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Art Therapy For Refugees

Art Therapy For Refugees

V is for Visual and Creative Arts

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. It has also been said that music is the language of the soul. And both these expressions of a person’s story can readily transcend spoken or written language, touching lives in every advancing ripples of influence.

These are just some of the many thoughts we have as we consider the “V” in our T.H.R.I.V.E. framework. Research supports the Arts as a powerful tool for healing, whether informal or as a formal therapeutic approach, and regardless of previous art experience.

Our approach to this element of our framework has focused on external collaborations. We have watched as a small group of women from COMPASS, none of whom shared the same language, were able to bond as they shared their stories through a photography program offered by The Button Factory. We have celebrated young voices coming together in a choir, sharing their story and their joy in singing.

And we have a partnership with the Community Music School of Waterloo Region (CMSWR) that allows us to refer young students who would otherwise not have opportunity for music lessons. It is our dream, in the not too distant future, to also partner with formal programs of Art Therapy for refugees that can provide a gentle, noninvasive pathway to some healing.

Being heard and being believed is critical to the refugee claim process. That process is heavy on words. Being heard and being believed is also essential to human dignity and belonging, and that is where we see the “V” in our framework contributing the most.

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COME and add to a growing story of impact that needs no ending. COME and help us ensure that we become so valuable to our community that we could not, not, be here; that none of us could imagine being without each other.

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We are a Living Wage Employer

COMPASS Refugee Centre pays all permanent and contract staff a Living Wage. We also encourage all organizations that apply for funding to request enough to enable them to pay their staff a living wage.

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© 2026 COMPASS | All Rights Reserved. Developed by Louise Street Marketing Inc. Charitable registration number 838270015 RR0001. All monies received by COMPASS are disbursed according to the policies and approved programs and purposes of the COMPASS Refugee Centre Board of Directors. Click for more information on our donation policies.
  • About
    • Staff Team
    • Governance
    • Foundations
  • Programs
    • ASSIST
    • ACCOMPANY
    • ADVOCATE
  • Events & Stories
    • Events Calendar
    • Ride for Refuge
    • Stories
  • Blog
  • Take Action
    • Volunteer
    • Intern
    • Contact
  • Donor Portal
  • Donate
  • search
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