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A new grassroots initiative in the Central Plains region is seeking volunteers with lived immigrant experience to help local service providers shift away from assumptions and address the actual systemic barriers facing newcomers.
The Portage Local Immigration Partnership, a program under the Portage Community Revitalization Corporation (PCRC), has partnered with the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre to establish a monthly newcomer advisory committee.
Organizers are calling on a diverse cross-section of the community, including international students, newly arrived refugees, long-term immigrants and other community members, to join the table to map out rapidly changing immigration trends.
“Our goal is to really identify real gaps that are happening that newcomers are facing, whether that’s access to information, language barriers, or just navigating some systems,” said program coordinator Malika Pruthi.
Pruthi noted that many local service providers currently design programs based on assumptions rather than direct consultations. She highlighted healthcare as a critical area where language barriers regularly prevent newcomers from being properly informed about their medical care.
The committee plans to meet monthly to draft meeting minutes and ultimately compile an annual comprehensive report aimed at reshaping how local institutions, community organizations, and healthcare facilities deliver services.
Beyond shaping civic policy, the committee offers participants a chance to gain volunteer experience. Organizers will provide official letters of certification to volunteers looking to build their resumes.
The inaugural meeting is scheduled for June 10, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre. Pruthi emphasized the importance of the community coming together.
“We are still trying to get our feet under this and see how things play out,” Pruthi said. “We just want to understand how we can better support people who are facing these barriers, and to create more diversity and inclusion.”For more information, email Malika at m.pruthi@portagecrc.com or call 204-240-2871.
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