Voies vers la prospérité: Canada

Tuesday, January 18 | Mardi, 18 janvier
A Look at the Experience in Dealing with Major Legal Problems Faced by Immigrants in Western and Central Canada  (Video Recording)
Chair: Maciej Karpinski, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

The objective of this panel is to discuss the findings of two studies on major legal problems faced by immigrants in the area of civil law. The studies aim to explore:
(a) the types of legal problems experienced by immigrants and temporary residents in everyday life;
(b) the strategies used to resolve these problems;
(c) the challenges encountered in the process; and
(d) the long-term socio-economic impact of having dealt with those problems.

The panel will present the key findings in each of these areas, including how the findings apply to certain immigrant groups. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will also be explored.

• Introduction (Download Presentation)
  Maciej Karpinski, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• The 2021 Canada Major Legal Problem Survey: An Overview 
  Susan McDonald, Department of Justice
• A Qualitative Look at Serious Legal Problems Facing Immigrants in London and Toronto, Ontario (Download Presentation) 
  Victoria Esses and Alina Sutter, University of Western Ontario
• A Qualitative Look at Serious Legal Problems Faced by Immigrants in Greater Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia (Download Presentation) 
  Florentien Verhage, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

Tuesday, February 1 | Mardi, 1 février
Helping Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) Achieve Success in a Post-COVID World (Video Recording) (Download all presentations)
Chair: Carol Derby, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Offering IEPs a pathway to success is vital in our complex post-COVID world. ISANS offers personalized, goal-oriented language and employment counselling to IEPs, which may lead to one of our many sector-specific bridging programs. These programs focus on the unique language and employment needs of each sector, including professional communication, job search strategies and competency assessment, all framed in the context of Skills for Success and designed to minimize employability gaps. Upon completion, many clients achieve successful, meaningful employment in their sector. This workshop will explore each component of our approach, focusing on recommended practices, COVID impacts and innovative technology.

• Setting the Tone for a Successful Language Learning Plan
  Andrea Taylor, Language Counsellor, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Accounting for COVID Limitations: Providing Innovative and Adaptive Employment Counselling Services
  Cassidy Sholl, Supervisor, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Developing and Delivering Relevant, Customized and Responsive Language Curriculum
  Sarah Sampara, Team Lead, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Bridging Programs and Competency Assessments Amid COVID Restrictions
  Tanja Matthews, Supervisor, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Tuesday, February 8 | Mardi, 8 février
The Links For Success Program – Restoring Professional Dignity to Underemployed Foreign Trained Professionals (Video Recording) (Download all presentations)
Chair: Frank Bessai, Catholic Social Services

The Links for Success Program is a three-month course which combines hands on volunteering, one on one coaching and mentorship with weekly group learning sessions. Links for Success provides a valuable experience to Foreign Trained Professionals who have struggled to enter the Canadian workforce. The program has proven to be successful in assisting Newcomers in building their confidence to achieve their professional goals is Canada.

• Frank Bessai, Team Leader, Immigration and Settlement Service, Catholic Social Services
• Irit Shaposhnikov, Program Coordinator, Immigration and Settlement Service, Catholic Social Services

Tuesday, February 15 | Mardi, 15 février
Resilient Mothers During Crises: Lessons Learned from Isolated and Vulnerable Mothers During COVID-19 (Video Recording)
Chair: Debbie Bell, Mothers Matter Centre

Overcoming the challenges of a global pandemic requires resilience and hope, two qualities that are difficult to hold on to during uncertain times. Isolated and vulnerable mothers enrolled in the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program defied those odds, and despite the disproportional impact of the global pandemic on their lives, they proved that they are catalysts of change in their homes, communities, and society. In this workshop, The Mothers Matter Centre will present its Mothering During Covid-19 Discussion Series between Madame Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Mrs Sharon Johnston, and HIPPY mothers. We will highlight the lessons learned from the discussions on coping with and responding to crises and share best practices for Social Purpose Organizations to build mothers’ capacity in Canada.

