Francophone Newcomers Group at CentretownCHC

Vivine Mbarushimana, who is a peer leader with the Centretown Community Health Centre, has been coordinating and facilitating a Francophone Newcomers group to provide information, training, and connections to resources and to address common challenges and reduce social isolation. The members of the group have been incredibly appreciative of this initiative. Many have discussed how it has provided a much-needed community in which to communicate in their own language, to share their thoughts, feelings, fears, and experiences as newcomers to Ottawa.  Through this forum they discuss their ideas around coping with isolation and loneliness, and share their experiences during the pandemic. The members have found great support in the group, and through Vivine, and have created many new friendships and relationships. One member noted that just knowing that this meeting occurs every Wednesday reassures them that they are not alone and makes them feel committed to the other members. Many group members have said that they have found a sense of family with the other members while being away from their families of origin. As one member noted, the francophone group and “the Downtown Community Health Centre has been the basis of my well-being in Canada.”