National Settlement Conference II
Community Building Strategies for the 21st Century:
Innovation, Inclusion and Partnership
SATURDAY OCTOBER 4, 2003
8:00 – 9:00 BREAKFAST
(BRITANNIA)
9:00 – 10:30 PLENARY ON VOLUNTARY SECTOR INITIATIVE (VSI) NATIONAL
WORKING GROUPS
(SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION AVAILABLE)
During this session, the co-chairs of the 4 VSI national working groups,
which were given their mandate to pursue specific policy and program issues
at NSCI, will report on their activities and their findings and will table
the discussion documents and any recommendations the groups have developed.
The 4 VSI national working groups are as follows: 1) How to Maximize Current
Settlement Work, 2) Small Centre Strategy, 3) Settlement Accord, and 4)
Settlement Standards/Professionalisation and Accountability.
Location: Britannia
10:30 – 11:00 BREAK
11:00 – 12:30 WORKSHOPS 4A TO 4E
4A National VSI Working Group 4: Settlement Standards/ Professionalisation
and Accountability - Towards a Common Approach to Developing Outcomes
in the Immigrant Settlement Sector (Simultaneous Interpretation Available)
Location: Bonavista
Presenters: Sherman Chan (Canadian Council for Refugees, British Columbia),
Teresa Pires (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, NHQ), Rob Boldt (Government
of British Columbia, British Columbia) and Mario Allende (Government of
Alberta, Alberta)
Moderator: Sangeeta Subramanian
Context: With the goal to create a common approach to work to develop
outcomes in the immigrant settlement sector, innovative performance measurement
and evaluation work is ongoing in three jurisdictions: CIC, Alberta, and
British Columbia.
Objectives: To review the performance measurement and evaluation work
from the three jurisdictions; to explore the implications of moving towards
a national framework for performance measurement and evaluation.
Format: Following an introduction to the “logic model” methodology
that frames the work, the presenters will describe progress made in their
respective jurisdictions and the challenges that arise. Participants can
then share their own experiences and discuss the implications of moving
towards a national framework.
4B Manitoba Qualifications Recognition Initiative
Location: Eau Claire North
Presenters: Ximena Munoz and Eileen May (Government of Manitoba, Manitoba)
Moderator: Bridget Foster
Context: In 2002, the Manitoba government recognised that it needed a
new approach to programs that address non-recognition of foreign credentials.
Representatives from eight provincial departments are currently drafting
a broad-based strategy that will examine this key issue.
Objectives: To present and discuss an overview of Manitoba’s innovative
qualifications recognition initiative; to highlight the strategies that
are generated by the initiative.
Format: Although the workshop content is specific to Manitoba, the presenters
hope it will generate a great deal of participant feedback and that the
ideas shared will be portable to other provinces.
4C Intercultural Intervention in School and Professional Orientation
and Issues of Culture, Migration and Mindset in Career of Settlement Counselling
(Simultaneous Interpretation Available)
Location: Rideau/Mount Royal
Presenters: Frédérick Proteau (Service d’orientation
et d’intégration des immigrants au travail, Quebec), Heather
Plaizier and Kumarie Achaibar-Morrison (Catholic Social Services, Alberta)
Moderator: Diane Fisher
Objectives: 1) To share the intercultural practices of the Service d’orientation
et d’intégration des immigrants au travail (SOIIT), an employment
integration service; 2) To examine how values and mindset can affect communication
style and decision-making for counsellors attempting to deliver culturally
competent service.
Format: 1) An overview of an orientation process that embraces the cultural
profile of immigrants to enhance their social and professional integration;
topics to include the impact of values on the career path and the issues
with North American orientation practices; 2) A detailed model for cultural
competency, including culture-centred interview skills and culturological
assessment tools.
4D Transplanted From War Zones: A Canadian Approach to a Creative Art
Garden Program
Location: Barclay
Presenters: Jim Wolfe (Needs Centre for War Affected Families, Manitoba)
and Dr. Rob Chase (Health Sciences Centre, Manitoba)
Moderator: Linda Dirkson
Context: Art gardens are highly effective means of working with youth
who have been transplanted from war zones. This innovative approach connects
the youth to communities, schools, refugee serving agencies, artists and
storytellers and creative art therapy programs.
