Though the Cochrane Syrian Refugee Action Group is still months away from bringing a refugee family to Cochrane, the community will be ready to help when it does.
The group is planning to privately sponsor a refugee family and is currently decided exactly how it will work.
“If it’s a purely privately sponsored initiative, they will be completely financially responsible,” said Kathleen McMurray, coordinator for the Rocky View Immigration Services with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS).
The group also has the option of collecting their donations through a charitable organization.
“I’ve talked to a lot of other FCSS groups across the province and it’s tough in the rural areas because there’s not a lot of services,” said Susan Flowers, manager of Town of Cochrane’s Family & Community Support Services (FCSS) and Social Planning.
She’s confident this will be less of an issue for refugees coming to Cochrane because of the town’s current resources and its close proximity to Calgary if additional resources are needed.
The FCSS plans to assist the Cochrane Syrian Refugee Action Group in any way it can with resettling the family.
“Once they get here we can help them access furniture and clothing and (other) basic needs,” said Flowers.
The Cochrane Syrian Refugee Action Group will be responsible for providing the family with things such as: housing, clothing, food, transportation, employment, and anything else they’ll need to adjust to life in Canada.
The family will also be able to access Cochrane’s FCSS if they require additional resources.
For example, the family may seek counseling if they’ve been through traumatic circumstances.
“In terms of specific trauma-focused counseling, the ethos program in Calgary that’s with CCIS is probably one of the only programs that focuses on refugee and immigrant youth and family counseling, so we can make referrals to that program (if needed),” said McMurray.
Another example is if the family has children that may need help within the school system.
The Settlement Worker in Schools Program provided by CCIS is one way these families can receive help.
“This program aims to provide a smooth transition for students as they enter into the Canadian school system, while empowering immigrant and refugee families to actively contribute and integrate into their child’s school community,” states the CCIS website.
“Part of my role in Cochrane is working as a settlement worker in schools, so I spend approximately half of my time working with the school division to help newcomers adjust to the Canadian school system, as well make sure their families understand it,” said McMurray.
“I’m normally one of the first contacts for the school and I come in and assist and bridge those first few months of Canadian school.”
As well, the family will have access to certain government programs depending on their sponsorship.
“When the refugees do come to Cochrane, they will already have received Permanent Resident Status – before it was called Landed Immigrant Status,” said McMurray. “That will provide them access to any services that a Canadian citizen would have.”
Even though the private sponsorship obligation will be fulfilled by the Cochrane Syrian Refugee Action Group after one year of the refugees being in Canada, their Permanent Resident Status will allow them to stay in the country as long as they choose.
“They will have the same opportunity as any other immigrant to apply for citizenship after they have their four-year residency obligation fulfilled,” said McMurray.
This isn’t the first time the community has helped refugees adjust to life in Canada, but it will still be fairly new ground for those involved.
“Times have changed and the community has grown so it will be interesting to see how it works,” said Flowers.
