The tears may flow all night, but joy will come in the morning. A paraphrasing of an oft repeated phrase of my mothers and grandmothers steeped in the teachings of the Black Church. For me this phrase is not only a message of general hope, but a message with specificity about resistance, about the coming of the day of liberation for our people held in centuries-long bondage. A message of hope for all people who have been excluded and violated.
Women IT Teleworkers (WITT) is a new Ottawa job agency under Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre (OCCSC). It places women with international training in IT and prefer to Work From Home. Employers gain talent, save money and diversify the workforce. As a social enterprise WITT supports Women’s Shelters in Ottawa.
Professional Education and Training Rates Increased
OCASI provides financial assistance through PET to IRCC funded organizations to deliver facilitated group training, and to individual staff to take courses at institutions of their choice.
NOTE: In-House group training fund limit is increased from $2,500 to $3,000. Individual training fund limit is increased from $750 to $900.
Apply to OCASI Accessibility National Advisory Committee
Apply to be a National Advisory Committee Member for OCASI's Accessibility Initiative 2020-2021. We are seeking 10-14 Advisory Committee members across Canada to support the Accessibility Initiative activities nationally. If you are 18 years of age or older and committed to advancing an accessible Canada through a disability justice lens please apply before Friday July 24th 2020.
Postuler au Comité Consultatif National pour l'Accessibilité d'OCASI
Nous cherchons 10-14 membres de tout le Canada pour notre comité consultatif pour soutenir les activités de l'Initiative pour l’Accessibilité à l'échelle nationale. Si vous avez 18 ans et plus et que vous êtes engagés à promouvoir un Canada accessible et la justice pour les personnes ayant un handicap, veuillez postuler avant le vendredi 24 juillet 2020.
Participate in a Sanctuary City Survey
Canadian Sanctuary Cities Research project invites immigration service providers to participate in a survey on municipal sanctuary policies and municipal involvement with non-status immigrants. Find the survey »
Read more about the project at the following link sanctuarycitiescanada.org. OCASI is a partner in this research project.
Work From Home Expenses
A new article from Settlement.Org to help answer the question, “Will I be able to write off my work from home expenses during COVID at tax time?
Are you looking for a client management system that works well for your agency? Try OCMS! Please watch the OCMS video or sign up for a webinar. We are proud of our work and our clients. To join our growing list of clients contact Elena Trapeznikova elena@ocasi.org or (416) 322-4950 ext. 241.
Join Settlenet.Org / Réseau-Etab.Org
Join SettleNet.org / Réseau-Etab.org to learn, share, connect, and collaborate with people in your field. Our members are encouraged to engage in ongoing professional development opportunities on the platform. Visit the site to enrol in webinars, access conference materials, read or submit articles, and connect with your peers across Canada.
SECTOR HAPPENINGS
Policing and Anti-Black Racism
Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) calls on the governments of Canada and Ontario to combat anti-Black racism, and for zero deaths by police services across Ontario. Read the BLAC statement and demands on policing and anti-Black Racism released on June 25, 2020.
Unheeded Warnings: COVID-19 & Migrant Workers in Canada
A report based on telephone hotline calls from migrant farm workers in the Niagara region in March 15-May 15, 2020. By Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.
Report based on a recent online survey of more than 500 Canadians of Chinese descent by Angus Reid Institute in partnership with University of Alberta underscores the extent and depth of discrimination and its impact.
A Parallel Report on Canada’s Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Prepared by a network of women’s rights and equality-seeking organizations, trade unions and independent experts, including OCASI.
“Building capacity to support the mental health of immigrants and refugees: A toolkit for settlement, social and health service providers” is produced by CAMH. It provides a variety of resources for settlement, social, and health service providers across Canada, and aims to build their capacity to better support the mental health needs of immigrants and refugees.
“Signal for Help” is a simple one-handed sign someone can use on a video call to silently show they need help and want someone to check in with them in a safe way. Launched by Canadian Women’s Foundation to support those at risk of abuse or violence and are physically isolated at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Social Development Partnerships Program Call for Proposals from the Government of Canada provides capital assistance to Black organizations in Canada to build capacity to better fulfill their missions and to better serve Black communities in Canada. Application period opens June 26, 2020 and closes July 27, 2020.
This funding will help non-profit organizations, local services boards, or Indigenous groups develop programs for seniors that focus on combatting social isolation, promoting seniors’ safety and well-being, improving financial security and making communities age-friendly during COVID-19. Applications will close on August 7, 2020.
For the third year, Canadian Immigrant and RBC wants to recognize the amazing work immigrant settlement agencies are doing to help newcomers integrate and succeed in Canada with the Settlement Agency Award. The top 84 finalists include 37 OCASI member agencies. Voting ends on Friday, August 7, 2020, 11:59 p.m. EST.
