Who is helping Ukrainians settle once they get to Manitoba?

Two women with their children rest in a subway hall, after fleeing Ukraine, at the main train station in Berlin, Germany, March 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

The first Government of Canada charter flight of Ukrainians arrived in Winnipeg on Monday, and a number of organizations are gearing up to help them settle in the country.

In a Monday news release, the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO) said the Manitoba Ukraine Response Coordination Table was formed in April, with the goal of bringing together service providers, representatives and government agencies to help Ukrainians when they first arrive in Manitoba.

MANSO – the umbrella organization for Manitoba’s settlement and integration sector – said its member agencies are working to help Ukrainian families find housing, access training and employment, register for schools, and get everything they need. It added that ethno-cultural organizations are also helping these families and connecting them with people who speak the same language.

Once families arrive in Winnipeg, they will visit the Ukraine Reception Centre at the Best Western Hotel near the airport, where the province has teamed up with non-profits and federal agencies to provide a one-stop service centre for everyone arriving.

New Journey Housing will be helping Ukrainians find permanent housing, and Manitoba Start is helping to assess everyone’s needs and assist people in finding employment.

Newcomer Employment and Education Development Services is helping to coordinate volunteer services to help with the Ukraine Response.