It is a sunny but cool morning as I sit to write this monthly blog in my messy backyard. I wonder if one hundred and eighty-eight years ago, that first emancipation day dawned as any other day, my ancestors up before the dawn to prepare for their families before the work in the hot sun under the cocoa and nutmeg trees commenced. Read the blog »
OCASI MEMBER FEATURE
YWCA NESS Fund
YWCA Canada has launched Canada’s first National Emergency Survivor Support Fund (the NESS Fund) to meet one of the most frequent and urgent needs voiced by survivors. The Fund provides women, gender-diverse people and their families with one-time financial support of up to $2,000 to leave unsafe homes or emergency shelters or precarious housing situations and begin their healing journeys.
The OCASI Leaders’ Forum will be held in person in Toronto on October 26-28, 2022. The OCASI Annual General Meeting will be held on October 26. We will bring you more information soon. You can view sessions from the 2020 ED Forum with OCASI on YouTube.
Les 26 et 28 octobre 2022 - Forum des Leaders d’OCASI, AGA
Le forum des Leaders d’OCASI aura lieu en personne à Toronto les 26 et 28 octobre 2022. L’assemblée générale annuelle de l’OCASI aura lieu le 26 octobre. Nous aurons bientôt plus d’information. Vous pouvez regarder les séances du Forum des directeurs et directrices généraux de 2020 avec l’OCASI sur YouTube.
Apply For OCASI Professional Development and Training Fund (PET)
The PET Fund is Available for In-House Group Training. Organizations funded by Immigrant Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are eligible to apply for funds up to $3000 to cover the facilitator’s fee for Virtual Group Training on topics that will benefit the work of the sector. Individuals working in the organizations are eligible for $1000 to cover course costs.
Are you looking for a client management system that works well for your agency? Try OCMS! Please watch the OCMS video. We are proud of our work and our clients. To join our growing list of clients contact us at ocmssupport@ocasi.org
SECTOR HAPPENINGS
CCR Call To Action
Canadian Council for Refugees asks organizations and individuals to contact the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and their local Member of Parliament to urge the government to adopt a broad plan to regularize people without status in Canada, as outlined in the CCR’s submission. The Minister is expected to decide on a plan very soon. Act today!
Canadian Council for Refugees will hold the Summer Working Group meetings on 9 and 10 September 2022 at Palais des Congrès, 201 Av. Viger O., Montréal. Interested issues of refugee protection and resettlement, and the settlement of refugees and immigrants? Attend the Working Group meetings.
Canada’s Parliament has unanimously called for a plan to “allow workers of all skill levels permanent residency”, and the Prime Minister has instructed the Minister of Immigration to regularize status for undocumented workers. This can open the door to citizenship for low wage essential workers and undocumented people. Sign the petition to call for immigration status for all.
Interested in migration, technology and human rights? Do you have concerns about the use of Artificial Intelligence to screen, track, and make decisions about people on the move? Visit the new Migration and Technology Monitor platform to access information and resources.
Ontario Trillium Foundation has announced an Expression of Interest for Youth Innovations and Family Innovations Stream. It is due Wednesday, August 24, 2022, 5 p.m. ET.
The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is looking for dynamic youth who want to demonstrate leadership and a commitment to their communities and help make Canada more accessible for persons with disabilities. Closing date - October 17, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT). Information sessions for youth and organizations will be held on August 17, 18 and September 14, 15.
Le Fonds pour l'accessibilité (FA) recherche des jeunes dynamiques qui veulent démontrer leur leadership et leur engagement envers leur collectivité. Date de clôture - 17 octobre 2022 à 17h00 (EDT). Des séances d'information pour les jeunes et les organismes auront lieu les 17, 18 août et 14, 15 septembre.
Digital Citizen Contribution Program (DCCP) will provide up $100,000 per project for research projects focused on countering disinformation and harmful content. Funds must be spent, and the project completed by March 31, 2023. Application deadline is August 18, 2022.
Le Programme de contributions en matière de citoyenneté numérique (PCCN) founira pouvant atteindre 100 000 $ par projet pour des projets de recherche axés sur la lutte contre la désinformation et le contenu préjudiciable. Les fonds doivent être dépensés et les projets terminés d'ici le 31 mars 2023. La date limite pour soumettre une demande est le 18 août 2022.
In 2021, 7% of Canadian Housing Survey respondents reported being evicted in the past. Statistics Canada has created an infographic based on the survey results. Indigenous peoples experienced the highest average rate of evictions at 13 percent, followed by Black people at 12 percent.
En 2021, 7 % des répondants à l’Enquête canadienne sur le logement ont déclaré avoir été expulsés d’un logement par le passé. Statistique Canada a créé une infographie basée sur les résultats de l'enquête. Les peuples autochtones ont connu le taux le plus élevé d’expulsions, soit 13 %. Les personnes noires ont connu le taux le plus élevé suivant à 12 pour cent.
Making Sudbury a Welcoming Home: Perspectives from Newcomers
According to a new report published by the Northern Policy Institute (NPI), newcomers in Sudbury, Ontario, say affordable housing, accessing meaningful employment, few cultural activities and microaggressions all pose barriers to making the city a welcoming community.
Hate-motivated crimes reported by police increased by 27% to 3,360 incidents. Hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race or ethnicity accounted for the majority of the increase. There was an increase in violent crime, attributable in part to sexual assault, harassing and threatening behaviors and homicide. The Statistics Canada report was released on 2022-08-02.