2025-2026 United Way WRC_Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 37
At the 2025 CYPT Forum, Youth Impact Project participants from Camino Wellbeing +
Mental Health's Kairos Project shared:
We created a six-week program
to support newcomers aged 14–
18 to explore trades and other
opportunities. This is because
we found that newcomer youth
often viewed university as the
only path to success. Our goal
was to open doors for
newcomer youth to explore
opportunities and trades, fields
that are creative, adaptable,
and full of potential.
The Impact
23/52 of United Way Waterloo
Region’s 52 funded organizations (44.2%)
participated in the Children & Youth
Planning Table, demonstrating the
strong connection between community
investments and broader efforts to
improve outcomes for children, youth,
and families.
Building Belonging Together
The Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership (WRIP) is one of three United Way
Waterloo Region Strategic Partners, reflecting the close alignment between our shared
goals and community impact. Rather than providing direct services, WRIP brings
together organizations, institutions, employers, and community leaders to advance
newcomer success through three interconnected pillars: Settle, Work, and Belong.
For newcomers, building a life in Waterloo Region involves far more than accessing a
single service. Finding housing, securing employment, helping children succeed in
school, navigating community supports, and building a sense of belonging all contribute
to successful settlement and long-term community participation. Through research,
convening, and collective action, WRIP helps organizations work together across these
interconnected challenges.
The value of WRIP extends beyond any single organization or initiative. Through
community-wide research and planning, WRIP helps build a shared understanding of
immigrant experiences and emerging community needs. Its research4including the
Waterloo Region Immigrant Survey4provides local organizations, planning tables, and
funders with data that helps identify priorities and inform decision-making. For United
Way Waterloo Region, these insights help strengthen Community Impact Fund
investments and deepen our understanding of community conditions as they relate to
immigrant experiences.
In 202532026, 18 of United Way Waterloo Region's 52 funded organizations (34.6%) were
connected to the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership, demonstrating the broad
role newcomer inclusion plays across the United Way-funded network and throughout
the community.
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