A Safe-Hub is a place of physical and emotional safety. It’s an alternative environment – a space where rights are recognized, their responsibilities are encouraged, and their potential is realized.

Exactly how it should operate to meet these goals, though, varies from person to person, explains Kristina Kindree, president of the Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee (CISC). The Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee has started work on creating a safe hub for newcomers. It used its Leaves Abound and All Around drop-in information event on Mar. 16 to gather some feedback.

"Where is the safe hub? What does it mean to? It's very different depending on where you're from," she explains. "So, we're handing out some questionnaires to gain some insight."

She says not everybody has the same idea of what a safe hub is. 

"What's your life experience? What's your comfort level? That's why I think it's a great place here to gather information and feedback from people with a very diverse background, to see what a safe hub means to them."

The semi-annual information day for new Cochrane residents attracted over a hundred people. For the first time in years, it was held at the Cochrane Public Library.

"It's a great place for newcomers to come and see all the partners in in one place, all the service providers in one place, so they get to kind of learn more about what services we can provide from Cochrane and how CISC can help," says Kindree.

Carolyn and EmmaCISC programs coordinator Carolyn Barclay and library programmer Carmen Erison.

Carolyn Barclay, CISC programs coordinator, says it was made possible in partnership with the library. She says people were coming and going all afternoon.

Library program and engagement manager Carmen Erison says they are incredible proud to bring the newcomers fair back to the library.

"It is just sort of a natural fit between the library and the Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee," she says. "Honestly, the library is always a welcoming place for newcomers, and this kind of event just really shows how vibrant this community is and how welcoming it is. It's a lot of fun and we're having a blast here."

CISC also holds its board meetings at the library.

The information fair is held twice annually.

You can find more details here.