Are you an LGBTQ+ youth, 29 years old or under, who is also a newcomer, refugee, refugee claimant, or non-status person living in Canada?
Express is a safer weekly community group where we honor your journey.
Build community with other youth from across the globe and find community resources to help you:
- rebuild your life in a new country;
- navigate your refugee claim process;
- discuss challenges about your connections with family, friends and community back home;
- find an income;
- make the most of OW (Ontario works);
- make the most of what money you have;
- budget for sending money back home;
- access safer housing;
- navigate the shelter system;
- talk about food health and wellness;
- get used to the weather;
- understand how school works in Canada;
- apply for study and work permits;
- find employment support;
- deal with culture shock and unmet expectations;
- celebrate your identities, cultures and histories; and
- connect to helpful people and services.
Food and TTC tokens provided.
When: Wednesdays, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
PLEASE NOTE: Dinner is served from 6-6:30 pm, programming runs from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the Great Hall, second floor at Sherbourne Health.
Dates and details for August
Wednesday, August 7th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Settlement Bingo
The ability to find a community where you are loved for who you are is one way to make a new country feel like home. In this settlement-themed game night, finding community has never been more fun! Facilitated by the Express team.
Wednesday, August 14th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Self-care workshop: Newcomer Health Team
A conversation about our mental health as newcomers. Facilitated by Aarti from the Newcomer Health Team.
Wednesday, August 21st, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Arts-based workshop: Drag Workshop
We can express gender in so may different ways. Have you ever wanted to try on high heels and/or put on lipstick and/or paint a glitter beard and/or lip sync to your favourite song? Then this Drag 101 workshop is for you. Facilitated by Ms. Nookie Galore from the Express Team.
Wednesday, August 28th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Outing: End of Summer Campfire, location TBD
Join us as we say goodbye to summer and usher in the fall with hot dogs storytelling and new memories/future dreams over a campfire. Facilitated by the Express Team.
For more Express information and programming please contact our facilitators at express@sherbourne.on.ca.
August 2019 Express poster
Thank you for your support
Thank you to the Toronto Pearson International Airport and Propeller Project for its support of SOY Express.
About the Facilitators
Patrick Salvani or Ms. Nookie Galore is a genderqueer drag queen, writer, arts and program facilitator for SOY. They are the FatherMom to the largest Queer and Trans people of colour show, The Drag Musical. Patrick’s work has been featured in CBC Arts, AGO First Thursday, Rhubarb Festival and Mayworks, and published in the book Diasporic Intimacies and Marvelous Grounds.
Courtney is a queer femme cis woman who works with newcomer youth and coordinates Express.
