Healthy Places

Alberta.ca > Alberta Health and Wellness > Healthy U Home > Healthy Places

Healthy U


Healthy Schools
Implementing the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines in Your School Comprehensive School Health Physical Activity and the Junior High Teenager Calling All Teens – Are You ACTIVE Enough? Active, Paid Jobs for Youth and Children Active Team Building The Meaning of Physical Literacy Activity Breaks Get Active – For Life! Summary of 2010 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth Benefits of Outdoor Play Screen Busters! Activating Families! Increasing Classroom Physical Activity Assessing Healthy Schools Schools and Mental Health It’s up to You: The Role of Parents in School Communities Maximizing Indoor Play Spaces Stress Busters for Kids Managing Exam Time Physical Activity: Bridging the Gender Gap Not Your Ordinary Field Day! Feeling Connected at School Modelling Healthy Behaviour at Home and School School Fundraising the Healthy Way! Healthy Eating Heads to School: Packing Nutritious Lunches and Snacks Physical Activity and Physical Education: What’s the Difference? Daily Physical Activity in Schools: What It Means for Your Child What is a Healthy School? Steps to Building a Healthier School Increasing Active Living in Schools Promoting Healthy Eating in Schools

Healthy Workplaces
Staying Healthy as You Move Into Retirement Vital Steps Towards a Healthy, Active Workday Work Day Wellness: Choose Healthy Options When Eating Out Active Commuting – Cycling to Work! Energize Your Workplace! Health-related Workplace Policies Yoga at Work Offering Information to Employees About Healthy, Active Living Encouraging Employees to be Physically Active at Local Events Using a Pedometer at Work Setting a Healthy Pace at Work Launching and Sustaining a Workplace Wellness Program Healthy Eating at Work Taking Active Breaks at Work The dangers of too much sitting Treating and avoiding hand and wrist pain The Afternoon Slump Physical Activity for Busy People If I Have an Active Job, Why Should I Be Active Outside Work? Conquering Back Pain with Physical Activity Does your workplace support physical activity? What Are You Sitting on? Using Exercise Balls at Work Shift Work: Getting Enough Sleep and Physical Activity Office Ergonomics: Key to Health and Safety in the Workplace Work-Life Balance: “Getting There” Help! My Workplace Is Driving Me Crazy! Putting Together a Wellness Plan What is Workplace Wellness? Workplace Wellness: Small vs. Big Business Options

Healthy Communities
Bringing Life and Fresh Activities to Community Spaces Ideas for Boosting Trail Usage in Your Community Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living at Community Events Positive Steps to Boost Your Mental Well-Being Fun Physical Activities for Families Eating Well Anytime, Anywhere Starting a Community Walking Group Gardening and Your Community Buying Healthy Foods in My Community Discover the Joy of Cycling Outdoor Playspaces Promote Healthy Kids and Communities Making the Connection: Physical Activities and the Environment ACE Communities: Igniting Change in Rural Alberta How Walkable Communities Are Created Promoting Accessible and Active Communities Understanding Health and Wellness from the Perspective of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada Connecting with the outdoors Community Leaders: Making Good Things Happen Welcoming Newcomers to Alberta Bringing the Community Together With Multicultural Activities Building Self-Esteem Through Sports Funding Community Recreation Projects Cultural Diversity: Including Everyone in Physical Activity Active Transportation Maximizing the Benefits of Recreation Community Gardens: Being Active With Your Neighbours What is an Active, Healthy Community? Getting Active Outdoors in Your Community How Can I Make My Community a Healthy Active Place?

Profiling Healthy Places
2010 Profiles

Imagine finding yourself in a new country where you can’t speak the language, the food is strange, and you don’t know anyone! This is what happens to newcomers to Canada all the time. It’s hard to become part of a new country and community.

