National Settlement Conference 2
(Calgary - October 2-5, 2003)
Proceedings
Table of Contents
[ SECTION 1 ]
ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR INITIATIVE
Description
of the Voluntary Sector Initiative
The
Strengthening Settlement Capacity Project: A Voluntary Sector Initiative
The
National Settlement Conference I
The
Voluntary Sector Working Groups
Working
Group I: How to Maximize Current Settlement Work
Working
Group II: Smaller Community Strategy
Working
Group III: The Settlement Accord
Working
Group IV: Settlement Standards/Professionalization and Accountability
The
National Settlement Conference II
Contributions
and Planning of the NSC II
Key
Recommendations
[ SECTION 2 ]
The
Ontario Election
Changing
Demography
Growing
Power of the Immigrant Vote Bank
The
Failure of the Right-Wing War on Immigrants
Aftermath
of September 11
[ SECTION 3 ]
Policy
Development in Canada and How to Influence It – Presentation by
Naomi Alboim
Policy
Making in Government: A Regional Perspective – Presentation by Rob
Vineberg
Influencing
Policy Development: An NGO Perspective – Presentation by Janet Dench
How
to Influence Public Policy from a Political Perspective – Presentation
by Marc Khouri
[ SECTION 4 ]
Interest
Group Meeting A – Health Interest Group Meeting
Interest
Group Meeting B – Employment
Interest
Group Meeting C – Language
Interest
Group Meeting D – Host/Volunteer/Community Bridging
Interest
Group Meeting E – Refugee Issues
Interest
Group Meeting F – Partnership Building
Interest
Group Meeting G – Education and Immigrant Youth
[ SECTION 5 ]
Workshop
1A – Regionalization: For Immigrants Only? Fields of Dreams
or Gulags!
Workshop
1B – The Integration of Francophone Immigrants Outside Quebec:
Challenges and Perspectives (Policy Workshop)
Workshop
1C – Non-Governmental Organization Resources for Settlement
Policy Development, Planning and Service Delivery: Challenges and Opportunities
(Policy Workshop)
Workshop
1D – Settlement in Smaller Centres and Rural Areas
Workshop
2A – Addressing Domestic Abuse from a Culturally Sensitive Perspective
Within the Settlement Sector
Workshop
2B – Protecting Refugee Claimants: New Ideas Concerning Services
Workshop
2C – Integrated Bridging Programs for Immigrant Professionals:
Development of an ETIP-based Template for Application to Other Professionals
Workshop
2D – Renewing the Relationship Between Government and Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) (Policy Workshop)
Workshop
2E – Persons Without Immigration Status in Canada (Policy Workshop)
Workshop
2F – Settlement and Integration: Then and Now
Workshop
2G – The New Canadian English Language Benchmarks Assessment
for Nurses: A Model for Other Professions and Trades
Workshop
2H – Funding Agency Infrastructure: An Ongoing Struggle (Policy
Workshop)
Workshop
3A – Innovation in Immigrant and Refugee Youth-Focused Programming
Workshop
3B – Participation of Newcomers and Minorities in Canadian Political
Processes (Policy Workshop)
Workshop
3C – Fostering Successful Integration of Refugees and Immigrants
by Addressing Barriers to Employment
Workshop
3D – What Kinds of Services Do Newcomers Want? (Policy Workshop)
Workshop
3E – Impact of the Canadian Language Benchmarks on National
Settlement and Integration and the Need for a National Strategy
Workshop
3F – Building Support Networks for Refugees with Special Needs:
Joint Assistance Sponsorships (JAS)
Workshop
4A – National VSI Working Group 4: Settlement Standards/Professionalism
and Accountability – Toward a Common Approach to Developing Outcomes
in the Immigrant Settlement Sector
Workshop
4B – Manitoba Qualifications Recognition Initiative
Workshop
4C – Intercultural Intervention in School and Professional Orientation
and Issues of Culture, Migration and Mindset in Career of Settlement Counselling
Workshop
4D – Transplanted from War Zones: A Canadian Approach to a Creative
Art Garden Program
Workshop
5A – National VSI Working Group 1: How to Maximize Current Settlement
Work – Promising Policies and Practices for Maximizing Settlement
Work
