Newcomer Girls Group
Alberta has the fourth highest number of newcomer youth in the country, and for so many of these youth, settling into a new place comes with significant challenges that can become long-term, especially for our newcomer girls.
With limited time to learn English, exist in a culture very different from their own, and gain the skills necessary for employment, newcomer youth are more vulnerable to social isolation, poverty, depression and anxiety, dropping out of high school, unemployment and ongoing challenges to integration.
It is crucial that these youth develop confidence and a positive sense of identity. Our Girls Group program aims to help prepare newcomer females, 10–18 years old, to be active members of their communities and society as a whole by:
Connecting with their peers (other newcomer youth)
Engaging in different topic matters such as healthy relationships, nutrition, hygiene and more with items supplied to each youth
Building communication skills
Expressing themselves through arts and crafts
Receiving academic support
Engaging in a variety of fun and educational field trips
Receiving assistance with basic needs and supplies
In spaces they feel safe, nurtured, and mentored, our free program for newcomer female youth will run 1:00 pm–4:00 pm every Friday afternoon.
Who will we help? 50 Newcomer girls ages 10–18 for 50 Fridays throughout the year.
![20240308-DSC_3028-Enhanced-NR.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/d2106341-871d-432d-af8d-8c1470a0dd45/20240308-DSC_3028-Enhanced-NR.jpg)
![20240301-DSC_2989-Enhanced-NR.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/ac517369-d2d1-4387-9484-1a82bd3b1622/20240301-DSC_2989-Enhanced-NR.jpg)
![2023-06-15 LFS Youth Services SAAG Field Trip Day-58.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/0218802d-8012-4a59-8568-26bc7a4319c5/2023-06-15+LFS+Youth+Services+SAAG+Field+Trip+Day-58.jpg)
![20230707-DSC_0826- web.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/4f171af2-136f-459d-95fc-502f0bde3a9b/20230707-DSC_0826-+web.jpg)
![2023-06-15 LFS Youth Services SAAG Field Trip Day-30.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/dcb98256-7b0c-4559-ad5e-b2f119e58548/2023-06-15+LFS+Youth+Services+SAAG+Field+Trip+Day-30.jpg)
![20230809-DSC_1234- web.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/83ee15f7-fb40-42f7-8f4d-6f0f12fb088f/20230809-DSC_1234-+web.jpg)
![2023-06-15 LFS Youth Services SAAG Field Trip Day-36.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/b9e1c020-a143-4af4-b3ca-4bcc2bcc414d/2023-06-15+LFS+Youth+Services+SAAG+Field+Trip+Day-36.jpg)
![20230707-DSC_0889- web.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/0a2e9900-9028-4b2d-9e5b-33a7ca650d92/20230707-DSC_0889-+web.jpg)
![Girls-Club.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/efe011e4-0dc3-4e98-81fe-f0c746cbfd70/Girls-Club.jpg)
![2023-06-15 LFS Youth Services SAAG Field Trip Day-17.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/ea20b96d-47a1-43b9-90cc-1c24b3452a22/2023-06-15+LFS+Youth+Services+SAAG+Field+Trip+Day-17.jpg)
![20240308-DSC_3030-Enhanced-NR.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/938f0835-15ea-4ec3-9eb0-50d7e579ffc4/20240308-DSC_3030-Enhanced-NR.jpg)
![20240301-DSC_2946-Enhanced-NR.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/a298a23f-b776-4ee6-8603-e3552c264717/20240301-DSC_2946-Enhanced-NR.jpg)
![2023-06-15 LFS Youth Services SAAG Field Trip Day-49.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/659c604bc40160523b22cfa8/18c7fad3-9b69-45b9-b934-17b676c14858/2023-06-15+LFS+Youth+Services+SAAG+Field+Trip+Day-49.jpg)
Example Activities
Weekly topics include:
Empowerment: mental health and wellness
Vision board creation: building emotional strength
Role-playing real-life scenarios and 'I Am' affirmation circle
Strengths and challenges sharing: girls-only discussion
Building emotional strength
Healthy thinking patterns
Our bodies and emotions
Managing stress and anxiety
Understanding sadness and depression, and overcoming anger
Building healthy relationships
Art and Crafts:
Creative crafting
Everyone is an artist classes and joint art projects (SAAG/CASA) x3
Sewing or knitting
Physical health:
Healthy living and hygiene (with nursing students)
Sports:
Swimming
Gentle yoga
Volleyball
Basketball
Learning and STEM:
Chess for all ages with Chess for Life, University of Lethbridge
Culturally aware suicide prevention
STEM activities: Lethbridge Polytechnic nursing students x3
Micro-surveys
Volunteering and Entertainment:
Movie matinee
Cooking together
Volunteering at the soup kitchen
Canada Day event
Pop-up activities, impromptu gardening
Board games
World Refugee Day, volunteering and attending
Togetherness, activities with LFS Women’s Group
Radio station tour and career talk
Excursions:
TELUS Spark Science Centre
Shopping for personal items and groceries x2
Walk and explore in Lethbridge (landmarks/areas of interest) x3
Helen Schuler Nature Centre
Contact: Michelle Gallucci, Director of Advancement and Communications
Email: mgallucci@lfsfamily.ca
Phone: 403-915-8028
Office Hours:
8:30 am—4:30 pm, Monday—Friday
Closed Statutory holidays