Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees - VICCIR

12/01/2025

𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 - 𝗗𝗘𝗖 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬!

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗖𝗜𝗥, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 - 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗿.𝗼𝗿𝗴/𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆

#𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 #𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 #𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿

11/26/2025

Dear Friends, Just a friendly reminder that 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝘁, a special exhibition showcasing creativity, resilience, and hope, is happening this coming 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘃. 𝟮𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟬𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝗽𝗺. 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗖𝗜𝗥, #𝟭𝟬𝟬 – 𝟴𝟱𝟬 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 (𝗮𝗱𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱), 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮, 𝗕𝗖

This exhibition will highlight the transformative power of art in exploring healing — emotional, cultural, and collective. Come see how our community expresses hope, connection, and creativity through visual art.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
• 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀
• 𝗔 “𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲” — 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲
• 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀
• 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝘂𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿
• 𝗔 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆

We invite you to join us, share the experience with your friends and family, and celebrate the creativity and resilience of the VICCIR community.

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!

11/20/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗖𝗜𝗥 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻.

𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼: https://www.viccir.org/givingtuesday

#𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 #𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 #𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿

11/18/2025

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to Bill and the team at Tapestry for their time and generous in-kind carpet-cleaning services for VICCIR. Their work was excellent, and their kindness in offering to provide future in-kind services is truly appreciated. We are very grateful for their support and highly recommend Tapestry for their professionalism and community spirit.

11/03/2025

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 & 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵
In October, Twenty-four new Health and Cultural Ambassadors successfully completed 10 hours of foundational training led by VICCIR’s co-founder Adrienne Carter and Executive Director Ana Pavon. This training took place is part of the New Horizons Project, which aims to reduce social isolation and challenge stigma around mental health support for immigrant and refugee seniors in the Greater Victoria area. Part of the group is participating in the program as part of their fourth year Psychology Course at the University of Victoria, led by Dr. Frederick Grouzet.
In addition to supporting seniors, the Ambassadors will engage with newcomers in the Greater Victoria school system, helping to build resilience and strengthen capacity to address challenges faced by immigrant youth.

10/20/2025

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is India’s grand festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Families come together for prayers, feasting, charity, home decoration, and festive joy. It holds immense spiritual and cultural significance across Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and Buddhist communities.Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is India’s grand festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Families come together for prayers, feasting, charity, home decoration, and festive joy. It holds immense spiritual and cultural significance across Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and Buddhist communities.

Happy Diwali! 🙏🕉️

10/10/2025

10/07/2025

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚, 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐂𝐈𝐑'𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐅𝐏 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞:

As a new fundraiser, I feel truly grateful for the opportunity to learn from such knowledgeable and inspiring instructors during the AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising course last week. It was a wonderful experience to explore different areas of fundraising — including donor relations, ethics, storytelling, and stewardship. Most importantly, spending two days with kind and passionate professionals from organizations that work every day to make a positive difference in our communities.

A big thank you to AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter for organizing this wonderful learning experience, and special thanks to my organization, VICCIR, for the constant encouragement and support.

09/17/2025

We’re reaching out to share details about an upcoming group session for Parents and Toddlers (Ages 3–5), which will take place on Fridays: November 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2025, from 10:15 to 11:00 AM. For more information about this group, please kindly refer to the attached poster.

09/10/2025

What a journey it’s been! 🙂🥳

On September 5th, 2025, VICCIR marked its 10th Annual General Meeting—and our 10th anniversary! A whole decade of sharing, caring, and supporting immigrants and refugees with open hearts and open arms.

From the very first counselling session to the thousands of smiles, stories, and successes since, every moment has been powered by kindness, compassion, and an incredible team that makes magic happen every day.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who’s been part of this adventure—our team, our supporters, and the amazing community we serve. Here’s to ten years of making a difference, and to many more years of laughter, love, and support!