In the fall of 2017, Obeid Jalo and Fidan Nassan left everything behind, fleeing their hometown of Afrin in northern Syria with their three children to escape persecution by the Assad regime amid the civil war.
With only their luggage in hand, the Kurdish family set out for Canada, hoping to build a better future for their children in Victoria – the place they now call home.
Although they were grateful for this new beginning, adapting came with challenges. From learning a new language and culture to adjusting to a new school and finding their way around the city, the newcomers gradually put down roots.
However, a program offered by the Victoria Immigration and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) was a game-changer in smoothing out this transition.
For years, the Newcomer Wraparound Services Program (NWSP) became a guiding light in the family’s life, helping them with anything from filing taxes, opening bank accounts, changing addresses, making new IDs, or simply offering a place to vent.
Yet, by the end of March, the Kurdish family, along with more than 200 beneficiaries, will lose access to this "essential service" following funding cuts by the federal government.
The NWSP, which began nearly a decade ago, is described as a program “designed to support newcomers facing overwhelming or complex barriers to settlement and integration in Greater Victoria.”
Funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the program provides personalized and holistic settlement support for newcomers by creating individualized life plans and offering information on internal and external resources, community partners and referral services.
Welcoming clients hailing from the Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine in recent years, the non-profit offers services in the languages of those seeking help. This, according to Jalo, is one of the factors that makes the NWSP stand out among other services in the region.
“I have a job and my wife is dealing with numerous health issues,” said Jalo through program case manager Fayrouz Mohammed. “It's either I help her when she needs it or I go to work. However, the NWSP helps my wife and our family a lot, providing us with a translator when she goes to her appointment. They help us in everyday life.”
Accessing this service elsewhere would be inconceivable for the family, as hiring an interpreter can cost up to $80 an hour.
“As a low-income family, we can't afford this, so that's why the NWSP is always the right place to go,” said Nassan.
More than just a one-stop service hub where newcomers can ask all their questions, the program also provides another kind of service that Jalo and Nassan mentioned cannot be downplayed.
“One of the most important things is that, when we have appointments or family issues, the confidentiality between us and the NWSP workers gives us confidence that our problems will be solved,” said Jalo.
Through this tailor-made support service, program case managers Fayrouz Mohammed and Iman Skati build their relationships with their clients.
Having assisted over 200 newcomers last year – many of them refugees from war-torn or conflict-ridden countries coping with severe trauma and mental health challenges – Mohammed highlighted the importance of building trust and confidence with their clients.
When the team learned in December that their funding had been cut, they were astounded.
“We were really shocked,” said Mohammed. “We couldn’t believe it.”
Having received the news through an IRCC email, containing no explanation for the cut, the NWSP now has until March 31 to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep the program running. If they fail to meet this lofty goal, the cuts will lead to the end of the wraparound services, 10 layoffs, and leave dozens of families without support.
“Our program was and still is very much needed,” said Mohammed. “That's why we were shocked.
“We always have new families coming to our door, dropping in or referred by other community partners. We've been working here for 10 years and we have strong relationships with different community partners like VicPD, the school districts, Volunteer Victoria, and Island Health.”
The two managers highlighted the paradoxical nature of the IRCC's decision, welcoming new immigrants and refugees for years only to take away this program which helps them integrate into Canadian life, thus jeopardizing their future.
“[The government] decided to bring these newcomers and refugees to support the community, so they have to provide them the chance to start anew and build themselves [in] this great country,” said Skati.
The IRCC declined interview requests from Victoria News but provided a written statement.
“The amount of resources available for settlement services depends on how many newcomers are expected to arrive,” reads their statement. “Since fewer newcomers are expected in 2025-2027, available resources have been reduced to match this decrease, and this has resulted in a reduction in service providers.”
The agency added that by the end of 2025, it plans to invest approximately $1.2 billion to support the settlement needs of newcomers, including about $155 million in British Columbia.
Begging the federal government to walk back its decision, the managers and clients reiterated the ongoing necessity of this program.
“It feels like losing a limb or a family member,” said Jalo. “There is nothing else like the NWSP in Victoria.
“I hope the government will reconsider its decision. There are lots of people who still need support from this program, especially seniors.”
