Immigration Waterloo Region Weekly
May 11, 2020

Stay home and stay healthy, Waterloo Region. We are in this together.


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Child Welfare During COVID-19 
A message from Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo Region as part of the Working Group of the Pandemic Community Supports Control Group, which includes the KW Multicultural Centre, Immigration Partnership and other community service organizations


During this pandemic, children are at risk. Those who were vulnerable before are more vulnerable now because of social isolation and the lack of their usual supports.

We know that most parents are doing the best they can for their children, but in times of stress they may become overwhelmed. Right now children are not in classrooms where teachers might notice things that worry them, so we need you, as someone who works with children, youth and families, to be watching out for concerns.
Even during this pandemic, children still need their village.

You can help by:
1. Paying special attention to the families and children you encounter or work with.
2. Referring families to the Family Compass website when they need community resources and support. ( https://www.familycompasswr.ca/en/index.aspx ).
3. Contacting Family and Children’s Services at 519-576-0540 if you have concerns about a child. We are the safety net for children at risk.
4. Considering becoming a Short Term Care Provider for children whose parents are unable to look after them because they are ill with the COVID-19 virus. Visit www.Fosteringkids.ca to learn more.

Please share this message with your colleagues and people in your network.
Community Service Updates  
Immigrant Services and Interpretation Open


YMCA Employment Services staff are working remotely and continue to provide job search support such as resume preparation, interview assistance, job matching, work placements, and more. Contact in Kitchener: 519-579-9622 ext. 241 or 244 and in Cambridge: 226-748-9460, or r equest an appointment with YMCA Employment Services by emailing [email protected] .
The Greater KW Chamber of Commerce’s ShopKW Platform

The Greater KW Chamber of Commerce is offering a 90-day free trial of its platform “ShopKW” that helps employers manage their business’ online activities. People who are interested in learning more, please contact Dana Walton at [email protected] . Also, business-owners with questions concerning their essential business status are encouraged to call the Stop the Spread hotline at 1-888-444-3659.
Refugee Health Clinic Open

The Refugee Health Clinic continues to operate during the COVID-19 crisis to assist newcomers during this difficult time by providing information and navigation. Many appointments are done remotely. When an appointment does need to happen in person, extra screening precautions are in place to ensure everyone’s safety.
City of Kitchener Continues to Expand Social Support for Kitchener Seniors

The City of Kitchener is supporting seniors during the pandemic with regular social support calls to check-in and discuss the community supports that are available. Seniors can call (or community members can arrange a call for one) at 519-741-2916.
Federal, Provincial and Local Updates
Immigration
Measures
To learn more about other measures or changes on Immigration legislation,
visit the

IRCC has produced a document intended to assist sponsors in understanding how cases in process are affected by COVID-19 and, for refugees already in Canada, how sponsors can continue to fulfill their sponsorship role while also addressing the unique settlement needs of sponsored refugees during this difficult time. ( French Version )

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Financial Assistance for Newcomers, Temporary Residents and Refugees ( French Version ) Some of the information on this page is available in multiple languages.


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.


The Region, area municipalities and local community partners have been working together to stop the spread of the virus. This work is being done through a Regional Pandemic Control Group which coordinates the efforts and actions of five other sector control groups which are described weekly in the Coordinate COVID-19 Response Newsletter. See Coordinated COVID19 Response Newsletter - May 8, 2020 for the latest updates.
Provincial
Government
To learn more about the latest information, measures and changes to legislation due to COVID-19 Outbreak across Ontario, visit the
Federal
Government
To learn more about the government support for individuals, businesses and industries during the COVID-19 Outbreak, visit the Government of Canada Website.



News of the extension comes as new Statistics Canada numbers show the country lost almost two million jobs during the month of April — a record high — as the impact of COVID-19 on the economy made itself known.
COVID-19 Information and Resources
Findyourjob.ca is the result of a partnership between local municipal, county and regional partners along with the Workforce Planning Board.  The website pulls jobs from a variety of provincial, national and local sites and collects them all in one place. The site features a job board, a job mapping function and includes resources to support job seekers, such as childcare and school locations, Employment Ontario sites, transit routes, as well as information to support job seekers as they search in this physical distancing environment. Workforce Planning Board Executive Director Charlene Hofbauer joined Rogers TV show In Studio recently to discuss the early launch of findyourjob.ca.

The online Workforce Matching Portal helps match front-line workers with employers during COVID-19. Eligible health care providers are those who may be working part-time and want to and are prepared to increase their work hours or former healthcare providers who are retired, or on inactive status with their regulatory college.

Experts at the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) offer advice on how to create and lead an effective, immigrant-inclusive team, including the importance of intercultural competence and knowing the strengths of your team. 

A short Statistics Canada study suggests that immigrants to Canada may be more concerned about the impact of COVID-19 than Canadian-born people. Read more here.
Creating New Jobs and Opportunities

The Government of Canada is expanding existing federal employment, skills development, and youth programming to create up to 116,000 jobs, placements, and other training opportunities to help students find employment and develop valuable skills this summer and over the coming months. Learn more about the programs.

Community service organizations working to meet the needs of vulnerable seniors (55+) impacted by the pandemic are encouraged to apply to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund to Support Seniors through United Way Waterloo Region Communities. DEADLINE: MAY 11, 4pm.
Psychology Tools has put together this free guide “Living with worry and anxiety amidst global uncertainty.” It includes a mixture of psychoeducation about normal and excessive worry, lots of normalization, and a selection of practical exercises anyone can use to manage worry and maintain well-being in these uncertain times. Available in about 40 languages.

