CIWA Programs
and Services
Free programs for immigrant women and their families
Settlement
When you first arrive, everything is new at once. Where to live. How to see a doctor. Which document to bring where, and what all of it means. It is a lot to hold, especially in a language you are still learning.
When you first arrive, many things can feel unfamiliar at once — where to live, how to access health care, which documents you need, and how everyday systems in Canada work. Our settlement team is here to help you understand your options and find your way. Through one-to-one or group support, we can help with housing, health care, income support, documentation, and other practical needs. If you need a service we do not provide, we will connect you with the right community resource. Many women begin their journey here.
Many women begin here.
Employment
You may have arrived with a degree, a profession, and years of experience. And still, the job search here can feel like starting from nothing. What is often missing is not your ability. It is Canadian workplace knowledge, a resume in the local style, and the connections that open a door.
Our employment programs help you build all three. Some women just need help with a resume and an interview. Others train for a whole new career, in childcare, food, customer service, hospitality, or security. And women who were professionals before they came, in accounting, in STEM, in translation, can rebuild the career they already earned.
Whatever stage you are at, there is a program to help you work in your field again.
Wellbeing and Resiliency
Some things are hard to say out loud, especially in a new language, far from the people who knew you before. The weight of starting over. A mind that will not rest. A home that does not feel safe.
You do not have to explain everything to be helped here. Our counsellors speak many languages, and they understand what migration asks of a woman. You can talk to someone about your mental health, your family, grief, or addiction. And if you are not safe, there is help to make a plan, understand your rights, and find somewhere safe to go.
Everything you share stays private. You choose what you say, and how fast you go.
Family services
Raising a family in a new country brings its own questions. How to help your child do well at school. How to parent between two cultures. Where your teenager can find friends who understand them. How to keep everyone steady while you all find your feet.
Our family programs support you through all of it. There is help for parents of young children, from home visits to parenting groups. There are safe, welcoming programs for your children and teens, where they build confidence and friendships. And there is a network that connects your whole family to the services you need, in the city and in rural communities.
When your family has support, you all find your feet faster.
Language and childcare
When you cannot say what you mean, everything is harder. Asking a question at the pharmacy. Talking to your child’s teacher. Saying hello to a neighbour. Learning English changes that, and you do not have to start alone.
We have taught English to immigrant women since 1982, at every level, from your very first words to the confidence you need for work. Learn in a class, practise in a friendly conversation group, or get one-to-one help if reading and writing are new to you. And if you have young children, bring them. Licensed childcare is provided while you study, so you can focus, and they can play and learn.
It does not matter where you are starting from.
Not sure where to start?
You do not have to know which program you need. Tell us what is going on, and we will help you find the right place.
Call us at
Share with us what you need, and we will point you the right way. We will get back to you within two business days.
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