Swift Current's Southwest Newcomer Welcome Centre is prepared for the possibility that some Rohingya people that fled Myanmar to Bangladesh could be on their way.

There are a couple Syrian families that are privately sponsored in the city. With what the Human Rights Watch has called ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar government against the Rohingya people, the Newcomer Welcome Centre's executive director, Icasiana de Gala, said they're ready for a scenario similar to when Swift Current took in some Syrian refugees.

The federal government's Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) provides funding for refugees, and only has Saskatchewan locations in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, and Prince Albert. When Swift Current first got a Syrian family in early 2016, they came from taking part in the RAP before securing private sponsorship.

"If, or should, Canada decide to bring them here, first they would be brought to areas with government-assisted refugees," said de Gala. "And should others come here through private sponsorship, we would be ready to assist private sponsors in their settlement and integration within the community."

The Swift Current and Area Ministerial Association provides settlement services for the first refugee family to move to Swift Current, and did a presentation at city council on June 18 saying all the refugees that were old enough were either working or in school full time. The First United Church sponsored the others.

During her appearance before council, de Gala said she mentioned the Rohingya people to create awareness.

"I think the Syrian crisis is the... closest to heart because it just recently happened, and there were just so many people impacted by that," de Gala said. "And now we have this new group of people who are being impacted by crisis in their country, so it's good to know what's happening. We'll see what Canada will do - if Canada will open its doors to them or not."

de Gala added having strong supports - especially for mental health - is crucial.

"For the Syrian refugees until now, whenever we attend settlement conferences, one of the topics involves obviously mental health for the refugees because they come here from a different point of view; a very different experience than the usual newcomers we provide assistance to. A lot of the newcomers come here because of a job or their family, but [the refugees] come here coming from a place of violence and fear. So mental health is always brought in just in case there's a need to support that area."

July 1 to 7 was declared Refugee Awareness Week at June 18th's council for Swift Current.