By Zari Moradi, Newcomer Wellness Hub Coordinator
As we mark the second World Mental Health Day during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing resources and support for mental wellness is more important than ever. For newcomers, this support is essential for transitioning into life in Canada.
Bohye Jun first came to Canada in 2019 from Korea with her two children, seeking a better life for her family. In Korea, she was a licensed dental hygienist as well as an instructor, but her credentials were not recognized in Canada.
MOSAIC was a significant source of support from early on in her immigration journey. Bohye first connected with a Settlement Worker who spoke Korean and was able to connect her with resources such as an English Conversation Circle where she could practice speaking English with other newcomers.
However, it was MOSAIC’s Newcomer Wellness Hub that truly made a difference in Bohye’s life. Through the Hub, she was able to access counselling services for herself and her children, who are now 11 and 13.
Bohye tells me that, “Whether you come to Canada with a lot of money or no money, no matter what it’s hard to be in a new place away from family and friends. I felt really isolated. As a newcomer, mental health and being able to talk to someone is really important.”
The Newcomer Wellness Hub is a two-year project that supports the mental health and overall well-being of newcomers, immigrants, and refugees in BC with culturally safe and holistic services. The project aims to raise awareness about the impact of settlement and integration on mental health, to provide mental health support and destigmatize mental health, and to guide participants towards mainstream mental health resources.
Funded by Bell Let’s Talk Diversity Fund, the Hub provides multi-lingual counselling support, settlement and employment counselling and various group activities to destigmatize mental health and provide community support.
I am happy to say that Bohye is now employed as an administrative professional and enjoys her work. She credits MOSAIC with giving her the confidence and support to get back on her feet in Canada and find a job that she is happy in.
To learn more about MOSAIC’s Newcomer Wellness Hub, please email zmoradi@mosaicbc.org.
