Equipping Newcomers, Enriching Winnipeg: A Grassroots Approach to Civic Integration

When international students arrive in Winnipeg, they often bring professional expertise, rich life experience, and strong academic credentials. But what many still lack is local context, confidence in Canadian systems, and a sense of belonging.

Joey Crampton—a local CPA, entrepreneur coach, and instructor at the University of Winnipeg—is quietly turning that gap into opportunity. Crampton doesn’t just teach numbers. He changes narratives.

With over two decades of professional experience, he found his way into teaching through an unexpected opportunity during the pandemic. A job posting on the CPA Manitoba website invited professionals to share their industry knowledge in the classroom. Though he’d never imagined himself as a teacher, Joey saw it as a chance to give back.

“That was my moment,” he says. “I’ve had incredible coaches throughout my life. Teaching is just another form of coaching. It’s about guiding, empowering, and believing in people when they’re unsure of themselves.”

Today, Crampton teaches financial fundamentals through the University of Winnipeg’s Professional, Applied and Continuing Education (PACE) program. His students—mostly international professionals rebuilding their careers in Canada—often arrive with anxiety about math and finance, layered with cultural and language challenges.

“I always hear, ‘I hate math,’ or ‘I was never good at it.’ But I tell them: if you can do grade-school math, you can do this. We’re just going to reframe how you see it.”

Crampton goes beyond formulas, helping students grasp the systems that shape business decisions in Canada. He adapts his teaching to each student’s background—whether they’re former engineers, lawyers, or administrators—and grounds every lesson in real-world examples.

The impact is tangible. Students aren’t just absorbing theory—they’re regaining confidence. One former lawyer from Nigeria put it simply, with both surprise and frustration: “Why did they make this so complicated back home? This is actually easy.”

The shift from fear to empowerment extends far beyond the classroom.

Why This Matters to Winnipeg

Like many Canadian cities, Winnipeg continues to welcome newcomers—many of whom are ready to contribute but find themselves sidelined by unfamiliar systems and a lack of local networks.

Joey is helping bridge that gap.

By mentoring students to develop not only financial literacy but also a resilient, proactive mindset, he’s equipping them to integrate faster and contribute more meaningfully to their communities. Whether he’s encouraging a student to volunteer, apply for an internship, or attend a business meetup, Joey reinforces a simple truth: “This city runs on relationships. Don’t just apply online. Get involved.”

Through his coaching lens, he also underscores a vital civic message: Winnipeg needs diverse voices in its boardrooms. “If you want to manage teams or lead projects, you need financial literacy,” he says. “And if we want more inclusive decision-making, we need international professionals in those seats.”

Coaching as Community Building

Joey’s work doesn’t end at the university. He’s part of a peer group of local entrepreneurs who meet monthly to support one another through the highs and lows of business life. “When one of us lost a parent,” he recalls, “we immediately sent flowers. It’s more than networking. It’s care. It’s connection.”

It’s also a model of civic engagement at the micro level—building circles of trust and support that ripple outward into the broader community.

His approach is deeply personal. “We all need someone who believes in us. A coach. A mentor. A voice that says, ‘You’ve got this. Keep going.’ For many of my students, I want to be that voice—especially in the moments when they doubt themselves.”

The Path Forward

Winnipeg’s greatest strength lies in its people—diverse, driven, and quietly ambitious. Joey Crampton’s work reflects the kind of grassroots leadership that not only empowers individuals but also strengthens the social fabric.

By turning fear into fluency, and helping newcomers see themselves not as outsiders but as future leaders, he’s reshaping careers and reinforcing the civic backbone of a more inclusive, confident Winnipeg.

Because when one person feels seen, supported, and equipped to succeed—we all benefit.