The inclusion of Canada’s immigrants in mainstream society is crucial, both for the quality of life for newcomers and for the development of our society. Newcomers, many times, face barriers upon arrival including poor English language skills and the lack of a social network to support and encourage them.
Many arrive knowing very little about the day-to-day workings of Canadian life; workings that most of us take for granted. How to enroll and prepare a child for school. How the parent-teacher relationship works. How to apply for a job. How and where to vote. How to get a library card.
The Mothers Matter Centre researches, designs, tests, and evaluates the feasibility of social innovations to ensure the well being, dignity, and social connections of high-risk vulnerable mothers. We partner with social purpose organizations to deliver pilot programs.
Social innovations seek to redress ongoing structural barriers isolated newcomer and refugee women confront when attempting to access settlement services. The Mothers Matter Centre is committed to developing program innovations pertaining to housing assistance, jobskills training, literacy, language training, healthcare, and more.
