February 25, 2019
Happy Monday to you. Here are some upcoming events and information:
Events and programs:
2.
"African Drumming Workshop" session (Feb 26, 5:30-7pm) -
Bridges Waterloo in collaboration with Bring on the Sunshine will be hosting an African drumming workshop tomorrow. It is free to participate and participants will learn more about African music and culture. For more information or to register:
https://www.bridgeswaterloo.com/
5.
"Convergence 2019: system leaders, system solutions" conference (Mar 22, 8am-12pm)
- This conference is hosted by the LHIN, United Way and Wellbeing Waterloo Region and will explore how system-level thinking can solve our complex health and social problems. For more information or to register:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/convergence-2019-tickets-57027665282
Resources and information:
6.
"In her shoes"8-week employment and training program (various dates)
- YWCA will be facilitating an 8-week employment and training program for any participant who is interested to learn about how to start your own business, entrepreneurship, and gaining retail skills. The In Her Shoes Program is designed for women and femme-identified folks that have faced traditional barriers to employment, either personal or systemic. The program will also offer 3 hours of supported work per week that is paid by a living wage honorarium. For more information or to register:
https://www.ywcakw.on.ca/In-her-shoes-employment-program
7.
"Breastfeeding Buddies Waterloo Region" peer-based program
- Breastfeeding Buddies is a peer-based program where volunteer moms support new moms who are looking for support or have questions about breastfeeding their babies. These volunteers can speak 15 different languages and are open to welcome any newcomers to their program. For more information about the program or local drop-in sessions see:
https://www.facebook.com/BreastfeedingBuddiesWR/
8.
"Cities of Migration" newsletter
- The Cities of Migration project is hosted by Ryerson University in Toronto and their free bi-monthly newsletter has articles and resources about immigration, migration, research and public perception from around the world. Here are a few examples from the most current newsletter (
http://citiesofmigration.ca/conversations-in-integration
):
--Kassel Refugee Day - In Kassel (Germany), local leaders created a unique one day opportunity to give job seekers a chance to spend a day working for a local employer. The path from refugee intern to fully-employed community member was swift.
--Migration, the City and Universities - Senator Ratna Omidvar joined Ryerson's WC2 University Network Conference as a keynote speaker and panelist with John Ralston Saul and Haroon Siddiqui in a conversation ranging from the role of universities in promoting migration to the the new political clout of immigrants: "The future of the world lies in cities," says Omidvar.
--Boundaries of Inclusion - Irene Bloemraad on concepts of citizenship and rights and judgements of deservingness shape citizens' support for immigration: CIFAR's 2018 David Dodge Lecturer challenges the premise of national values as "necessarily exclusionary."
--Toronto Case Study: Planning for Diversity and Inclusion - In our Building Inclusive Cities case study on Toronto, Dr. Zhixi Zhuang, Ryerson School of Regional and Urban Planning, describes the central role cities play in the processes of immigrant settlement and integration: "It has become imperative for municipalities to understand the dynamics and complexity of the global migration phenomenon and tackle the challenges and opportunities it presents locally."
Funding Opportunities:
9.
IRCC Call for Proposals 2019 for settlement and resettlement assistance funding
- The IRCC call for settlement and resettlement program proposals will cover the next 5 years (Apr 1, 2020 - Mar 31, 2023). This process opened Feb 18, 2019, and the deadline for submitting applications is Apr 12, 2019. IRCC will be hosting webinars from the last week of February to early March which will give the opportunity to ask questions during the application process and seek clarity on any issues. For more information see:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/partners-service-providers/funding.html
Awards:
Research & Data:
13.
"Investing in Refugee Talent: Lessons Learned in Labour Market Integration" employer report
- This report shares 13 international best practices for the integration of refugees in the employment and private sector. In addition, it shares information on how employers and community organizations have built meaningful partnerships and created practical solutions to address refugee and industry needs. For more information see:
http://www.hireimmigrants.ca/reports/investing-in-refugee-talent/
Surveys & Community Engagement:
14.
Allies in Refugee Integration survey (deadline Feb 26)
- OCASI (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants) and Refugee 613 are looking for input from privately sponsored refugees who have arrived in Ontario for the past 5 years. The goal of this survey is to obtain data on the current relationship between settlement services and private sponsors in Ontario to understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities of this relationship. For more information or to participate:
16.
Community engagement survey
- Students from the Masters of International Public Policy and MCRS (Mennonite Coalition of Refugee Support) are conducting this survey that will be shared for their film screening event: "Under Siege: The high stakes of Seeking Asylum" on Refugee Rights day (Apr 4). For more information or to participate:
In the news:
