Be a friend AND welcome newcomers to our community! The First Fredericton Friend Program has openings for you. Learn about other cultures and traditions while sharing your time and resources to help settle our new neighbors. An enriching cultural experience awaits.
As a key organization for helping newcomers settle in, our partner, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton (MCAF), remains dedicated to supporting newcomers as they become part of their new communities. Among our essential initiatives, the Fredericton First Friends (FFF) stands out as a crucial project in this effort.
First Fredericton Friends provide newcomers with friendship, support and links to community resources and services. Volunteers in this program are encouraged to attend a volunteer training session, and then matched with a compatible (individual or family) newcomer. Matches are based on factors such as similar interests, family size, age, occupation, etc.
As a Fredericton First Friend, volunteers help newcomers get used to living in Canada in many ways including:
- Offering social support and introduction to the community
- Introducing their newcomer friend to places and people in the community (markets, grocery stores, community events/activities, parks, etc.)
- Practice conversation in English
- Sharing and learning about each other’s traditions and customs
- Exchanging ideas, information and resource