WHO WE SERVE
Welcome Collective works with newcomers with precarious immigration statuses who face multiple barriers to settlement and who have recently arrived in Montreal. The majority of our clients hold the status of refugee claimant, meaning they have fled their country of origin due to persecution and are requesting protection in Canada, an essential right under international law. Some of our clients are in other precarious immigration processes, such as a PRRA (Pre-Removal Risk Assessment) or are without status in Canada.
Our furniture support program, Bienvenue Chez Vous, gives priority to families with multiple young children, single mothers, pregnant women and people with disabilities or other barriers to settlement and mobility. Our other Essential Goods and psychosocial support programs reach a wider population of newcomers with precarious status.
WHAT WE OFFER
Our programs seek to reduce the stress of resettlement in a new country for people seeking safety by ensuring that basic needs are met and that individuals are empowered with information and understanding about rights and services.
Welcome Collective’s Essential Goods Programs allow individuals and businesses to donate gently used furniture, household items and other essentials, and Welcome Collective redistributes these items to refugee claimant families.
Essential Goods Programs include:
Bienvenue Chez Vous (furniture, mattresses, and household items)
Bien Dormir (mattresses)
Bienvenue L’hiver (winter clothing)
Welcome Collective’s Social Support Programs provide accessible and actionable information about rights and services for those navigating precarious immigration processes, as well as direct support and follow-up for those facing particular challenges.
Social Support Programs include:
Understanding the Refugee Claim (online workshop)
The Welcome Guide (online resource)
The Welcome Walk-in centre (in-person support)
TESTIMONIALS
“For our family, the team at Welcome Collective have been magical: they have made us feel like valuable people, they have allowed us to laugh, they have educated us about life in Canada, they have been concerned about our health.”
“The discretion and professionalism of Welcome Collective’s team shine through, and we feel confident when we’re with them, because they behave with great respect towards those in need. They have helped me to furnish the apartment and to keep me and my family in good condition. ”
“When I arrived, nobody explained it to me, but with the help of the info session, I learned all the steps: the brown paper, to prepare your asylum story in 45 days, and I was less stressed. I like that we hear the experiences of other people - it gives us an idea of how to prepare and we feel less alone.”