Huron Welcome Hub runs on volunteers to help immigrants settle in Huron County
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
Established in January 2024 to assist immigrants settling in Huron County, the Huron Welcome Hub assists newcomers with the services they need to make a happy and successful transfer to Canada, specifically rural communities.
Its original purpose was to coordinate volunteers to assist Ukrainians, who came to Huron County under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program with nothing more than one suitcase per person.
Following this experience, the Welcome Hub decided to expand their services to all newcomers, with a goal of connecting them to the resources that can help them settle in.
Run by volunteers, the Welcome Hub coordinates with other groups and agencies so efforts are not duplicated. For instance, the Welcome Hub participates in the Huron Local Immigration Partnership.
With this coordination, both the Welcome Hub and the Immigration Partnership can strengthen the capacity of the newcomer-serving ecosystem by fostering meaningful connections and deepen the understanding of immigrant experiences.
In 2023, the Huron Immigration Partnership conducted a survey of 195 immigrants in Huron and Perth counties.
According to the statistics from the 2023 survey, 47 per cent of newcomers who responded to the survey faced financial problems, while 34 per cent struggled to find a family doctor, 29 per cent were challenged to find affordable housing, and 28 per cent found it difficult to find transportation.
The Welcome Hub’s volunteers help with housing and transportation, among other things.
At its annual meeting recently, the Huron Welcome Hub featured a round table of newcomers who spoke about their early experiences in the community.
According to the Hub, approximately 4,200 immigrants live in Huron County, with about 270 arriving in recent years.
These individuals represent permanent residents (PR), students and international temporary workers.
Nearly half of them work in agriculture and health care sectors, providing essential services for Huron County.
All these support systems and opportunities to settle in Huron County are made possible by the countless volunteers through the Welcome Hub.
Services provided by volunteers include holding weekly conversation circles in Exeter and Goderich to help people practise English, organising rides for newcomers who don’t have transportation, supporting searches for housing, and generally providing a friendly face and a contact for anyone who needs help settling into the area.
According to Halina M. Zaleski, Chair of the Steering Group for the Welcome Hub, volunteers hold a variety of roles.
Zaleski explains that when the Welcome Hub first began, there was a great need for transportation and temporary housing, and volunteers throughout the county stepped up to help.
Over time, needs for volunteers have shifted as newcomers look for long-term housing and employment.
“As newcomers settle in, developing social connections and practising language skills become more important,” Zaleski explained.
“And, as newcomers become integrated into the community, they also become volunteers and supporters of a variety of community groups.”
Volunteers with the Welcome Hub provide temporary housing and transportation and participate in English Conversation Circles and assist at events such as Newcomer Day at Camp.
Although the Welcome Hub does not hold fundraisers, it is supported locally by the Christian Reformed Churches of Clinton and Exeter, the Rotary Club of Goderich and United Way Perth-Huron.
Whether the Welcome Hub’s volunteers arrange a driver to pick up newcomers from Pearson Airport, help an immigrant get a Canadian SIM card for their phone, navigate Service Ontario and Service Canada, enrol children in school, get a library card, or start a job search, the most important service is listening to newcomers, learning who they are and what their needs are.
For more information visit www.huronwelcome.ca
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