Immigration Waterloo Region Weekly
May 10, 2021


We are in this together but impacted unequally.
Let’s help everyone stay healthy, Waterloo Region.
Immigration Partnership Updates
Safe Voluntary Isolation Site and Vaccine Clinics Information Session
Recording Now Available
ICYMI! Check out the recording of the information session on the Safe Voluntary Isolation Site and vaccine clinics in Waterloo Region hosted by Immigration Partnership last week. Our guests, Brad Berg, Manager of the Safe Voluntary Isolation Site, and Neb Zachariah, Health Promotion Research Analyst, from the Region of Waterloo answered questions about what the Safe Voluntary Isolation Site is, what it looks and feels like, who is eligible and how to apply, as well as shared updated information about Waterloo Region vaccine clinics. Watch the recording here.
May 12: Business Resources: Tools for Working with Students
Andrew Bieler, Director of Partnerships and Learning with BHER will join the next Greater KW Chamber of Commerce’s Manulife Business Success Series to discuss some of the tools and resources available on the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Resource Hub for small and medium-sized businesses to help them maximize their experience working with students. He will also share insights and related resources for small businesses on the return on investment from working with students and best practices for leading and mentoring students in the workplace. Registration now open.
Community Partner Updates 
Immigrant Services and Interpretation Open
Be Part of the Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo Region Foundation Board of Directors

The Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region is seeking a Board composition that reflects the cultural diversity of the community and represents the populations served by FACS. Those interested, please send resume and cover letter to Carol.Kumalo@facswaterloo.org by May 11.
Federal, Provincial and Local Updates
Municipal Government
To learn more about the latest information, measures and changes to legislation due to COVID-19 Outbreak across the region, visit the Region of Waterloo website.


With COVID-19 still a reality in Waterloo Region and across Ontario, regional officials could be looking at extending a mandatory face covering bylaw tomorrow, Tuesday May 11.
Provincial
Government
To learn more about the latest information, measures and changes to legislation due to COVID-19 Outbreak across Ontario, visit the
Expanding booking eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to more Ontarians: including individuals with at-risk health conditions such as dementia, diabetes and sickle cell disease, as well as people who cannot work from home like grocery store, restaurant and transportation workers and more.






Provincial
Government
To learn more about the latest information, measures and changes to legislation due to COVID-19 Outbreak across Ontario, visit the
COVID-19 Information and Resources
Successful Mobile Vaccination Clinic for Refugees
"Community organizations and community leaders recently came together to support Waterloo Region’s refugee and newcomer population to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The Waterloo Region Vaccine Distribution Task Force worked closely with the Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre, Reception House, the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre and the Kitchener’s Farmers’ Market to run a three-week mobile vaccination clinic where approximately 1,900 individuals were immunized.

Staff from the Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre provided on-site support for clients and interpreters were available from the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre in a variety of languages." For more information on the Vaccine developments in the region, read the latest Region of Waterloo Covid-19 Vaccine Bulletin here.
COMING SOON: Covid-19 Vaccine Information Sessions in Spanish, Serbo-Croatian and Farsi

The Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre and kitchener Public Library are hosting three Covid-19 vaccine information sessions on how to register in Waterloo Region and get information about safe isolation sites: Spanish, May 13, 7pm, Serbo-Croatian, May 14, 4:30pm, and Farsi, May 25, 7pm. To register, email elizabeth@kwmulticultural.ca or call call 519 590 3063.

The Region of Waterloo has translated the "COVID-19 Symptom Screening Tool," "After Care Sheet" and other resources into 16 languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Rohingya, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Tigrinya and Turkish.

Refugee 613 has updated the Ontario Stay at Home Order graphics to reflect the latest COVID-19 measures and restrictions. The graphics are currently available in 7 languages, including; Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Russian, Swahili, and Urdu. Please share them within your networks so others can stay informed.

