Southeast Newcomer Services is hosting 50 Vital Community Conversations, which will strive to engage new Canadians in their southeast Saskatchewan communities.

"The SNS was given a grant through the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, It's a grant for 50 conversations to get your community involved and vital conversations. Idoko goes on to add,  "So, we've picked three locations that target mostly our newcomers, [but] it is open to the whole community. So, we have one in Weyburn, Estevan, and Oxbow. And so we are just going to get the community involved along with the newcomers in the English class. We're going to ask some vital questions about community, about support, about any concerns, anything that's going to get them involved."

Benjamin Idoko said they were excited to receive this year's grant, which is being offered through the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation in honor of their 50th anniversary.

"We talked about community, the idea was to bring newcomers in to discuss, to share their perspective of what community means to them." Idoko goes on to share many points that were talked about, "They all agreed that community is people living together in the same area that comes together and shares the same interests."

The night involved going over 8 different topics from lack of public transportation, to the job shortage in our area. But one thing that stood out is the desire for many new Canadians to share their culture with the community of Estevan.

"I will be gathering all the information to send it into South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, they have an expert who will compile all that was shared." From there Idoko adds they will then access where the needs are the greatest for newcomers and suggest funding to go into those places. 

Having to go to another country is not easy, and with many new people from a variety of different cultural backgrounds, it is great to hear how we can improve as a city. Making things notably easier, as well as more inviting for many to thrive and build into the energy of our community.