• Lessons learned from Isolated and Vulnerable Mothers in Canada
  Sharon Johnston, Honourary Patron of the Mothers Matter Centre
• Mothering During COVID-19: The Story of a Resilient Mother
  Subhita Nair, HIPPY Home Visitor at Regina Immigrant Women South Centre
• The role of HIPPY Home Visitors and Coordinators in Supporting Isolated Mothers During Crises
  Suchana Bhowmik, Saskatoon Open Doors Society
• Building the Capacity of Isolated and Vulnerable Mothers, One Home at a Time
  Debbie Bell, CEO and President of Mothers Matter Centre

Tuesday, February 22 | Mardi, 22 février
Newcomer Labour Market Integration in Pandemic Times: New Perspectives on Gender and Language (Video Recording)
Chair: Luisa Veronis, University of Ottawa

Canadian immigration policy has long been used as a tool to meet the demands of the labour market. The papers in this workshop will address various dimensions of a policy paradox. While immigrant selection has emphasized the recruitment of ‘high-skilled’ migrants, many newly arrived immigrants often experience downward mobility and some do not catch up to their Canadian counterparts. The papers in this workshop will drill into this paradox by asking: What can we learn from immigrant labour market experiences? In what ways are gender and language implicated in employment experiences? How did COVID impact newcomers in the labour market?

• Women, Work and COVID-19 (Download Presentation)
  Katherine Scott, Senior Economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
• The Difference That ‘Race’, Gender and Immigration Status Make: Diverse Labour Market Outcomes in Ottawa-Gatineau’s Services Economy (Download Presentation)
  Brian Ray, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa
• Over Educated and Under Qualified: Super-skilled Immigrant Women’s Work Integration in Canada (Download Presentation)
  Amrita Hari, Women’s and Gender Studies, Carleton University, and Luciara Nardon, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University
• The Role of Gender and Language in the Ottawa-Gatineau Labour Market: English- and French-speaking Newcomers’ Experiences and Perspectives (Download Presentation)
  Christina Gabriel, Department of Political Science, Carleton University, and Luisa Veronis, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa

Tuesday, March 1 | Mardi,1 mars
Cultural Brokers’ Support to Newcomer Families Facing Systemic Barriers: Before, During and Post COVID-19 Pandemic (Video Recording)
Chair: Sara Torres, Laurentian University

The crucial support that Cultural Brokers have provided, and continue to provide, to newcomer families during the COVID-19 pandemic crises is unprecedented. In this workshop we provide examples of actions taken by Cultural Brokers before the pandemic, and we illustrate how those actions are foundational to support newcomer families during and post pandemic. We illustrate cases of families experiencing socio-economic vulnerability, and in particular, families with individuals who have disabilities, families who do not speak English or French, families who are new to the country, families dealing with the child welfare system, and families with precarious immigration status.

• Supporting Families from Diverse Backgrounds and Abilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Download Presentation)
  Traicy Robertson, Manitoba Possible
• Psychosocial support to immigrant and refugee families: Challenges and Lessons learned during the pandemic (Download Presentation)
  Mei-Chi Chan, Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative
• Family health, resilience and Cross Cultural Health Brokers responses during the pandemic (Download Presentation)
  Raquel Velasquez, Umbrella Multicultural Health Co-op
• Cultural Brokers’ support to newcomer families dealing with child protection issues: before, during and post COVID-19 pandemic (Download Presentation)
  Sara Torres, Laurentian University and Co-chair of Community Health Workers Network of Canada

Tuesday, March 8 | Mardi, 8 mars
Lessons Learned From a Mental Health Model of Care and Advocacy for Immigrants and Refugees (Video Recording) (Download all presentations)
Chair: Ana Maria Pavon, Vancouver Island Counselling Center for Immigrants and Refugees (VICCIR)

This workshop offers an overview of the insights and learnings of setting a mental health model for immigrants and refugees in Canada. VICCIR provides a unique mental health model and response to eliminating barriers to accessing appropriate professional care. Having advocacy at the core of our values and transitioning to a telehealth environment, an organic model of care pivoting over a psychological and social package have been a challenge and a test of resilience. A sound team of trained interpreters and counsellors and continuous supervision and training are some of the key elements of this model.

