A unique craft group in Nepean’s Parkwood Hill’s neighbourhood offers support to newcomer women settling into their new Canadian lives.
The Nepean, Rideau Osgoode Community Resource Centre (NROCRC) hosts a women’s craft group once a week in the Minto party room on Meadowlands Drive. The craft group is a place where women in the Parkwood Hills area come together to socialize and support one another.
The women sew, knit and sometimes cook a meal together and NRCORC provides all the supplies and equipment for the various activities.
Group facilitator Maryam who is also a resident in Parkwood Hills says the group is a place where women come to learn and exchange information such as how to open a bank account, register their children for school and summer camp or find other resources in their community.
Maryam says she wants to make the experience of being a newcomer easier for the women in her community. “There are people here from many different cultures including Arabic, Iranian and African women and many different languages are spoken within the group. The women are also learning English and French.”
Maryam says the members of the group are always so excited to gather.
“One of the women told me she is so thankful for the program and can’t wait to meet each week because the group feels like family,” said Maryam.
“This program has a deep meaning for me. It’s close to my heart because I remember when I first came to Canada I felt alone and I want to help these women feel connected.”
The women’s Craft Group meets every Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 1343 Meadowlands Drive East and all women in the Parkwood Hills neighbourhood are welcome to attend.
To support the Women’s Craft Group please click donate on our website and choose Newcomer Women’s Craft Group to help NROCRC provide sewing machines, fabric and other supplies. If you are skilled at sewing and would like to volunteer once or twice a month to teach sewing, please contact Brad Spooner at [email protected]