Due to the cancellation of CNC’s English language programs, many Ukrainians living and working in Prince George are being left without a vital service that can improve their career prospects and quality of life.
However, the Ukrainian community and St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church have stepped up to fill the gap, with support from locals in Prince George.
“The Ukrainian community decided to unite,” said event organizer Iryna Chorii. “Some people work in the morning, so they can't attend language courses. Some people are afraid of getting bad grades or making mistakes, and they are embarrassed to speak English, but it is necessary to adapt in Canada. This is our new home. CNC is no longer recruiting new students, and this is a big problem. Teachers and students in the ENLA faculty tried to keep the program alive, giving arguments about why newcomers need academic English. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Everyone has different reasons, but the same goal.”
The church will now host weekly meetings every Thursday at 7 p.m., aiming to learn from volunteers in the community.
“It’s very heartening for me because this is about them driving the process,” said Charles Scott of Prince George for Ukraine. “It’s really important that people, as they navigate these major life changes, move from, ‘Okay, here I am, what do I do?’ to increasingly driving the process in a direction they want … they didn’t turn to us and say, ‘What’s your plan?’ They made their own plan, and that’s fantastic.”
Chorii also noted that the support from Share Hope and Prince George for Ukraine made organizing the events much easier.
“The Ukrainian St. George’s Catholic Church has long been cooperating with our friends Share Hope Refugee Support Society and Prince George for Ukraine,” said Chorii. “These organizations helped us organize these meetings, as they’ve helped many Ukrainian families who have come to Canada. Every Thursday, the church hosts meetings for Ukrainians. On Saturdays, volunteers cook cabbage rolls and pierogies, and part of the proceeds from the sale goes to purchase medicine for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.”
In addition, Scott, one of the volunteers at the first meeting on Thursday, March 6, is encouraging others in Prince George to get involved.
“My Thursday nights are set aside,” said Scott. “Come and have a conversation with folks who want to learn and are committed to the process, looking to start a new life. This is a very positive environment with determined and hardworking people who are going to do something with it. These aren’t folks going through the motions.”
Scott told The Citizen that the initial meeting was a success, with more than 25 attendees and about 12 community volunteers engaging with participants.
Eva Gillis of Share Hope for Ukraine was responsible for facilitating and recruiting volunteers and was thrilled by the turnout.
“I just phoned a couple of people, and I got three yeses,” said Gillis. “Then I texted more people, and I got more yeses. In the end, we had 11 facilitators—English-speaking Canadians. It was an amazing evening, and we wanted that many facilitators so we could have small groups at each table, so everyone had a chance to talk. Many of them have taken lessons but haven’t had a chance to practice. It’s like a coffee shop. When I looked out at them, I saw grinning faces everywhere. It was fantastic.”
Gillis added that the biggest challenge will be managing the large number of attendees, as they may need to be spread out throughout the church for future events.
