Spring Has Sprung (or We're Moving but Ain’t There Yet!)
It is a windy, icy mid-April Spring morning as I turn my thoughts to the beginning of a new fiscal year and what it means, especially this year, for us as a Sector. While the new fiscal year began with the routine complaints – late contracts from funders, too tight timelines for financial claims for end of last fiscal year, inconsistency in communication from the federal funder, less than ideal communication from the provincial funder, there is a sense of anticipation in the air.
The Access to Education Program 2018 allows young people with precarious immigration status to pay domestic student fees for a university education. The program was created in Toronto by FCJ Refugee Centre in partnership with York University. Youth with precarious immigration status must usually pay international student fees for university, which is thousands of dollars more.
Join us at “Think Locally, Act Globally: Challenging Canada’s Human Rights Record at the UN” to hear from racial justice advocates on how they are influencing the United Nations review of Canada and hear the Canadian government’s response. May 15, 2018, 6:00 to 7:30 pm at Jackman Law Building, 8 Queen’s Park Crescent in Toronto.
Frontline workers who who provide services to immigrants and refugees can apply to OCASI PET to take professional education and training courses. The program is open to workers at organizations funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI). For more information contact Beverly Lawrence-Dennis, PET Project Coordinator blawrence@ocasi.org / 416-322-4950 x238
OCASI invites proposals to present sessions at the 2018 OCASI Executive Directors Forum, November 7-8 2018 in Toronto. Please complete and submit the Session Proposal Application Formby Friday May 11th, 2018. The Forum is a space for sector leaders to dialogue on sectoral priorities, issues and concerns with peers, funders and other stakeholders.
OCASI made presentations to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Ms. Dubravka Šimonović, during her country visit to Canada on 11 - 23 April 2018. OCASI presented the Peer Champion Model as a Best Practice for Anti-VAW work, and on policy priorities for refugee, immigrant and migrant women.
An alliance of nonprofit community organizations has joined together to ensure the 2018 Ontario election focuses on what matters: building a fair, equitable and inclusive Ontario where everyone belongs. It is a non-partisan campaign looking to engage with candidates of all parties who want to learn more about the work we do in community and the lived experience of our communities.
The Ontario election is fast approaching and YWCA has a clear message for leaders: put gender equity front and centre. Across Ontario, women and girls are disproportionately impacted by violence, poverty and systemic oppression – particularly if they are racialized, Indigenous, living with disabilities, newcomers, seniors, trans, queer or gender non-binary. Join the campaign.
CERIS is conducting a research project on services for immigrant women, youth, and seniors. Service providers across the country are invited to submit information on non-profit services they currently provide to these populations by May 9, 2018. The project aims to identify strengths, gaps and unmet needs and propose programming improvements based on good practices.
A web-based app that helps to identify Indigenous Nations, territories, and Indigenous communities across Canada, and can be used for learning about the territory you are on, finding information for a land acknowledgement, and learning about treaties and agreements. Educational videos give an understanding of why land acknowledgements are important, and the way Indigenous people view their relationship to land.
New Online Tutorial - Understanding Children’s Settlement: The Basics
Understanding Children’s Settlement: The Basics is a 15-minute tutorial that describes settlement needs and strategies you can use to build responsive programs for newcomer children. It will also give you tips on how you can tell if a child is settling successfully. Included are suggested resources, a facilitator guide and group discussion questions to facilitate your own team training.
The Urban Alliance on Race Relations and Uniting Muslims and Allies for Humanity present the #UnityTour, an events series across Canada to spark new friendships. Supported by Canadian Heritage , seeking to promote dialogue, enhance multiculturalism, and grow a strong and inclusive Canada. Join us in Toronto (May 27).
