The results of a communication study conducted this summer were discussed at the first PVLIP Local Partnership Council this fall.

The goal of this study was to further guide the working groups and the Council on the next steps as they plan for the year ahead.

The study found barriers towards communication on two fronts, newcomers striving to understand their communities but are struggling to access websites and information, and stakeholders and service providers need to present their content in a more digestible manner.

Elaine Burton Saindon, the Local Immigration Partnership Coordinator, says stakeholders have expressed interest in working more closely together and reduce those communication barriers for new residents.

Moving forward with the results, she says the three working groups have some work ahead of themselves.

"The communication working group is going to pursue how to set up a network for a communication plan in the Pembina Valley. The second is Welcoming and Inclusive Communities. They will continue to pursue avenues the benefit not only the community members but the newcomers with language barriers and different cultural backgrounds, to make them feel they have a sense of belonging. The third is for mental health or mental wellbeing for newcomers."

She adds it can be extremely stressful for newcomers finding a new job and learning another language, and programs need to be in place to meet the specific and unique challenges that newcomers are experiencing.

The results of the study weren't the only item on the agenda, as PVLIP has been looking into transportation services.

"We have a desire to find a solution to help the newcomer population it's affecting," says Burton Saindon. "We have our hands tied to a certain degree, as everyone does because none of our funding, which is provided by IRCC, is targeted towards transportation. However, we can raise the questions, and we can find maybe temporary solutions that are available and bring to the attention of leaders who can make decisions."

PVLIP continues to develop ways to serve the new residents of the community better and will be looking at the results of the study seriously to better flesh out their action plan over the next five years.