Newcomers Settlement
Program Description
African Centre in Toronto (ACT) provides comprehensive settlement and integration support to immigrants and refugees to help them adjust successfully to life in Canada. Our services are community-based, culturally responsive, and designed to address both immediate settlement needs and long-term integration challenges. ACT has a proven track record of program delivery, including the successful implementation of the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program in 2019 and 2020, which strengthened our capacity to serve newcomers through employment, training, and volunteer engagement. In addition, ACT implemented a self-supported volunteer training program that equips community volunteers to provide mobile settlement assistance and basic counseling support, ensuring access for newcomers facing barriers such as language, mobility, or social isolation.
Program Activities & Services
Through this program, ACT trains and orients volunteers in key settlement areas including newcomer orientation, service navigation, referrals, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity. ACT provides mobile and on-call settlement support, connects clients to established settlement agencies, and offers individualized guidance to address settlement and integration challenges.
ACT supports newcomers to address issues such as unemployment, language training, housing, and education; access essential services including healthcare, education, and social welfare programs; receive guidance on immigration-related matters including refugee claims, permanent residency, citizenship, and work permits; apply for government benefit programs such as Child and Family Benefits, Old Age Security, and the Toronto Welcome Policy; cope with the social and economic pressures of resettlement; and connect with relevant government and community resources.
Staffing & Community Capacity
ACT delivers this program through a blended staffing and volunteer model consisting of 40 full-time staff primarily supporting newcomer services, and 135 trained part-time volunteers available on a rotating, on-call basis. This structure ensures flexibility, responsiveness, and continuity of service delivery.
Target Population
The program primarily serves immigrants, refugees, and migrants, particularly those facing economic, language, or social barriers and requiring settlement guidance and service navigation.
Program Outcomes
As a result of this program, newcomers experience improved access to settlement information and essential services, increased understanding of rights and benefits, reduced social isolation, improved social and economic integration, and stronger connections to formal settlement agencies and community supports.