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Central Alberta Refugee Effort Committee Central Alberta Refugee Effort (C.A.R.E.) Committee was formed in 1979 by a group of concerned citizens who wanted to assist with the settlement of Indochinese refugees fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam war. A year later in 1980, C.A.R.E. became a registered non-profit society, and in January 1982 it received status as a charitable organization. As with other non-profit societies, C.A.R.E. is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The board approves the annual budget, oversees the management of the agency and undertakes long term planning. On a daily basis, C.A.R.E's activities are managed by its Executive Director. The Executive Director's job is to implement the Board's policies, supervise C.A.R.E's staff and manage the financial affairs of the society. When they first arrive at the Immigrant Centre, immigrants, refugees and volunteers are met by C.A.R.E.'s friendly receptionist. Her duties include greeting all visitors, providing information, distributing various government documents such as applications for citizenship or passports, and referring clients to other Immigrant Centre staff as appropriate. All of C.A.R.E.'s programs are designed to help immigrants and refugees successfully settle in Red Deer and surrounding areas. English as a Second Language Classes  For newcomers who don't speak English when they arrive, English as a Second Language classes are an important first step towards participation in Canadian life. C.A.R.E. offers free part-time and full-time English as a Second Language Instruction to refugees and permanent residents through the Federal Government Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program. Free on-site child-minding is available for these classes. Students who are unable to attend LINC can attend a part-time evening class at a very moderate cost. The ESL classes use a practical, functional approach to language learning, and focus on settling in Canada and participating fully in Canadian life. Class levels range from basic literacy through high intermediate. To ensure that students are referred to classes at an appropriate level, adult learners are tested at C.A.R.E. using an assessment tool which is standardized across Canada, the Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment, (CLB). Interpreter Bank Language barriers continue to exist even after newcomers start speaking English. To help them overcome these barriers when going to medical, school or other miscellaneous appointments, C.A.R.E. maintains an Interpreter Bank, a list of people who speak foreign languages. Volunteers in this program are recruited primarily from among former clients of the Immigrant Centre. At any given time, C.A.R.E. has over 120 interpreters on call, who speak approximately 30 different languages. These volunteers help newcomer clients and also agencies which need interpretation and/or translation at little or no cost. Volunteer Friends/Host Program The Volunteer Friends/Host Program helps refugees and immigrants to make Canadian friends. It matches them with members of our community who are interested in helping them settle in and adapt to Canadian society. Volunteer friends of the Host Program offer friendship, orientation to the community, guidance, support and valuable opportunities for newcomers to practice speaking English. The program often provides newcomers with their first valuable link to Canadian society. The Volunteer Friends also benefit from the experience because they often establish enduring friendships and gain worthwhile opportunities to learn about other countries and their customs. C.A.R.E. provides training sessions for these volunteers and sponsors field trips, picnics, and Christmas parties to facilitate interactions between newcomers and their volunteer friends to the successful settlement of newcomers. 
Volunteer Program
C.A.R.E.'s General Volunteer Program recruits volunteers to assist with C.A.R.E.'s programs on an as needed basis. For example, volunteers may take care of reception duties during staff meetings, they may assist individual students in ESL classes, they may help the Youth Program Coordinator organize games and activities, or assist students with their homework. Volunteers also serve as cultural consultants, in Public Awareness workshops, and assist with fundraising. We appreciate and thank the generous giving of time and talent from our many Volunteers!! Public Awareness/Community Education Program C.A.R.E.'s Public Awareness/Community Education Program is designed to help foster cross cultural sensitivity among service providers and create a more welcoming community among the public at large. The public awareness coordinator offers and arranges workshops on cross cultural topics to community groups, the public, junior and senior high school students, and post secondary students in health care, education and service occupations. The workshops help to sensitize Canadians to the special challenges which immigrant and refugee families must face over and above the daily stresses which affect all of us. The program has also accessed special project funds to research the needs of newcomers, and has produced public education videos in cooperation with a local video producer and the community cable TV channel. These programs have been shown repeatedly over the community channel where they are seen by members of the general public. The programs educate the public about immigration and refugee issues and the settlement challenges faced by immigrants and refugees. The public awareness program also maintains a library of print and video resources on immigration, refugee and cross cultural issues. These resources are accessible to students and members of the general public. Immigrant Family Program The Immigrant Family Program provides group activities and individual services to newly-arrived immigrant and refugee families. One component of the program is Individual Support Services to immigrant and refugee women, men and families. Services include supportive non-theraputic counselling, information and referral to services in Red Deer, assistance in becoming connected to the community, and help with the completion of forms and other documents. 
The Family Program's other component is "Learning Together", a weekly life skills and support group for immigrant women. This offers them access to a sewing lab where they undertake individual and/or group projects to raise funds for the program or produce low-cost items for themselves and their families. It offers a safe and affirming environment where immigrant women can make friends, share their experiences, learn from one another, and practice their English language skills. For some immigrant and refugee women, many of whom are isolated in their homes, the "Learning Together" program provides their only opportunity for social contact with others outside their families. The program offers childcare for preschool children so that their mothers are free to attend, and offers loaner sewing machines to participants.
Immigrant Youth Program The Immigrant Youth Program assists immigrant youth in adapting to Canadian Society through group activities and social events, information sessions, and non-theraputic counselling and referral. Settlement in a new country offers unique challenges for young people who have one foot in the culture of their parents, and the other foot in the culture of their peers. The program provides valuable opportunities for immigrant youth to share their adjustment challenges and offer support to each other. The program also arranges homework help for youth who are challenged by learning their studies in a new language. All these programs at C.A.R.E. are designed to assist immigrants and refugees to settle smoothly into Canadian life, and help Canadians to offer a community that is friendly and welcoming to newcomers. We are not able to sponsor those wishing to come to Canada. If you are interested in coming to Canada or would like to find information about sponsorship, please visit the Citizen and Immigration Canada website at: www.cic.gc.ca Central Alberta Refuge Effort (C.A.R.E.) thankfully acknowledges the support and assistance from:
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