The newest group of Tibetan newcomers to arrive via the Tibet Resettlement Project were treated to a welcome reception at MOSAIC on October 6. Over lunch, icebreaker games, and the sharing of migration histories, Tibetan newcomers met and mingled with members of the settlement team, who will be assisting them with their integration into the local community. At the end of the reception, staff accompanied the newcomers on an informational field trip, making a visit to a WorkBC centre via Transit – particularly helpful as some of the newcomers had only just arrived a few days earlier, and many are keen to resume work in their professional fields.
Our Settlement Program has been supporting Tibetan newcomers arriving via the Tibet Resettlement Project since 2014 through welcome receptions, on-site settlement and language support at the Tibetan Transition Home and community connections and activities. Last week, staff celebrated the one year anniversary of the Tibetan Transition Home, and the settlement team looks forward to continuing its working relationship with the members of the project as well as the Tibetan Cultural Society of BC.
Working closely with the Tibet Resettlement Project and its sponsors and supporters is one example of the innovative community development approach taken by the Settlement Program. We would like to extend special thanks to the two volunteers who helped provide Hindi language support, and Ray Yee and Tenzin Gyurme for their helpful presence, as well as the Tibetan Cultural Society of BC.
Self-sufficiency is an important goal of the Tibet Resettlement Project as many of the Tibetan newcomers have professional backgrounds. If you are interested in exploring employment opportunities for these newcomers, please contact us.
