Family Support Program

Family Support Program

The program works to achieve access to mental health, addiction services, financial assistance, housing and family counselling services for local ethnic communities including Polish, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, and Urdu speaking. Program activities include linguistically and culturally appropriate supportive counselling, connecting to community resources and services, interpretation and case management.

In addition to individual assistance provided for various ethnic groups we deliver the support groups for Polish speaking seniors to address isolation, mental health prevention and community wellbeing.

These communities of immigrants are facing problems related to unemployment, high cost of housing, family conflicts, parenting difficulties, addictions, physical violence, abuse of women and children. Immigrants also face language and cultural barriers in accessing social, legal, medical and educational services. Isolation of families or individuals because of a language barrier or immigration, loss of their extended family, financial and social status is the most common problem immigrants are facing. Poverty of immigrants and refugees, difficulties in establishing connections with the community are continuously addressed by program staff as well as facilitating access to services because of lack of support, knowledge, language and cultural barriers. Community issues addressed were the following: family violence, homelessness, poverty, addiction and mental health issues, youth at risk, parenting issues and isolation.

Program activities:

• Outreach of the targeted ethnic groups who are vulnerable, at-risk or marginalized by poverty and isolation;
• Individual supportive counseling for family members and individuals in developing a plan of action to address needs and problems
• Assisting in filling forms or writing letters of appeal in relation to financial assistance
• Intervention in crisis situations, advocating for clients,
• Improving access to mental health and addiction services for ethno-specific communities
• Support group meetings for Polish speaking isolated seniors

Eligibility criteria: Residents of the City of Toronto. Services are offered on an individual basis to respond to specific needs and situations of the client. Refugees, immigrants, women and other vulnerable groups are able to access services as a result of targeted outreach.

Funding source: City of Toronto; No fees are charged from clients.

• 3225 Eglinton Avenue East, Unit 101/111, Scarborough ON 27 Roncesvalles Ave, Suite 407, Toronto ON
• 3363 Bloor Street West, Etobicoke ON