Speak English Café Empowers Newcomers

For many newcomers, English can be the greatest obstacle to achieving their goals. The Salvation Army in Moncton, N.B., recognized this and launched the “Speak English Café”.

Every Wednesday, The Salvation Army’s Moncton Citadel Community Church opens its doors to newcomers eager to engage in conversation and improve their language skills.

Katherine Baez, who moved to Canada last year from the Dominican Republic, learned about the café soon after arriving.

“It has been even better than expected. When I came, I knew basic English, but I didn’t have the confidence to speak publicly. The English café became not only a safe space for me to practice my English without judgement but also a place where I can connect with people,” Katherine says.

During each session, participants come in, help themselves to coffee, tea, or water, and engage in conversations from 7 to 8 p.m. This time provides an opportunity for guests to improve their English skills and talk about the goals and challenges they face as newcomers to Canada.

“They’ve opened up the church so that anybody, no matter what your language is, can come in and practice simple conversation in English. We are trying to meet people’s needs and specific goals that they’re working towards, like school, job interviews, or maybe immigration,” says Deborah Thomson, program facilitator.

In Katherine’s case, she credits the café with helping her get hired for her current job at a financial institution.

“Something important that helped me were the mock interviews,” Katherine shares. “The café is my comfort zone.”

According to Deborah, being part of the café allows participants to become more integrated with The Salvation Army. There are times when they receive extra food items for their families.

Volunteers also play a huge role in encouraging new participants to join and feel welcome.

“We do have volunteer drivers that pick up people from their homes because transportation sometimes is an issue. They come back week after week,” Deborah adds.

Another aspect that is often overlooked is the fact that starting over in a new country can take a mental toll.

“This group has been an emotional support for me in addition to helping me improve my English,” Katherine says. “Wednesday is my favourite day of the week.”

Katherine believes the sessions have improved her confidence when speaking English.

“Realizing people understand what you are saying, and that you are capable of reading and comprehending English gives you confidence when speaking,” Katherine adds.

The Speak English Café has been running for close to a year now. It continues to grow each week.

By Juan Romero