Phone Pairing for Women
This program consists of facilitating ongoing telephone contact between women we pair. It offers female asylum seekers and refugees living similar realities the opportunity to create and develop a relationship of friendship, and to share experiences, information and resources useful for the migration process and integration in the new country.
“Since I’m alone here and have no one to talk to, I had to talk to chatgpt (…) now I talk with my twin for over an hour.”
– Participant
“I don’t know what you did [to match us], but my twin and I can’t stop talking, and we understand each other super super super super well.”
– Participant
“With the program, I’ve done really well. I think it’s great because we’ve met, we live near each other, we go to the same [art therapy] group, we support each other.”
– Participant
LOGISTICS
- A RIVO counsellor matches women who speak the same language, live similar realities (e.g. have one or more young children, etc.) and, if possible, have common interests
- Participation in the program is voluntary and equal
- Participation in the program requires a commitment to the twin (e.g. respect telephone appointments, the set length of calls, the other’s desire to refuse to discuss certain subjects, etc.)
- Subjects discussed must be chosen by mutual agreement
OBJECTIVES
- Breaking the isolation of refugee women
- Help women develop a meaningful relationship that could last beyond the program
- Ensure regular psychosocial follow-up by the social worker with women who need it
- Accompany pairs to different organizations and institutions
LEARN MORE
If you’d like to learn more or participate in the phone pairing program, talk to your RIVO social worker.