Objectives: To describe the development and early results of the Acorn
Gardens in Anola, Manitoba; to detail two models upon which Acorn Gardens
is based—The Spiral Garden in Toronto and The Butterfly Garden in
Sri Lanka.
Format: An interactive presentation will help delegates to picture the
sights, sounds and experiences shared by children as they work together
in art, play, drama and nature in a garden setting. Questions, sharing
of resources and feedback from the audience will be encouraged.
4E Immigrants with Disabilities and the Migratory Process (Simultaneous
Interpretation Available)
Location: Britannia
Presenter: Teresa Penafiel (Association multi-ethnique pour l’intégration
des personnes handicapées, Quebec)
Moderator: Stephan Reichhold
Context: Estimates indicate that 10% of all newcomers are people with
functional limitations.
Objectives: To highlight the difficulties faced by immigrants with disabilities
and explore the importance of having appropriate measures in place from
the moment of their arrival; to detail programs and services specifically
for persons with disabilities and explore ways of improving those services.
Format: The presenter will review the work of the Association multi-ethnique
pour l’intégration des personnes handicapées. The
workshop will include small group discussion.
11:00 – 3:15 WORKSHOPS 5A TO 5E
5A National VSI Working Group 1: How to Maximize Current Settlement
Work - Promising Policies and Practices for Maximizing Settlement Work
(Simultaneous Interpretation Available)
Location: Eau Claire South
Presenters: Bill McMichael (Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks,
British Columbia), Joan Texeira (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, NHQ)
Context: At the first National Settlement Conference the working group
How to Maximize Current Settlement Work was formed to address issues on
promising policies and practices for maximizing settlement work.
Objectives: The purpose of this workshop is to help to bring new ideas
for policy and service delivery to the public discourse on settlement
and integration. The policy issues addressed will include settlement funding,
and ‘pre-arrival’ information for newcomers. The group will
also report the results of first-language community consultations in Vancouver,
Edmonton, Regina, and Toronto immigrant and refugee communities. This
research, conducted in the Winter of 2002 and Spring of 2003, focused
on exemplary settlement practice, from the perspectives of the newcomer
and the service provider. The research design and findings will be presented.
Format: Discussion papers on “promising policies” and “best
practices” will be presented to the audience for comments and feedback.
Recommendations will be put forward.
5B National VSI Working Group 2: Small Centre Strategy - Report of the
National Working Group on Small Centre Strategy (Regional Dispersion and
Retention of Immigrants)
Location: Banff
Presenters: Robert Godkin (Kingston and District Immigrant Services,
Ontario); Lynne Belding (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Prairies
and Northern Territories Region); Tom Denton (Manitoba Refugee Sponsors,
Manitoba)
Moderator: Robert Godkin and Lynne Belding
Context: At the first National Settlement Conference, the National Working
Group on Small Centre Strategy was formed to address policy and practice
issues with respect to regionalisation.
Objectives: To present and discuss the Working Group’s progress
report and ideas for the expansion of its work, including a proposed “tool
box” for the guidance of small communities.
Format: The report will be distributed in advance of the conference,
allowing participants to prepare comments. The panel will detail the report’s
evolution and invite comments on the ideas and policy issues contained.
Participants will be divided into discussion groups to help formulate
ideas for future Working Group deliberations.
5D National VSI Working Group 4: Settlement Standards/ Professionalisation
and Accountability - Do we Really need Standards? – Answering that
Million Dollar Question.
Location: Lougheed
Presenters: Francis Chan (SUCCESS, British Columbia), Velinka Nevrencan
(Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization, Ontario), Paulina Maciulis
(Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, Ontario)
Moderator: Liz Robinson
Context: For over 10 years now, the conversation about program standards
and performance measurement has been an on again, off again kind of affair.
There are those of us who feel that if we want the settlement sector and
those who work in it to be recognized on par with other social service
sectors, then we need to take the initiative and work on setting standards,
measuring performance and “professionalising” the sector.
There are others who feel equally vehemently that this process will change
the character of the sector and we should not be “giving in”
to this general move towards “corporatisation”.
Objectives: In this session, the presenters will move towards developing
a common understanding of what are standards – minimum vs. best
practices? What are the concerns we have about the push for “standardization”?
Is this the thin end of the wedge that will make our sector as rigid in
its working as some of the other sectors? What are the benefits of establishing
program standards and accountability mechanisms within the sector?
Format: The workshop is planned as an interactive facilitated session
with the presenters playing the role of catalysts to engage in dialogue
rather than “expert” presenters.
