap-around support. We want refugees to rebuild their lives. We are rooting for newcomers. By providing employment support, we provide tools and opportunities for refugees to rebuild their lives here, in Canada.  

Newcomers arrive in Canada after years of isolation, trauma and fleeing their homes. As we welcome our newcomer friends, we know re-building lives is incredibly challenging. Securing employment is a step towards becoming fully integrated and fully re-settled into Waterloo Region. Employment is a pillar to a successful resettlement experience.
Pictured: Bashir of Reception House's Working Together Project, TigerCat staff member and Region of Waterloo staff member.
Majed Alhlal is proud to share his and his family’s story. After arriving in Canada, he was sad and depressed. He and his family were isolated and challenged as they tried to make Waterloo Region their home.

Majed Alhlal began a job at the Tigercat Industries Inc.

Thank you to our Volunteers!
As a volunteer-supported organization, we know firsthand how important our volunteers are to providing a positive settlement experience for newcomers who have arrived in Waterloo Region.

As we approach National Volunteer Week in Canada, we want to take a moment and thank our volunteers for your ongoing support. You make our communities inclusive and welcoming to newcomers. Volunteering is empathy in action. Thank you.

Check out a Techbuddy volunteer success story below....
Techbuddy Volunteer Supports Digital Literacy
In November, 14 newcomers were paired with techbuddy volunteers who spoke their native language, to help them navigate the digital world in a new country and new language.   
  
Zafor was one of 6 tech buddy volunteers, who served as mentors, coaches and tutors to newcomers wanting to improve their digital literacy skills....and what a difference it made!  
  
Thank you to Zafor, and our other tech buddies, for bridging the digital divide with us! Together, we make Waterloo Region a more accessible place for people struggling with literacy in all its forms.
Travel Training Connects Riders to Community

Imagine you're brand new to an area but they have public transit. You think you can get around easily. Then imagine that you aren't fluent in the language. This is where GRT's travel training program teaches community members how to use transit.

“Our relationship with GRT is so essential to helping newcomers in the region feel comfortable taking transit,” said Craig Baila, Case Manager with Reception House Waterloo Region. “It can be very daunting to step on a bus and travel to a new place you have never seen or been to before.”

To keep reading how Reception House is using this unique program to empower newcomers, visit Travel Training Connects Riders to Community.
Thank you to Country Hills Church for your donation of hygiene items, including diapers and wipes! 
First Canadian Home Kits being assembled! Thanks to the generosity of Royal Homes!
Thank you to ToastyToesWR for your generous support!  We've begun to purchase socks for our newest neighbours! 
Thank you to the Cowan Foundation and Conestoga College for the donation of 89 ready to use laptops! These laptops will support our newest neighbours to stay connected, and access crucial information and services as they resettle in our community.
Reception House Waterloo Region | 519-743-0445 | www.receptionhouse.ca
We wish you a safe, healthy and happy Easter and Ramadan!