Newcomers wanting to practise everyday English can join a free conversation circle starting next week in Kensington, Prince Edward Island. The weekly sessions are run by the PEI Community Navigators and will begin on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Kensington Town Hall Boardroom.
The drop-in is informal and meant to give immigrants, temporary foreign workers, and anyone new to the area a comfortable place to build confidence speaking English. Advance registration is needed. Those interested can contact the Community Navigators through their website at peicommunitynavigators.com.
Many people who move to rural PEI on work or study permits are not eligible for government-funded language classes. Hillary Jones, English as an Additional Language Program Coordinator at the Immigrant & Refugee Services Association PEI, has seen that newcomers often have more English ability than they think. She has noted it is often a lack of confidence rather than a lack of skill that holds them back.
The PEI Community Navigators team works across Western, Central, and Eastern PEI. The program first launched in 2019 as a pilot and has grown to include navigators with different backgrounds, including some who came to Canada as temporary foreign workers themselves. Kensington, a town of about 1,800 people northeast of Summerside, has been growing quickly and is one of the communities the navigators serve.
The conversation circle is free. Anyone wanting to take part should send a message ahead of time to register.
