Ma'an Annual Report: Supporting Arab Families in our Community
The Region of Peel boasts immense cultural diversity. Peel CAS ensure that children, youth, and families in Peel Region receive services that are inclusive and equitable. Our agency continues to collaborate with community organizations to develop culturally competent service models. Through enhanced community partnerships and cultural sensitivity, these models acknowledge and tackle the systemic barriers and oppression that racialized youth and families face.
Ma'an, which means "together" in Arabic, is a partnership between Peel CAS and Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services (PICS) to serve members of Peel's Arab communities.
Programs like Ma'an are at the heart of Peel CAS' overall goal to keep children at home with their families whenever possible and to strengthen connections with community. This wraparound service model was developed in consultation with focus groups, community agencies and staff from Peel CAS and PICS to ask how we could best support Arab communities. This feedback was incorporated into the Ma'an service model, to provide culturally competent services and support to our Arab families, children, and youth with improved access to employment, housing education, parenting, and mental health services.
Ma'an has exceeded its initial goals since its launch in February 2021, by receiving a total of 116 referrals for the last two years, including 64 referrals between April 2022 and March 2023. This past year we were proud to help 238 clients along with 152 children and youth.
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