Nancy Whalley has lived near Digby, Nova Scotia, for most of her life, and in that time, she has seen how the community has welcomed more newcomers than ever. Nancy has dedicated a lot of her time to encouraging Digby’s new diversity and creating a community where everyone can belong and grow, helping her county actively celebrate multiculturalism, inclusivity, and new friendships. One of the ways she has done this is through hosting a multicultural event in Digby last year.
Something that helped Nancy contribute to this event’s creation was becoming an ISANS Welcome Ambassador, having taken the programming in June of 2023. She was prompted to complete the training because, as the Community Navigator for the Digby area, she assists with the recruitment, settlement, and retention of healthcare professionals, including many newcomers.
The Digby Area is located in rural Nova Scotia on the shores of St. Mary’s Bay and the Bay of Fundy. It’s known for lobsters and scallops, Maud Lewis, and the annual Wharf Rat Motorcycle Rally. According to Statistics Canada, in 2021, the county had a population of just over 17,000 people. Statistics Canada also found that of the roughly 1 in 4 private households that completed the long-forum census, which accounts of all residents of the dwelling, around 800 identified as immigrants.
“I just think we don’t always consider how much stress they are under and how many new things people that are coming to a new area are faced with.” says Nancy. “Plus, their kids are probably feeling anxious too. It is not as simple as just moving to a new place. Even if you wanted to come here, it is still a lot of stress and overwhelmingness.”
Our Welcome Ambassador Training Program (WATP) is specifically designed to empower communities and community members to become more welcoming, diverse, and inclusive for all people who live, work, learn, and play in Nova Scotia, especially for refugees and immigrants.
“Sometimes I find I don’t think of certain things because I have been here all my life and it just comes naturally,” says Nancy. “But when I did the Welcome Ambassador program, I enjoyed hearing from other people and their experiences with welcoming newcomers, and also hearing from newcomers who were also taking the training.”
The idea for a multicultural event was already in motion before Nancy and two other members of the Multicultural Celebration Planning Committee took our WATP. They – especially Nancy – found that the training helped with the planning process and gave them ideas on how to incorporate various cultures and cultural practices through food, music, and dance.
The training also helped Nancy overcome her reservations about making mistakes in cultural spaces and dialogue. “I learned a lot from listening to other people and being better able to empathize with them. I’m not so focused now on saying the wrong thing.” As a result, she felt empowered to confidently put on the event, knowing that the benefits of being open, meeting new people, and learning through experience far outweigh the negatives of any missteps.
The multicultural event, which was open to the public, took place in October 2023 with great attendance. Nancy shares they had dancers, singers, drummers, artistic vendors, and cultural food selections. Their local International Student Program Coordinators also came with some of their international students. “I hope some friendships were made that day that continue on, and that participants got to try some cultural cuisine that they will continue to indulge in and share with others,” says Nancy.
Since October’s multicultural event, Nancy has hosted other events to bring people together like a hike on one of Digby’s local hiking trails and a trip to the local climbing wall. She’s now partnering with the Digby General Hospital Staff Activities Committee to host events, one being an outdoor activity/sports day. Also, another multicultural festival for the Digby area is taking place in June hosted by DALA – Digby Area Learning Association.