The Stop the Spread and Stay Safe program, run by the Canadian Red Cross in partnership with the Government of Canada, is now available for pre-registration for community organizations located in Ontario to have access to free, rapid, self-administered COVID-19 screening tests.
Other Information and Resources

On March 30th The Globe and Mail hosted the People and Prosperity webcast, presented in partnership with Century Initiative. The virtual panel brought together experts for a discussion on why and how immigration is key to supporting population growth, labour market, economic development and prosperity. If you were unable to attend, check out the full webcast and event highlights article here.

In this Building Migrant Resilience in Cities report, experts from diverse sectors brought their perspectives on the problems and opportunities associated with the growing number of international students in Canada, and the policies related to their pathway to post-graduate work and permanent residency.

The Region of Waterloo shares this recording of the first segment of Community Table Talk with guests Niran Akintunde from Sulah, Community Justice Initiatives, and Mifrah Abid from the Coalition of Muslim Women of K-W to talk about racism, xenophobia, islamophobia definitions, hate crime vs. hate incident, racism in Waterloo Region and how to report it, and much more.

Project UP has recently received resources to support the emerging needs of our community due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. These resources include grocery vouchers and technology supports and are intended for Black Muslim women and girls living in the Waterloo Region and their families. Requests can be made by filling out a form here or by email at info@weareprojectup.com.

MT Space presents "The Rise Class," an initiative by Angela Onuora, a local filmmaker. It is a crash course in video production and its purpose is to educate and empower underrepresented members of our community with the skills to “Write, Shoot and Edit” video content with simple tools. The deadline to apply is May 19. Interested can complete this preliminary submission form here.
Covid-19 and Community Virtual Events and Webinars
Migrant Resilience in Canadian Cities: People, Institutions and Policies, May 12, 12:15-1:15pm
Join Building Migrant Resilience in Cities for an exciting conversation about migrant women's civic engagement, activism and resilience featuring short presentations followed by audience discussion. For more information, email at bmrcirmu@yorku.ca.
Panel Discussion: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Maternal Health of Newcomers, May 12, 1pm
The National Newcomer Navigation Network has organized this webinar to learn how COVID-19 has exacerbated maternal health inequities for newcomer women and children; some of the top challenges Newcomer women experience during labor and delivery; examples of promising practices to support newcomer women during labour and delivery; and much more.
Youth-Employment Event: Entrepreneurship Edition, May 13, 4pm
The Workforce Planning Board is hosting this online event on characteristics of an entrepreneur, how one can become an Entrepreneur, what supports exist there for you to help you on your journey, and more. If you are 15 to 29 years old and have an idea for business, register now!
ARI Roundtable: Practical Tools for Working Together, May 20, 1-2:30pm
This roundtable hosted by Refugee 613 will share learnings from its Allies for Refugee Integration pilots, focusing on practical tools and tips for settlement workers and sponsors on how to improve collaboration in their everyday work with privately sponsored refugees.
Understanding the Intersection of Health and Immigration Law, May 26, 1pm
This National Newcomer Navigation Network webinar will provide a broad overview on various immigration pathways such as refugee claims and humanitarian applications, the relevance of applicants’ health and mental healthcare conditions and needs, and eligibility for federal and provincial healthcare programs based on legal status.
Waterloo Region World Refugee Day Launch, June 20, 1-2pm
In celebration of World Refugee Day, join Community Coalition on Refugee and Immigrant Concerns (CCORIC) to hear reflections on challenges, resilience and the hope for the future from newcomers and local refugee serving organizations. Attendees will hear presentations from newcomer youth and honour the recipients of the World Refugee Day Awards of Distinction.
COVID 19 Coverage and other News

 
 

The Immigration Waterloo Region calendar has information about local programs and events for newcomers. Subscribe for a digest of events coming up in the next week or add your own events to share.
Feel free to send suggestions or relevant events/resources to include to the Immigration Waterlooo Region weekly by emailing Dan Vandebelt (dvandebelt@regionofwaterloo.ca) and Alejandra Amezquita Gutierrez (AAmez@regionofwaterloo.ca)
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