Immigration Waterloo Region Weekly
November 15, 2021
Immigration Partnership News
Nov 17: Webinar for Area Employers: "State of the Workforce in Waterloo Region"
Immigration Partnership is partnering with the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and Waterloo EDC to present this virtual session of the Chamber’s Manulife Business Success Series featuring Charlene Hofbauer, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin. Her presentation will address important questions about the workforce trends, such as what is changing about the workforce post-pandemic, what is making workers decide where they want to work and for whom, what employers can do to find and keep workers in the changing labour market, how immigration affects the future workforce, and more. Registration is open.
Nov 25: Immigration Information for Employers
The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Immigration Partnership, is organizing an online event for employers  to discuss the benefits of including immigrant talent in their workforce to meet labour market needs. Speakers from the Ryerson University's Diversity Institute, Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin and YMCA Employment Services will cover the following topics: entrepreneur immigration, immigrant talent recruitment and the role of immigration in the recovery of our economy. Register here.
2021 Newcomer Landlord Award Coming November 22
The Immigration Partnership's 2021 Newcomer Landlord Award recipients will be announced at Waterloo Region’s 20th National Housing Day virtual celebration on November 22. This event will celebrate local housing achievements and recognize the contributions of community members and partners who are committed to ensuring everyone in Waterloo Region has a place to call home. We invite you to join us in celebrating landlords that make our region a more welcoming and supportive community. Register Here.
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Community Partner Highlights 
Immigrant Services and Interpretation Open

Children and Youth Planning Table Annual Forum and 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
The Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT) invites community members and partners to celebrate 10 years of amazing work with an extra special CYPT annual forum that will be held virtually from Nov 17 to Nov 18. The forum brings a variety of sessions such as "Lunch and Learn: Human Connections," "Keynote Speaker: Randell Adjei-entrepreneur, speaker, and Ontario’s first Poet Laureate-," "Belonging Stories from the Field & Tapping Into Our Collective Assets," and much more.
Afghan and Other Refugee Integration Updates
Join us in welcoming refugees to our region! Over 200 Afghan refugees have arrived in Waterloo Region so far. Community members can support Afghan and other refugees in many ways: Providing affordable housing or primary care, making monetary donations to the Immigration Partnership Fund or Reception House Waterloo Region, donating warm winter clothing and other items, sponsoring refugee families, supporting family reunification efforts, etc.
Visit http://immigrationwaterlooregion.ca/afghanresettlement for more information on the Afghan Resettlement in Waterloo Region!
"Some refugees say the multiple moves are disrupting connections they're building in the local community and creating instability for children who have to change schools as a result of the relocations (...)"
COVID-19 Information and Resources

Research from Statistic Canada on working from home as consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed interesting findings: Roughly 40% of Canadian jobs can be done from home, increases in the proportions of Canadians working from home could potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to commuting, the feasibility of working from home varies substantially across wage deciles, education levels, industries and regions, and more. More data here.
Other Information and Resources

The Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC) has developed three short guides for doing research with newcomers: 1) a guide for newcomers participating in research, 2) a checklist for meaningful and inclusive research for researchers recruiting newcomers for their studies, and 3) an intake form for service providers approached by researchers. The guides was developed to help prepare prospective researchers for their interactions with the newcomer community and service providers.
The Role that Integration Plays in Immigration Policy Podcast

The latest two episodes of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) special 20th anniversary podcast series, World of Migration-"Immigrant Integration: Essential to the Success of Immigration Policy" and "Leveraging the Benefits That Immigration Can Bring"-focus on the essential role that integration plays in immigration policy and which policies can help harness the value of immigration. 

CERC in Immigration and Integration has extended the deadline to apply for "Under the Tent," a multimedia storytelling project that explores the sense of belonging or not belonging under the tent of Canadian multiculturalism. Open to current graduate students from all Canadian universities who will produce either a short film or performance that can be widely shared with a public audience. Deadline: Nov 25.

Findings from the latest Focus Canada survey reveal that Canadians continue to disagree that immigration levels are too high. A majority believes Canada needs more immigrants to increase its population. Although opinions over the past 12 months are mostly stable, there have also been small declines in positive sentiments. See details here.

Written by Silmy Abdullah, Bangladeshi-Canadian author, lawyer and social justice advocate, this book features eight stories from immigrant families as characters embark on difficult journeys in search of love, dignity, and a sense of belonging. Check it here.
International Education Week
This week, we celebrate International Education Week to showcase the cultural diversity of our international student population in Waterloo Region! It is also an opportunity to highlight the importance and benefits of international education as it promotes the preparation of future leaders and the prosperity of Canada.