5E The Integration of Newcomers within Francophone Minority Communities
Location: Lakeview
Presenters: Micheline Doiron (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, NHQ),
Linda Lauzon (Centre des niveaux de compétence linguistiques canadiens,
Ontario), Luketa M’Pindou (Alliance jeunesse famille de l’Alberta
Society, Alberta) and Dulari Prithipaul (Edmonton Immigrants Services
Association, Alberta)
Moderator: Fariborz Birjandian
Context: Recent studies demonstrate that francophone minority communities
in Canada have not benefited from immigration as much as the anglophone
population. Newcomers must be aware of the existence of the two official
languages communities. Francophone communities must ensure successful
social and economic integration of those newcomers in their communities.
Objectives: To achieve these results, a close collaboration between CIC
(Citizenship and Immigration Canada), service providers and the francophone
communities is pivotal. This workshop will emphasize exemplary practices
and initiatives.
Format: 1) Micheline Doiron will present a draft strategic framework
created by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Steering Committee –
Minority Francophone Communities, to promote immigration within francophone
communities; 2) Linda Lauzon will describe the development and national
validation of the Standards linguisitques canadiens including the Test
de classement: version rationalisée developed at the University
of Ottawa; 3) Luketa M’Pindou will present immigration initiatives
in Alberta; 4) Dulari Prithipaul will outline existing hosting and settlement
support services for francophone immigrants in Alberta. There will be
some opportunity for questions.
12:30 – 1:45 LUNCH
(BRITANNIA)
FREE TIME FOR NETWORKING AND EXPLORATION OF RESOURCE AREA
1:45 – 3:15 WORKSHOPS 6A TO 6B
6A Gateway to Asia Project: An Economic Integration Service Model for
New Immigrants
Location: Lake Louise
Presenters: Thomas Tam and Albert Yu (SUCCESS, British Columbia)
Moderator: Sam Laldin
Objectives: To present and discuss Gateway to Asia, a joint project of
SUCCESS and Western Economic Diversification Canada created to connect
new Asian immigrants to Canadian manufacturers and suppliers and to promote
Canadian exports to Asia.
Format: The presenters will examine economic integration as an increasingly
central issue for immigrant serving agencies and describe small business
self-employment as a viable career option for new immigrants. The Gateway
to Asia project will serve as an example of how an economic integration
process can both assist new immigrants and spur local and international
economic development. This is a panel presentation with interactive session.
6B Outreach: Integrating Through Literacy Instruction and Involvement
in Schools’ Community
Location: Eau Claire North
Presenters: Mary Richardson (Vancouver Community College, BC) and Joanne
Meredith (Pineview Catholic School, Ontario)
Moderator: Yvonne Chard
Objectives: To present two related methods for more effectively integrating
adults into new communities: using the instructional methodology in adult
ESL literacy classes; and, encouraging ESL adult learners to become involved
in the schools in their community.
Format: With concrete examples from our communities, the presenters will
emphasize the positive impact that ESL classroom methods and the “integration
into community” approach are having on the success of adult learners
in Canada. Also to be discussed: strategies for removing the barriers
to community integration that learners face. There will be a question
period.
1:45 – 5:15 WORKSHOPS 7A TO 7E
7A Access to Professions and Trades: Innovative Community Capacity Building
Initiatives and Policy Development in British Columbia and Ontario
Location: Rideau/Mount Royal
Presenters: Clifford Bell (Immigrant Services Society of B.C., British
Columbia), Kelly Pollack (MOSAIC, British Columbia), Jane Cullingworth
and Carlos Sebastián (PROMPT members)
Moderator: Jehad Aliweiwi
Objectives:
1) Presenters will provide overviews of two initiatives in Canada: one
in BC—BCITP Net (BC Internationally Trained Professionals Network)
and the other addressing access to professions from an immigrant perspective
in Ontario by PROMPT (Policy Roundtable Mobilizing Professions and Trades);
2) Strategies for immigrant organizing will be presented, focusing on
both the formation of associations and networks;
3) PROMPT will share its policy development process and policy recommendations
for access to professions and trades in the areas of employer strategies,
jurisdictional complexities and accountability mechanisms; and
4) Through small groups, BCITP-Net will facilitate discussion on organizing
strategies and PROMPT will solicit feedback on their policy recommendations.
