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The Newcomers Support Team met with town council at the February 19 Governance and Priorities meeting to give some information about their group.
Laurie Andrews, the executive director for Drayton Valley Community Learning, along with Verna Wicks with DVCL, and Sheen Tamayo, a recent newcomer to the community, gave an update on what they’ve been doing and what they hope to accomplish.
Wicks started by saying that the most recent Alberta census showed that Drayton Valley has grown about five percent. She said that the Rural Renewal Stream had endorsed 340 applications, and if all of them are approved, they have 376 family members they would like to bring to the community.
Tamayo gave an overview of her experience coming to the community in 2023, saying that it wasn’t easy for her, especially in regard to the evacuation order that came in May.
“Since I moved here alone, I turned to social media for guidance,” said Tamayo. “However, it was quite exciting and overwhelming as I saw the flood of information on the internet.”
She says cultural difference and unforeseen incidents, such as the wildfire, left her confused and disoriented.
When she learned about the Newcomer Support Team, she was relieved that there was someone that could help her.
Wicks outlined what NST hoped to accomplish as well as their mission statement. “We are a group of community members coming together to offer newcomers access to information, services and opportunities that help them feel at home in the community.”
She said that the team has been researching different organizations in the community and what services were being offered. They wanted to ensure they weren’t duplicating any services. Instead they are working with other organizations to connect newcomers to information and services they might need. The team is also working to address any gaps they found in the services offered in the community.
The NST is hoping to also provide supplies that can help with the initial settlement, such as supplies for babies, warm clothing, and other necessary items.
The group is in the process of bringing awareness and putting together some information packages including links to the Alberta and Canada websites, and employment opportunities.
They are looking for a facility to use as a hub. Tamayo said they want a location that is fairly central so that it is easily found and accessible. They also want to have the hub opened for regular hours so the services are reliable.
Andrews explained that they have sent in a grant application to help fund the cost of having a space, however, if the funding doesn’t go through, they may have to reach out to the Town for more help.
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