These are some of the events that will take place in the next few days to strengthen understanding of international education and its importance to our region and country.

On Nov 19, the Newcomer Students’ Association (NSA) hosts the International Education Week Summit 2021 to discuss the role of higher education in responding to the global refugee crisis. It will focus on the intersection of internationalization, global refugee crisis and equity, diversity and inclusion principles through four interesting panels.

The Renison English Language Institute celebrates the International Education week with several online workshops and events such as the "Virtual Cross-Cultural Plane Trip," where international students will speak about life in their hometowns around the world on November 17 at 10pm ET.

This presentation with Dr. Avis Beek, Assistant Professor at Laurier, will examine some of the many faces of international education and suggest how an aspiration of intercultural understanding may align them. This event is hosted by Waterloo Public Library & Wilfrid Laurier University on Nov 24.
Celebrating International Education Week in Waterloo Region

Wilfrid Laurier University is celebrating the International Education Week with intercultural programming and delicious international eats. Conestoga College is celebrating Diversity Week as an opportunity for students to share its members' unique experiences and backgrounds. At the University of Waterloo, it is a celebration of all things international on its campus.
Virtual Events and Webinars
Virtual Mental Health Access for Refugees During COVID-19: What Have We Learned and How Will We Plan for the Future, Nov 17, 1:30-2:45pm
This presentation will highlight the key access barriers for mental health services that are identified by providers, agency directors, and newcomers. Given the widespread desire among agencies and providers to maintain some element of virtual services, we also make policy and practice recommendations to reduce technology and systemic barriers and enhance refugee newcomers’ access to virtual mental health services. Click here to join the meeting (must register for EENet Connect - free membership)
Let's Talk About Your Future - Youth Conference, Nov 19, 10:30am-12:30pm
The Kitchener Waterloo Multicultural Centre is hosting “Let’s Talk About Your Future”. It is a free one-day conference that will provide newcomer youth the opportunity to explore and learn about different educational and career paths through fun and engaging discussions, workshops, and networking sessions.
28th Festival of Neighbourhoods, Nov 21, 1-3pm
Festival of Neighbourhoods celebrates the ways in which neighbourhoods adapted during the pandemic. Lots of neighbourhood gatherings have become annual occurrences and the pandemic has prevented them from happening in their traditional way. Organizers want to hear how neighbourhoods have adapted gatherings to be safe and inclusive the past year.
The 2nd Annual Racial Justice Summit, Nov 17-18, 10am-8pm
The Urban Alliance on Race Relations and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation have teamed up to present a special two-day virtual summit to explore the pressing issues impacting racialized communities. Join the conversation and engage with thought leaders, institutional representatives, and community advocates. 
Growing Your Workforce Conference 2021, Nov 23-24
A virtual conference focused on solutions that will help employers attract, retain and train the talent needed after the recent pandemic. Organized by experts in Literacy and Basic Skills, nine Workforce Planning and Development Boards and three Local Immigration Partnerships, this event will present to employers innovative and intersectional ways of growing their workforce. Click here for more information.
Physical and Mental Health of Yazidi Refugees and Implications for Practice, Nov 23, 1-2pm
Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project is hosting a webinar to present findings from the Refugee Health YYC Research program at the University of Calgary on the physical and mental health needs of Yazidis resettled to Calgary following the 2014 genocide. It will highlight implications for best practices when caring for this population and considerations for other highly vulnerable and acutely traumatized refugees such as the newly arriving refugees from Afghanistan.
Hijab 101 Lunch and Learn, Nov 24, 12-1pm
In this online event, Fauzia Mazhar from Coalition of Muslim Women will discuss why Muslim head coverings cause such visceral reactions, whether Mennonite bonnets provoke the same response, and other topics. This presentation is presented in conjunction with Schneider Haus's newest exhibit entitled "UN/COVERINGS - Mennonite & Muslim Women’s Heads and Hearts."
Challenges & Priorities for Anti-Violence Work with Women with Precarious Immigration Status, Nov 25, 1pm
National Newcomer Navigation Network is hosting a webinar to discuss refugee and immigrant women with precarious immigration status face multiple forms of interpersonal and structural violence. Three panelists from different regions of the country will be presenting their anti-violence work with racialized and immigrant women and girls.
École secondaire David-Saint-Jacques Virtual Open House, Dec 2, 6:30-7:30pm
Conseil scolaire Viamonde (French Public School Board) is inviting the community to attend École secondaire David-Saint-Jacques virtual open house. Link to join: https://bit.ly/DSJS2021-22. More information at Portes ouvertes virtuelles | Secondaire (csviamonde.ca)
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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