Workshop
5B – National VSI Working Group 2: Small Centre Strategy –
(Regional Dispersion and Retention of Immigrants)
Workshop
5C – Continuation of Session 1C (NGOs and Settlement Policy)
and the Plenary on VSI Working Groups
Workshop
5D – National VSI Working Group 4: Settlement Standards/Professionalization
and Accountability – Do We Really Need Standards? Answering That
Million Dollar Question
Workshop
5E – The Integration of Newcomers Within Francophone Minority
Communities
Workshop
6A – Gateway to Asia Project: An Economic Integration Service
Model for New Immigrants
Workshop
6B – Outreach: Integrating Through Literacy Instruction and
Involvement in Schools’ Community
Workshop
7A – Access to Professions and Trades: Innovative Community
Capacity Building Initiatives and Policy Development in British Columbia
and Ontario
Workshop
7C – Mental Health and Settlement: Building Capacity with Newcomer
Communities
Workshop
7D – Meeting the Health Needs of Refugee Clients: Issues, Challenges,
Strategies
Workshop
7E – Challenges in the Host Society in Intercultural and Professional
Matching
Workshop
8A – Immigrant Seniors: No Longer a Forgotten Group
Workshop
8B – Sustainable Employment
Workshop
8C – The Impact of Regionalization Strategies on the Community
Workshop
8D – Addressing "English as a Second Language Literacy
Needs" Effectively
Workshop
8E – Immigrant Men: Their Struggle with Multiple Realities
Workshop
8F – Training and Accreditation of Settlement Practitioners:
The Alberta Initiative
[ SECTION 6 ]
WORKING GROUP REPORTS AND KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations
from Working Group 1: Maximizing Settlement Working Group
Recommendations
from Working Group 2: Small Centre Strategy
Recommendations
from Working Group 3: Settlement Accord
Recommendations
from Working Group 4: Settlement Standards, Professionalization and Accountability
[ SECTION 7 ]
The
15 Themes Arising out of the Recommendations
- Funding
- Significant Policy Changes, New Policy Development
and Policy Clarification
- Program Design Changes
- Specific Suggestions for the Need for Resources
- Suggestions for Improvements to Program Implementation
- The Need for Information Sharing Mechanisms
- The Need for Public Awareness Strategies
- The Need for Information and Training
- Research
- Better Federal and Provincial Collaboration and
Cooperation
- The Need to Develop Collaborative and Strategic
Mechanisms with Other Stakeholders
- Accountability
- The Need for Pan-Canadian Policies and Programs
That Allow for Regional Variations
- Specific Recommendations Relevant to Immigrant
Sub-Groups
- Recommendations on Maturing the Relationship Between
the Sector and the Federal Government (including CIC)
The
VSI Working Groups
- Maximizing Current Settlement Work
- Small Centre Strategy
- Settlement Accord
- Settlement Standards, Professionalization and
Accountability
Next
Steps
- Conference Proceedings
- Analysis of the Recommendations
- Series of Options for Ongoing Relations
[ SECTION 8 ]
Evaluation
of the Conference Overall
Evaluation
of the Workshops and Interest Group Meetings
Evaluation
of the Working Groups and the Conference
Evaluation
of the Organization of the Conference
[ SECTION 9 ]
Settlement
Outcomes
Better
Pre-Arrival Information for Newcomers
Potential
of Newcomers (Immigrants and Refugees) Is Fully Recognized and Appreciated
Build
Capacity of Local Communities to Attract and Retain Immigrants and Refugees
Settlement
Services Are Professional and Relevant
Newcomers
Acquire the Appropriate Resources to Bridge Their Talent and Skills
Settlement
Services Are Appropriately Funded and Accountable to All Canadians
Constructive
Dialogue Between Government and the Settlement Sector in the Development
of Policies and Programs
Canadians
Are Sensitized to the Positive Contribution of Immigrants and Refugees
VSI
Outcomes
A.
Independence
B.
Interdependence
C.
Dialogue
D.
Cooperation and Collaboration
E.
Accounting to Canadians
F.
Commitments to Action
[ APPENDIX ]
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