Format: The session will be interactive
7C Mental Health and Settlement: Building Capacity With Newcomer Communities
Location: Barclay
Presenters: Amanuel Melles and Naga Ramalingam (Family Service Association
of Toronto, Ontario), Nalini Pandalangat and Amie Parikh (Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health, Ontario)
Moderator: Chris Friesen
Objectives: Presenters will share knowledge from programs and initiatives
in mental health promotion of immigrant ethno-racial communities. They
will also review successful application of community capacity building
principles and practices for newcomer communities from war-torn countries.
Format: Participants will work with two case examples: successful strategies
applied in Somali and Tamil communities in Toronto. The session will be
interactive in part and also provide time for questions after presentations.
7D Meeting the Health Needs of Refugee Clients: Issues, Challenges,
Strategies
Location: Brownlee
Presenters: Victoria Stafford (Bridge Community Health Clinic, British
Columbia), Dr. Salim Samanani and Valerie Kiss (Calgary Catholic Immigration
Society, Alberta), and Sarah Bowen (Welcome Place, Manitoba)
Moderator: Morteza Jafarpour
Context: Although considered one of the best in the world, Canada’s
health care system contains barriers to appropriate and timely care of
immigrant refugees.
Objective: To highlight exemplary practices in refugee health care developed
at the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, the Bridge Community Health
Clinic in Vancouver and the Health Advocates Program in Winnipeg.
Format: A combination of PowerPoint presentations, discussion, case study
analysis, and small group activity.
7E Challenges in the Host Society in Intercultural and Professional
Matching (Simultaneous Interpretation Available)
Location: Bonavista
Presenters: Saada Abdi (Centre social d’aide aux immigrants, Quebec),
Malika Agnoug (Centre d’appui aux communautés immigrantes
de Bordeaux-Cartierville, Quebec), José-Maria Ramirez (Comité
d’éducation aux adultes de la Petite Bourgogne et de St-Henri,
Quebec), Safia Shire (CultureLink, Ontario) and Jerry Wu (Immigrant Services
Society of British Columbia, British Columbia)
Moderator: Linda Dirkson
Objectives: 1) To present a new matching concept developed for immigrants
and refugees seeking employment based on their professional competencies;
2) To address a key challenge in intercultural matching: recruiting persons
from the host society; 3) To explore how the HOST program has evolved
to meet the needs of newcomers and examine how it can continue to improve
on this front.
Format: 1) An overview of the requirements for developing a matching
program, including matching stakeholders, working committees and pilot
projects; 2) A description of the matching experiences and successful
recruitment tools from the Comité d’éducation aux
adultes de la Petite Bourgogne et de St-Henri; 3) An historical overview
of HOST, presentations from HOST programs in various provinces, and discussion
of new HOST strategic directions for accommodating newcomers. There will
be limited time for questions.
3:15 – 3:45 BREAK
3:45 – 5:15 WORKSHOPS 8A TO 8F
8A Immigrant Seniors: No Longer a Forgotten Group
Location: Lakeview
Presenters: Lan Doan (Age and Opportunity Centre Inc., Manitoba) and
Shannon MacFarlane (Independent consultant, Manitoba)
Moderator: Martha Bendiner
Objectives: To examine and discuss the unique ESL and cultural needs
of immigrant seniors in Manitoba and other provinces.
Format: The presenters will review the historical development and current
diversity of programs now available to immigrant seniors in Manitoba.
Participants will be encouraged to share their provincial success stories.
The workshop will conclude “A Day in the Life of an ESL Senior,”
as well as a roundtable discussion on the services gaps that exist for
seniors and strategic ideas for closing them.
8B Sustainable Employment (Simultaneous Interpretation Available)
Location: Eau Claire North
Presenters: Marie-Josée Duplessis and Danitka Gibbs (Centre des
femmes de Montréal, Quebec) and Suzanne Marion (Pluri-Elles St-Boniface,
Manitoba)
Moderator: Fariborz Birjandian
Objectives: To present the methods and goals used to foster sustainable
employment among immigrants at the Women’s Centre of Montréal;
to facilitate an exchange of similar expertise from various Canadian organizations
promoting the social and professional integration of immigrants.
Format: The presenters will examine some of the barriers to employment
integration faced by immigrants and explain how their sustainable employment
workshops can increase employment retention by helping immigrant women
understand their work environment and address problems before the situation
deteriorates. There will be a question period.
