Eastman Immigrant Services Report

Between 2025 and 2026, our Settlement Workers provided personalized, family-focused support to help newcomers establish stable lives in southeastern Manitoba. Their services included conducting needs assessments, creating settlement plans, assisting with housing, and guiding clients through permanent residency and citizenship applications. Additionally, they facilitated access to healthcare and government benefits, provided referrals to community resources, and offered support for education, childcare, and transportation. The walk-in model also continued to deliver timely assistance for urgent and emerging needs.

EIS provided informative sessions on various topics, including Rent Assist, Workers’ Compensation, 211 Manitoba, Employment Standards, reading a pay stub, winter readiness, home buying, financial literacy, and navigating community services. These benefits clinics and information sessions were conducted in partnership with trusted community organizations, helping newcomers understand their rights, responsibilities, and available support options.

Building community connections has been a vital aspect of our work. We organized Monthly Welcome Evenings, cultural lunches, Culturama Week activities, Philippines Night, and community benefits clinics to help newcomers establish relationships and feel a sense of belonging. Additionally, EIS opened a new location at 193 Brandt Street, where SWIS, Settlement, and Employment services are now integrated to offer more coordinated support for newcomer families.

SWIS expanded its team to four staff members and strengthened partnerships with the Hanover and Seine River School Divisions. The organization assisted families with various services, including school registration, assessments, access to parent portals, interpretation, communication with teachers, referrals, lunch clubs, homework clubs, and after-school programs. The school registration process in the Seine River area was improved, allowing families to register directly through the school division. Additionally, with support from Jumpstart funding, SWIS offered bike safety and basketball programming to help newcomer students build confidence, form friendships, and establish connections within the community.

The HIPPY program continued to support parents and young children through weekly home visits, parent-child learning activities, early literacy development, group meetings, and school readiness programming. Families took part in a Celebration of Learning, swimming programs, and a combined HIPPY and SWIS zoo excursion. Through the RISE partnership with Mothers Matter Canada, selected HIPPY Home Visitors began receiving support to pursue Early Childhood Education credentials from the University of British Columbia.

During the year, Employment Services assisted a total of 293 clients, which included 263 new clients and 30 returning clients. Through personalized support, such as job-search assistance, resume development, interview preparation, training referrals, and employer connections, 199 clients secured employment, while 30 clients pursued further education or training. Additionally, Employment Facilitators enhanced relationships with local employers and community partners by offering workshops on workplace rights, job market navigation, communication skills, and understanding pay statements.