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Truro Colchester Welcome Network

About Us

Why the Truro Colchester Welcome Network is Needed:

New residents in Colchester, whether they are from Singapore or Stellarton, often feel isolated and adrift in their new-found home. People are usually friendly, but often busy, and not always welcoming new people right into their close circles. Superficial and rote social interactions only worsen the feeling of homesickness, and if new residents are not properly welcomed deeply into the social fabric of our community, with deep conversation, good food, and the sharing of everyday life, they may leave our county, taking their economic dollars and immense social contributions with them. Newcomers bring fresh ideas that make our communities even more diverse and sophisticated, if we could only have more informal and formal ways to engage with multiculturalism and diverse point of views, and support to do so.

Who We Are:

The Truro Colchester Welcome Network is designed to support communities within the Colchester region to extend a warm welcome to new residents near and far. We are organizing volunteer-led Welcome Groups across the region to support new residents in making connections to other nonprofits, businesses, and of course other community members.

We usually do this through our tailored “buddy system” where we pair a newcomer family with a volunteer, who regularly welcomes them individually and at Welcome Group events. We share a Welcome Guide to living in Colchester County, packed with helpful information for new residents to get settled and find what they need here.

The Truro Colchester Welcome Network also provides opportunities for different cultures to learn about each other, drawing us closer as a community.

Mission Statement

The Truro Colchester Welcome Network fosters a feeling of community pride, inclusion, and celebrates our diversity by supporting community volunteers in their welcoming activities. By connecting newcomers and local welcome groups, this network will create a sense of belonging and provide an opportunity for everyone to contribute to the diverse fabric of our community.

Committee Members

Karen Putnam

Community & Business Liaison, Truro & Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity (TCPEP)

Abby MacLeod

Program Coordinator, Truro Pride Society

Alana Hirtle

Business Analyst, CBDC Northern Opportunities for Business Limited

Amanda Moore

NSH Community Health Board Coordinator, Along the Shore, Pictou County

Rebecca McManus-Cyna

NSH Community Health Board Coordinator, Truro and Area, East Hants, South Colchester

Laura Miedema

Welcome Network Coordinator

coordinator@tcwelcomenetwork.com

Clifford MacDonald

Employer Engagement, Mainland NS, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Craig Burgess

Manager, Recreation Services Municipality of Colchester

David Phillips

CEO, Truro & Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity (TCPEP)

Joel Taylor

Partnership Manager, Rath Eastlink Community Centre

Karen Kittilsen Levine

Immigrant Settlement Staff, YREACH, YMCA  of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

Megan Fitzgerald

Special Events & Culture Coordinator, Town of Truro,  Parks, Recreation and Culture

Saribel Deslauriers

Executive Director, Downtown Truro Partnership

Esther Bejarano

Coordinator, North Shore Local Immigration Partnership (LIP), YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

Seana Jewer

Engagement Lead, NSH Roots of Hope 

Clayton Daury

APTEC Case Manager/SARSET Facilitator, Native Council of Nova Scotia

Heather Stevens

Manager, Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Centre

Kim Stevens & Melanie Collier

Futureworx Truro Campus