This new resource is available on the Wellbeing Waterloo Region website. The purpose of the resource is to offer emotional support and practical ideas for people experiencing grief and accompanying someone who is dying.

Visit Wellbeing Waterloo Region's Mental and Spiritual Wellbeing During COVID-19 page for up-to-date resources and services related to spiritual and mental wellness. The resources have been adapted to be virtual or phone-based in order to allow for social distancing. In case of crisis, please call 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247.

North York Community House, Department of Imaginary Affairs and Freelance Consultant, Marco Campana created a survey to check in with immigrant and refugee-serving sector workers across the country. These survey results provide a sense of trends of how the sector is coping during a pandemic.
Social Impact Youth Survey / Impacts Sociaux - Sondage auprès des jeunes

The Association for Canadian Studies’ COVID-19 Social Impact Network , in partnership with Experiences Canada and the Vanier Institute of the Family , is looking for info related to children’s experiences during the #COVID19 crisis with this survey. The results will be used to inform social policy.

For children between the ages of 12 and 17
Resources for Spending Time at Home during COVID-19
Discover what KPL Kids has to offer -Games, e-books and videos and more- from the comfort of your living room.

Stay engaged and active during the COVID-19 situation!
We Are in This Together
The Kitchener Sports Association is once again reaching out to the community. Volunteers recently delivered lunches to the staff at A.R. Goudie long-term care home in Kitchener. The initiative drew collaborative support from the Kitchener Knights of Columbus and the Canadian Albanian Association of KW.
Just call it the latest in product innovation coming from Waterloo Region. The Kitchener-based fiber-reinforced plastic product manufacturer Imagine Fiberglass Products has created a COVID-19 testing station like no other.
Webinars
YMCA Newcomer Computer Literacy Program, Mondays -Wednesdays,
12-1:30pm, via zoom
Organized by YMCA Immigrant Services, this program covers topics such as computer basics, using internet and introduction to Microsoft: Word (May 11-27), Excel (June 3-29) and PowerPoint (July 6-29).
Supporting Refugee Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic (for private refugee sponsors) May 13,
2- 4pm
Join RSTP for a webinar session for refugee sponsors to look at the reasons why former refugees may be more vulnerable to experiencing re-traumatization during the COVID-19 pandemic and receive tips on how to support sponsored newcomers who may be showing signs of re-traumatization.
CERIC Webinars: Remote Experiential Learning (May 13) & Gap Years for Students (May 15), 12-1pm
CERIC is offering two upcoming free webinars starting this week with presenters who will bring their perspectives and ideas to explore what potential options students may have and how we can support them as career practitioners.
Yoga for Refugees, May 14, 1-2pm
“Yoga for refugees: Shifting out of survival mode and into interoception” is a webinar that will explain the key differences between a studio yoga class and TCTSY, as well as will bring a personal experience of working in a UN Refugee Camp at the Lebanon-Syrian border. By the Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project.
Portes ouvertes virtuelles de l'École secondaire David-Saint-Jacques,
May 14, 6:30pm
Community members are invited to this virtual Open House of the newest Kitchener High school: École secondaire David-Saint-Jacques.
Le Stress Post-Covid: Comprendre et Intervenir, May 15, 10:30-11:30am
Le Réseau en Immigration Francophone du Centre-Sud-Ouest is organizing this webinar that will focus on understanding the psychological issues related to Covid-19 and supporting your clients when resuming activities.
These workshops will provide front line workers with a safe and supportive space to learn about compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout debriefing process, and collective care during an unprecedented time. 
The intersection of Race, Mental Health and Stigma in the Age of COVID-19,
May 15, 1-2pm EST
This Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion webinar examines the compounding mental health and workplace impacts of COVID-19 towards diverse employees, with a focus on individuals of East-Asian and Indigenous backgrounds.
The Future (of Work) is Now. Adapting for Change, Zoom Webinar, May 19, 11am-12pm
Communitech and the Waterloo Region Future of Work & Learning Coalition invite community members to an exclusive one-hour webcast to explore how workplace and workforce trends are changing the ways we work and learn.
The WES Gateway Program: Credential Assessment for Refugees and Displaced Individuals, May 28, 1-2pm
Join World Education Services (WES) to learn more about the WES Gateway Program, an initiative that provides credential evaluation to skilled refugees and displaced individuals who lack access to official academic documents.
Canada Council for Refugees Spring Virtual Consultation 2020,
Several Dates, 2pm
This Virtual Consultation will feature a series of webinars and online meetings  to explore current issues affecting refugee protection and newcomer settlement. With views from all Canadian provinces and with experts in diverse fields, the Consultation offers opportunities for professional development, networking and strategy.
Get Set Learn Spring 2020 Program (Online), Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:30-11:30am
Get Set Learn is a free program for parents with children ages birth to 6 years old to get ideas for fun activities at home and tips for helping children learn and get ready for school. To sign up, call 519-570-3054 or email [email protected] . Registration remains open until May 15.
Working with Newcomer Seniors and their Mental Health Issues, 
June 10, 1-2pm
This Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project webinar will outline promising practices for addressing the unique settlement, integration and mental health needs of older immigrants and refugees.
COVID 19 Coverage: 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 ( [email protected] ) and Alejandra Amezquita Gutierrez ( [email protected] )
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