A community that understands, welcomes and supports newcomers is a healthy community. This article tells you:

About newcomers to Alberta
What newcomers need
How you can help

About Newcomers to Alberta
Newcomers arrive in Alberta from all over the world. About 80 per cent of new Albertans settle in Edmonton and Calgary, and about 20 per cent go to smaller centres. Many who go to smaller centres are temporary workers who may stay only for a limited time. Others are temporary in that they are students who have come to attend college or university.

For some newcomers, arriving in Canada is a happy reunion with family members who are already here. Because of this support they may not need to connect with social agencies. Other newcomers don’t know anyone and need more help setting up.

[new]
What Newcomers Need
Lucenia Ortiz of the Multicultural Health Brokers Co-operative in Edmonton has found that there are certain things most newcomers need to find right away:

Community Leaders
Cultural groups have social networks and community leaders. Community leaders often know about co-ops and where to go for community services. In many groups, a community leader reaches out to newcomers and helps them make contacts. Sometimes newcomers need to ask who is the best person to help them.

Food From Their Own Country
Newcomers want to find food stores and restaurants that have foods they know. These stores and restaurants bring newcomers a little piece of home, and they also put newcomers in contact with other people from their country. There may also be bulletin boards in their own language that can help them find housing and meet other needs.

Religious Community Groups
Often newcomers look for a church, temple or mosque. For many, this is a familiar comfort, and here they can find connections to the community, people and helping agencies. Many religious community groups are also happy to help any newcomers who need help.

English Classes
If their English skills are limited, newcomers need to find English classes. English classes are a way to meet and connect with other newcomers. Learning English also helps them connect with their new country.

Schools
Many newcomers are children! Schools are a great way for children and their families to enter the community. Children make friends at school, and parents connect with other parents, teachers and community services through the school.

[new]
How You Can Help
If you meet a newcomer who needs help, let them know about the following resources:

There are agencies to help newcomers find their way. See the end of this article for links to major agencies in Edmonton and Calgary.

There are a number of places for adults to learn English:

In Edmonton, Norquest College is geared to immigrants.
In Calgary, Bow Valley College and other colleges offer language instruction.
Colleges in other cities such as Lethbridge, Fort McMurray, Red Deer and Grande Prairie offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.
Some churches, temples and mosques also help with English classes.

For children, there are many schools with special programs for newcomers, especially elementary schools. Some schools have ESL classes for children and social supports for families as well. Some schools even teach languages so that children can keep up their family’s language.

Lucenia Ortiz, once a newcomer herself, reminds us that often it is people who have been through the same experience who are the most willing to help. If you were once a newcomer, consider volunteering for groups that help people who have recently arrived. You might even become one of those community leaders who newcomers need. Your experience getting started in Alberta is very useful to others trying to do the same.

[new]
Even if you’ve lived in Alberta all your life, you can still be of help to newcomers, of course. You too can volunteer for groups that support newcomers. Most importantly, make sure the newcomers you meet feel welcome, safe and needed. Embracing newcomers makes our province a richer and more diverse place to live and helps to create healthy communities for all of us.

[endpage]
Learn More

Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers
This resource centre provides a variety of supports to help newcomers find their way in Edmonton and has a beautiful “Newcomer’s Song” on its website that speaks to the issues faced by newcomers.

Immigrant Services Calgary
Calgary’s resource centre for newcomers has a range of programs and services to help new arrivers get settled.

Alone in Canada: 21 ways to make it better
Are you a newcomer to Canada? This guide from Citizenship and Immigration Canada will give you tips and insights to help you feel more at home.

Attracting & Retaining Immigrants: A Tool Box of Ideas for Smaller Centres
This tool box from the National Working Group on Small Centre Strategies is useful for smaller centres that want to attract and retain newcomers.

Growing Up In A New Land: Strategies for Working with Newcomer Families
A Manual from the Best Start Resouce Centre in Ontario

Related Topics

Hot Tips

Show Hot Tip

Did you find this useful?

Print This




		Home Links Policy Search Contact Us Accessibility Using this Site Site Map
		Government Ministries Alberta's Brand
		© 1995–2012 Government of Alberta Copyright and Disclaimer Privacy