The Pre-Teen Cultural Buddy Program

helps to bridge the initial, and often lonely time of a youth from another country who has recently moved to Canada.

The program offers a win-win situation: as the Newcomer Youth makes a local friend who will support them in their settlement process with lots of youth-specific information about services, resources and activities in the community; the Youth Buddy gains a friend from another country, learns about another cultural, and develops great leadership and communication skills.

Once a Newcomer Youth and Youth Buddy are matched, they will meet with the Pre-Teen Cultural Buddy Coordinator to set some goals they hope to reach during their time together. After that, they are free to meet at other NSNH and NSMS Pre-Teen social programs or community events on their own to work on their goals.

The Pre-Teen Cultural Buddy Program will meet once a week afterschool as a group. Team building, leadership, sporting, creative, etc. activities will be hosted at each meeting. Youths will have a chance to participate in these activities, practice their English with one another, meet other immigrant youth and above all have fun. One Saturday a month the group will have the opportunity to partake in outings to the Vancouver Aquarium, Telus Science World, H.R. Macmillan Space Centre, skating, hiking and other activities.

For a PDF copy of the program's brochure please click HERE