8C The Impact of Regionalisation Strategies on the Community (Simultaneous
Interpretation Available)
Location: Eau Claire South
Presenters: Mahnaz Fozi (Accueil Bas St-Laurent, Quebec), Karine Verrault
(Centre multiethnique de Quebec, Quebec), Moussa Guene (Promis, Quebec),
and Anne Martin (Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes
réfugiées et immigrantes, Quebec)
Moderator: Stephan Reichhold
Objectives: To evaluate community-level changes brought about by the
process of immigrant regionalisation in Quebec; to examine alternative
approaches adopted by the community in Montreal and other regions.
Format: The presenters will argue that a significant gap exists between
actual integration conditions in various communities and the regionalisation
ideal. Panel presentation followed by an exchange between different provinces
and a discussion period.
8D Addressing English as a Second Language Literacy Needs Effectively
Location: Banff
Presenters: Jennifer Acevedo and Diane Hardy (Bow Valley College, Alberta)
Moderator: Martha Beach
Context: Practitioners face numerous barriers when reaching out to the
ESL literacy population, including the population’s limited reading
and writing skills, the relatively few programs for referral, and the
limited resources available.
Objectives: To highlight four years of ESL literacy research and program
development undertaken at Bow Valley College to identify literacy needs
of adult ESL learners in Alberta.
Format: The presenters will detail how research findings were used to
develop and deliver effective literacy programs and practical resources,
including an instructor’s orientation manual, benchmark checklists
for reading, writing and numeracy, and a learning disability checklist.
8E Immigrant Men: Their Struggle with Multiple Realities
Location: Lougheed
Presenters: Olga Aliaga and Michel-Gary Obas (Centre d’appui aux
communautés immigrantes de Bordeaux-Cartierville, Quebec), Nancy
Chan (Calgary Immigrant Aid Society, Alberta) and Christine Riddell (Calgary
Immigrant Aid Society, Alberta)
Moderator: Bridget Foster and Richard Lecours
Context: Working with immigrant men can be a particular challenge due
to the conflicting realities these men often face. Many do not seek help
for deeper issues such as low self-esteem, and may exhibit discomfort
when discussing the difficulties they confront on a daily basis: unemployment,
poverty, professional dequalification, loss of parental authority, etc.
Objectives: To share methods and perspectives obtained from actual case
experiences while administering services aimed exclusively at immigrant
men; and, help front-line practitioners use tools and existing manuals
to support immigrants and refugee men and fathers in everyday service
delivery.
Format: This workshop will be interactive; participants will be encouraged
to discuss cases and experiences from their own practices.
8F Training and Accreditation of Settlement Practitioners: The Alberta
Initiative
Location: Lake Louise
Presenters: Gail Kingwell and Tara Holmes (Alberta Association of Immigrant
Serving Agencies, Alberta)
Moderator: Lauren Johnson
Context: Since 1998, the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies
(AAISA) in conjunction with two post-secondary institutions in Alberta
has been working on a three-level training program, Accreditation Framework
and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) processes for Settlement
Practitioners.
Objectives: To familiarize the audience with the general nature of the
Framework of Competencies for the Settlement Sector, the training program,
and the suggestions for accreditation and PLAR processes.
Format: Oral presentation with audience participation.
7:00 – 9:30 RECOGNITION EVENT - PRESENTATION OF CITATIONS FOR
CITIZENSHIP
(WESTIN HOTEL - BRITANNIA)
Dr. Yvonne Hébert, University of Calgary (Master of Ceremonies)
Michel Simard, Senior Citizenship Judge (Citizenship and Immigration Canada)
SUNDAY OCTOBER 5, 2003
8:30 – 10:00 NETWORKING BREAKFAST
This is an opportunity for conference delegates to continue to network
and discuss relevant issues.
10:00 – 11:30 PRESENTATION OF STRATEGIES AND KEY RECOMMENDATION
FROM WORKSHOPS, NEXT STEPS
(SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION AVAILABLE)
Naomi Alboim and Chris Friesen (Moderators), Reza Shahbazi (Ontario Council
of Agencies Serving Immigrants) and Rosaline Frith (Citizenship and Immigration
Canada), Co-chairs of the Joint Planning Committee
Location: Britannia
11:30 – 12:00 CONFERENCE EVALUATION BY ALL PARTICIPANTS
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