Summer is More Than a Season. It’s a Time to Belong
For many families, summer means sunshine, picnics, and school holidays. But for newcomers, summer can also bring new challenges. Parents may wonder how to keep their children engaged while school is out. Youth may be looking for opportunities to make friends and build confidence. Seniors may be searching for ways to stay connected, while individuals and families continue learning how to navigate life in a new country.
At CCS, we know that settling into life in Canada is about much more than paperwork and language skills. It’s about feeling welcome, supported, connected, and part of your community. That’s why, across our nine locations, we’ve created a summer filled with free programs and opportunities designed to help newcomer families build confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging.
This summer also brings exciting opportunities to experience life in Canada. As the Greater Toronto Area welcomes the excitement of FIFA and hosts free concerts, multicultural festivals, neighbourhood celebrations, outdoor movie nights, farmers’ markets, and community events throughout the season, newcomers have countless opportunities to explore their communities, celebrate diverse cultures, and make lasting memories. Our settlement teams help families discover these experiences while connecting them with the resources they need to thrive.
For children and youth, summer is a time to explore, create, and grow. Through our free summer camps, children can learn coding and robotics, discover nature through hands-on environmental activities, express themselves through art and storytelling, and build friendships that extend beyond the classroom. These experiences do more than fill the summer months, they help young people feel that this new community is their community.
Parents and adults can continue building their own futures through free English language classes offered throughout the summer, with childcare available at select locations to remove barriers to participation. Every class is an opportunity to strengthen communication skills, gain confidence, meet new people, and feel more at home in Canada. Families can also access employment services, settlement support, workshops, conversation circles, and community activities designed to make everyday life easier and more connected.
Seniors, too, can stay active and engaged through social groups, recreational activities, and opportunities to build meaningful friendships within a welcoming community.
One of the highlights of the summer is Shout It Out, our annual community celebration on August 13 at Thomson Memorial Park. Families are invited to enjoy outdoor games, arts activities, entertainment, and opportunities to connect in a fun and welcoming environment. The event also brings together community organizations and service providers, including specialized supports for families with children with special needs, making it a place where newcomers can discover resources while creating joyful memories together.
These moments may seem small, but they often become the foundation of a successful settlement journey. A conversation at a community event can lead to a lifelong friendship. A workshop can connect someone with services they didn’t know existed. A children’s program can give parents peace of mind while helping young people feel confident and included. Every experience strengthens the networks of support that help newcomers build successful lives in Canada.
No matter where you are in your settlement journey, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
This summer, we invite you to visit one of our CCS locations, join a camp, attend an English class, explore a community festival, celebrate the excitement of FIFA with your neighbours, or spend the day with us at Shout It Out. Every activity is another opportunity to discover your community, build new connections, and create a place where you and your family feel at home.
Your summer starts with connection. Your journey starts with community.
