2022 OCASI Leaders' Forum

OCASI Leaders' Forum
October 26-28, 2022
In-person at Pan Pacific Toronto, 900 York Mills Road, Toronto ON

• When? October 26-28, 2022
• Where? Pan Pacific Toronto, 900 York Mills Road, Toronto, Ontario (More details)

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The OCASI Leaders’ Forum is meant for current and emerging leaders in OCASI member agencies. The 2022 Leaders’ Forum will be OCASI’s first major in-person event for sector leaders in more than two years. Much has changed in Ontario’s immigration and refugee landscape over that time. The forum will be an opportunity for sector leaders to re-connect in person with each other and celebrate our collective accomplishments throughout the pandemic.

The forum will provide sector leaders an opportunity to:

• hold wide-ranging policy discussions
• hold in-depth conversations on practical ways to tackle the challenges that confront us
• network with peers, government representatives, funders, academics and researchers

The forum is open to:

• leaders in the nonprofit and community-based immigrant and refugee-serving sector
• policy-makers
• academics, researchers
• other stakeholders including members of civil society interested in the immigrant and refugee-serving sector and issues of migration and immigrant and refugee settlement.

Registration:

Registration will be open very soon.

Agenda:

Wednesday October 26, 2022

Time	Agenda item
08:30	Registration
9:30 - 11:30	Francophone Session Ensuring a successful integration for francophone immigrants: where are we now and where do we go from here With representatives from the federal and provincial governments and the Francophone settlement sector, an interactive panel discussion about Canada's and Ontario's commitment to the successful settlement and integration of Francophone immigrants. The panel will be in French with simultaneous interpretation provided.
12:00 - 13:00	Networking Lunch
13:00 - 13:45	Forum Opening
13:45 - 15:15	Opening Plenary Immigration prospects and possibilities Canada is taking in more immigrants than ever, and even more migrant workers and international students. There is economic, social and cultural potential in immigration for Canada as a whole. Meanwhile, refugees and migrants themselves must contend with challenges in employment, housing, and precarious immigration status. Our panelists will discuss strategic possibilities for the immigrant and refugee-serving sector.
15:15 - 15:30	Health Break
15:30 - 17:30	Annual General Meeting
17:30 - 18:00	Marketplace Tables, Networking, Refreshment Break
18:00 - 20:00	Dinner

Thursday October 27

Time	Agenda item
7:00 - 9:00	Breakfast
9:00 - 9:10	Welcome
9:10 - 9:45	Keynote Address
9:45- 11:00	Plenary Who gets in? Who gets to stay? Canada admits far more temporary residents every year than permanent residents. Canada also accepts a much smaller number of people as refugees. Our panelists will discuss who gets to enter and stay in Canada with the full rights and protections of permanent residents, and who is pushed out.
11:00 - 11:15	Break
11:15 - 12:00	Regional Caucus Meetings
12:00 - 13:00	Lunch
13:15 - 14:45	Concurrent Sessions (See list of sessions)
14:45 - 15:00	Marketplace Tables, Networking, Refreshment Break
15:00 - 16:30	Concurrent Sessions (See list of sessions)

Friday October 28

Time	Agenda item
7:00 - 9:00	Breakfast
9:00 - 10:15	Plenary This Is Not An Echo Chamber A table conversation on the critical and important subjects including role of nonprofits in advocacy, gender equality, racial equity and role of provincial government. Come prepared to have a lively, open and honest conversation with your peers.
10:15 - 10:30	Break
10:30 - 12:00	Plenary It’s About More Than Money Funding matters, and so does equity in funding. For instance, women and racialized peoples and communities are often disadvantaged or left out in a one-size fits all model. How do governments and foundations decide what and who gets funded? What are funders doing to identify and dismantle structural and systemic barriers, and ensure equity in funding? Our panellists will discuss these questions in a moderated conversation.
12:00 - 13:00	Closing Plenary
13:00 - 14:00	Lunch

Concurrent Sessions:

Workshops

Session Title	Organization
Beyond Hybrid: Creating a Seamless Service Model	North York Community House
Settlement service delivery system with culturally sensitive and person centric approach	Punjabi Community Health Services
Breaking Down Barriers for Women and Creating a Culture Transformation through Collaboration	Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc.
Reimagining Governance - The Findhelp|211 Central & ONN Journey	Findhelp | 211 Central
Alternative Housing Model for Precarious Migrants & Refugee Claimants	FCJ Refugee Centre
Pandemic Precarities	FCJ Refugee Centre
Reclaiming Margins through a Peer Leadership Model – Rainbow Connect LGBTQ+ Newcomer Support at The Neighbourhood Group Community Services (TNGCS), Toronto	The Neighbourhood Group Community Services (TNGCS), Toronto
Self Care in Time of COVID-19	Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
Managing Change During a Global Pandemic: Ontario Immigrant Serving Agencies Building for the Future	York University Toronto Metropolitan University

Roundtables

Session Title	Organization
A call to action, a path for change: Exploring new modes of collaboration amongst IEHPs, allies, and the healthcare community	World Education Services Canada
Using International Human Rights Instruments to Advocate for Racial Justice: A Roundtable Discussion	Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change
Youth Engaged for Change: Busting Myths & Lived Realities	YWCA Canada
Emerging Leaders In the NFP Sector (Pay it forward)	Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre
National Quality of Services	The Canadian Council for Refugees

See sessions on forum agenda

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