Canada: The Place I Call Home

For one day in August 2025, ISGW-SWIS staff and a group of newcomer youth gathered to connect, share, and enjoy activities that helped them feel more at home —together. Participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and stories by using the prompt: “What does Home (Canada) mean to you?”

Youth participants were invited to make a vision board, draw pictures, create a word map, collage and write stories during a series of activities. When brainstorming and reflecting on their stories of Canada as home, words such as “freedom,” “safe,” “welcomed” came to mind.
By sharing their stories, it became apparent that some youth see Canada as a home in which they are not only “seen and heard,” but also accepted.

To celebrate Welcoming Week, a lovely collection of their artwork and stories has been published by local publisher One Thousand Trees in a book titled Canada: The Place I Call Home. It’s not a coincidence that this year’s theme was “The Stories We Share”, emphasizing the power of shared experiences in uniting people.

View booklet as PDF.

Welcoming Week is celebrated across Canada (and around the world) in September to bring people together and show that everyone belongs, no matter where they come from. It’s a time to celebrate diversity, friendship, and community – just like our youth project!