I sit down to write this blog (or as my colleagues call it- rant-) with a mixed sense of anticipation and trepidation. An emotional potpourri – in the hodgepodge/ragbag meaning, not deodorizer or freshener sense.
These past weeks have been interesting as I spent time in gorgeous Victoria, BC at the semi-annual Consultation of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) with like-minded activists and good-hearted Canadians wanting to make a difference in the lives of refugees and (im)migrants.
Newcomers to Canada are making a contribution and make our country strong and prosperous. That’s the message from the I am a (new) Canadian campaign by COSTI, launched on April 24 2019. Read inspiring stories of four immigrants who have overcome barriers and found success in Canada and share your own story at the website. The stories are profiled in posters on major transit routes, the Toronto airport, Peel and York regions and social media platforms. Watch for the campaign until the end of June, and in the fall.
Want to know who is eligible for Canada Child Benefit (CCR), how immigration status can impact eligibility; and what options are available for community members who are denied CCB? Watch this recorded recent OCASI webinar featuring presentation by Silmy Abdullah, a lawyer from South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario.
“A Future without Gender-Based Violence: Building Newcomer’s Resilience through Community Education” is a new OCASI toolkit for community organizations that serve immigrants, refugees, and people without immigration status. It is available in English and French. OCASIdeveloped the toolkit to support the provision of community-based education to newcomers about gender-based violence, and begin to equip them to address challenging situations.
New Report: Promoting Settlement-Sponsor Collaboration
OCASI and Refugee 613 bring you findings from new research from the Allies in Refugee Integration project. The research found increased collaboration between newcomer settlement service providers and private sponsors is necessary for the best outcomes in refugee resettlement, and identified several interventions. The report is based on research with settlement workers, refugees and sponsors in Ontario.
This initiative provides frontline workers in organizations funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada with financial assistance for professional development. Frontline workers can use the funds to take individual courses to enhance their skills. PET also supports organizations to build capacity through group training for all staff. Who can apply? Find out more at pet.settlement.org
Power at your Fingertips
Need to streamline client information for your agency? Generate reports quickly and easily? Meet last-minute funder changes in reporting? Discover how by watching the OCMS video or sign up for a webinar. The OCASI Client Management System was developed by the sector for the sector, and is supported only through user fees. Contact Elena Trapeznikova elena@ocasi.org or (416) 322-4950 ext. 241
SECTOR HAPPENINGS
Positive Public Opinion Toolkit
Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) brings to you a new resource to influence positive public opinion, counter misperceptions and promote better understanding about refugees. This toolkit has practical information on sharing stories, initiating better conversations and driving more productive community narratives. It includes messaging tips, being an active listener and more.
The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario is launching this new project to break down barriers to accessing healthcare and help newcomers learn about Canada’s universal health-care system. The planned nationwide Newcomer Navigator Network will support standardized service delivery by organizations across the country that deliver health care to children and adults, as well as those in the immigrant and refugee serving sector.
New Horizons for Seniors Program has a new funding opportunity for community-based projects. This federal grants and contributions program by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will fund projects up to $25,000 that are led or inspired by seniors, volunteer-based and supported by their communities. Deadline for applications is June 21, 2019.
The National Inquiry’s Final Report reveals persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses amount to genocide, and are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The National Inquiry calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.
NEW REPORT | More Than a Bed: A National Profile of VAW Shelters and Transition Houses
The national profile in this new report is based on information about 290 VAW shelters, including physical building, capacity, groups served, accessibility, labour and salaries, funding, and more. Cross-section of data at the regional and population size levels illustrate differences across the country and between larger and smaller communities.
NEW REPORT | Youth in and from Care and the Right to Education: Current Context and Recommendations
This report examines why youth in and from care in Ontario face systemic and multi-faceted barriers in getting a quality education, and makes recommendations on how to improve the situation.
International Metropolis Conference: The Promise of Migration
The conference will explore opportunities and challenges regarding the fulfillment of the “promise of migration” for the wellbeing of all involved, including migrants, host societies and sending communities. It will be held at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, June 24 to 28, 2019.
This new report from United Way Greater Toronto looks at income trends between 1980 - 2015 and income gap between young people, immigrants, racialized groups and the rest of the population in Peel, Toronto and York regions. Learn who has access to opportunities to succeed, and who is left behind because of circumstances they can’t control.
