Family and Community Support Services helps new ESL families in Picture Butte

Imagine packing up all of your belongings and moving to a new country.

You’re in a new part of the world, in an area with a different culture and a place where the local language is completely foreign to you.

For the Spanish-speaking population in the Picture Butte area, that’s exactly the situation they find themselves in.

To assist them in the transition to life in Canada, Family and Community Support Services has organized a Healthier Together Resource Fair on March 1 from 6-7:30 p.m., inside the Picture Butte Community Centre.

“The idea is that the community of Spanish speakers in Picture Butte learn about which resources are available, and they can come in and learn what FCSS and other organizations do,” said Gabriela Rodriguez, a counsellor for FCSS and a newcomer to Canada.

The Alberta Health Services Healthier Together initiative will be featured at the fair, along with a host of southern Alberta agencies, all united in the goal of reaching out to the growing Spanish-speaking population.

“According to school staff, the Picture Butte St. Catherine’s school is made up of about 50 percent Spanish speakers, so that says a lot,” said Rodriguez.

In fact, according to Statistics Canada from 2021, about 17 percent of the population in Picture Butte identified themselves as Spanish speakers in Picture Butte. That number has likely increased since then.

“There is a large Spanish-speaking population, and just newcomers in general in southern Alberta,” said Kaitlynn Weaver Outreach Services Supervisor for FCSS. “That has been a common trend for our Family Support workers. In fact, Family Support Workers needed a translator to offer parent education in Spanish because there were so many folks coming to them looking for support.”

Rodriguez, with her background as a counsellor, will be just one of the resources local Spanish families will be able to learn about at the fair.

“The other part of the fair is to introduce folks to FCSS in general, including Gabriela and counselling services as well as our tax program, which is a free service available in Low German and Spanish,” said Weaver.

She added newcomers to Picture Butte might feel a bit isolated, and disconnected from services available in Lethbridge, especially if they lack transportation. Events like the Resource Fair help bring services right to their doorstep.

Weaver mentioned some organizations, like the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre, one of the agencies attending the fair, do provide supports in Spanish.

“We want to raise awareness and provide supports for the families who find that speaking English is a barrier. This fair will hopefully decrease that sense of isolation and increase help-seeking behaviour.”

The AHS Healthier Together project is also a partner in the fair and aims to provide supports for agricultural families and newcomer families, which intersect quite often in southern Alberta.

“Another reason for this Resource Fair is for employers who employ newcomers and Spanish-speaking families. Employers can share this information with these employees, especially those who are struggling to feel settled in the Lethbridge County area,” said Weaver. “The fair is a one-stop-shop for support, where families can get introduced to these supports and then be able to connect with them in the future.”

The March 1 fair is a free, drop-in event, complete with snacks, games, prizes and childcare for those who need it.

It’s just another way FCSS is looking to help newcomers through what can be a difficult transition.

“When people coming here from another country they often experience different kinds of stress and grief, because often they are losing family and friends and their culture,” said Rodriguez. “So, the idea is to support the people who are arriving to have a smoother transition process and to know how to navigate the system and learn about the resources that FCSS provides.”

Rodriguez said these challenges and stress can be multiplied for newcomers, who may have experienced a difficult immigration journey or a complex life situation in their home country.

“It’s also important to make them feel protected and safe here.”

For more details on the fair, visit www.fcss.ca.

Agencies or organizations looking to book a table, or individuals interested in learning more, can contact Rodriguez at Gabriela.Rodriguez@fcss.ca or 403-915-8803.