Newcomer Support

Mother and infant

Newcomer, immigrant and refugee women face many socioeconomic barriers to achieving equity and thriving in Canada. These include language barriers, social isolation, food insecurity, lack of affordable culturally responsive child care, inaccessible education fees.

We currently offer the following services to reduce these barriers and assist women in meeting their needs:

  1. Outreach support
  2. English classes
  3. Trauma-informed early learning
  4. Family literacy
  5. Food Access Program
  6. Educational bursary
Two women having a meeting

Outreach support

Our Outreach Support Workers offer peer mentorship and bridging support with system navigation, ready to connect participants with programs and services that will help them succeed in Canada.

Learn more about our One-on-One Support Program

English classes

Our English Classes provide a safe and welcoming environment for participants to practice English and make new friends. The trauma-informed curriculum emphasizes well-being, connectedness, and personal growth, and aims to equip participants with crucial skills for exploring their options for educational, career, and volunteer opportunities to fulfill their greatest potential.

Learn more about our Community English Classes

Three women of diverse backgrounds hugging
outreach-program-participant

“I think my words are not enough to express all my gratitude for the noble help they gave to my little son and me. I can testify that angels still exist on earth.”

Outreach Program Participant
woman teaching her son

Family literacy

Our family literacy programs create a space for mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and other family caretakers to learn along with their young children and to find out more about parenting in Canada, nurture their sense of self-efficacy and confidence, and reduce social isolation so that they can support the early development of their children in the best possible way.

Learn more about our Parenting Programs

Trauma-informed early learning

We provide childcare for in-person programs so that mothers can focus on learning. Our play-based, trauma-informed early learning programming creates safe and warm places for kids to learn and grow through play, art, science, songs, and stories. 

Learn more about our Trauma-Informed Approach

Three children reading
Table full of fruits, nuts, vegetables

Food Access Program

We also operate two emergency Food Hub locations that distribute healthy food hampers to families in need every week.

Learn more about our Food Access Program

Educational bursary

We provide educational bursaries to immigrant and refugee women who wish to pursue education and training to upgrade skills and employability, and require financial support to do so. 

Learn more about our Educational bursary program

newcomer support
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24,867

Women and children served

Since 1975, PIRS served 16,277 women and 8,595 children and counting.

Newcomer Support

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75

Women trained

75 women completed training programs in 2022 to become more effective leaders in their communities.

Women Leadership & Training

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3,679

Food hampers distributed

448 people continue to be served weekly through the emergency Food Hub.

Social Innovation & System Change

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We need donors like you to help newcomer women and their children thrive in Canada.