• Ana Pavon, Registered Clinical Counsellor, VICCIR
• Abeer Smadi, Social and Community Service Worker and Volunteer Coordinator, VICCR
• Latifa Elalaoui, Arabic Interpreter, VICCIR

Tuesday, March 15 | Mardi, 15 mars
Odin: Digital Inclusion in a Pandemic Situation – A Project by the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration and Oslo Municipality (Video Recording)
Chair: Eva Hugenschmidt, The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)

In this workshop, we will share and discuss major learnings from the Odin project, a digital conversation and communication platform developed for immigrants with limited language and computer skills.
1) Challenges when entering or re-entering the labor market
2) Enablement for active participation
3) Engaging in the complexity of the system according to the users learning capacity and language skills
4) An inclusive solution for you and me

• Eva Hugenschmidt, The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)
• Mihalis Kassotakis, Oslo Municipality

Tuesday, March 22 | Mardi, 22 mars
Equally Safe: Coordinated Community Response System – A Best Practice Model for Gender-Based Violence, Family and Domestic Violence (Video Recording) (Download all presentations)
Chair: Richard Kendall, YW Calgary

This presentation highlights Equally Safe as a best practice model of coordinated community response system to tackle gender based, family, and domestic violence. The model launched during pandemic, focuses on leveraging mutual resources and subject matter expertise, culturally sensitive triage and supports to clients, perpetrators and whole family as a unit.

• Rekha Gadhia, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA)
• Tre Ostroski, Awo Taan Healing Lodge
• Glenn Andruschuk, Calgary Police Service (CPS)
• Katharina Zacharias, Kerby Centre

Tuesday, March 29 | Mardi, 29 mars
Meilleure pratique pour l’établissement et l’intégration des élèves et leurs familles nouvellement arrivées au Canada (Vidéo) (Télécharger la presentation)
Chair: Louis Kdouh, COPA National

Le COPA a d’abord conçu son programme à Toronto en 2010 pour répondre aux besoins réels et distincts des familles nouvellement arrivées en Ontario, plus particulièrement pour les aider à surmonter les difficultés qu’elles éprouvaient en naviguant dans le système scolaire. La reproduction du programme SWIS n’a pas donné les résultats escomptés vu que la population immigrante d’expression française était plus vulnérable et plus marginalisée et avait accès à moins de services et de ressources en français. C’est ainsi que le Programme des TÉÉ a été créé par des francophones pour des francophones. Il connaît un tel succès qu’IRCC le désigne comme un modèle à suivre pour les autres communautés canadiennes qui accueillent une population immigrante francophone.

• Yollande Dweme Pitta, University of Toronto et COPA National
• Randa Meshki, COPA National
• Céliine Duguay, COPA National
• Louis Kdouh, COPA National

Tuesday April 5 | Mardi, 5 avril
Ethnic Media for Outreach Professionals: Addressing Challenges in Newcomer Settlement and Integration by Engaging Multicultural Community Media (Video Recording)
Chair: Blythe Irwin, MIREMS

Understanding and engaging with multicultural media is key to addressing settlement and integration challenges faced by newcomers to Canada in real time. Six experts will share more than one hundred years of unique experience, followed by an audience Q&A on the practical how to of cross-cultural media relations and outreach.

• Forty Years On: The History and Causes of Organized Ethnic Media (Download Presentation)
  Madeline Ziniak, C.M., O. Ont., CEMA
• Ethnic Journalism Then and Now: A Key to Understanding Cultural Diversity 
  George Abraham, Publisher, New Canadian Media
• Ethnic Media Election Coverage: Commonalities and Differences, a 2019 Case Study (Download Presentation)
  Andrew Griffith, fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Environics Institute, former director general of Citizenship and Multiculturalism (now Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)
• What You Would Find If You Could Read Thirty Languages: Joining the Multilingual Conversation (Download Presentation)
  Silke Reichrath, Editor in Chief, MIREMS
• Getting to Know and Reaching Out to Your Ethnic Media (Download Presentation)
  Blythe Irwin, Sources and Outreach Director, MIREMS
• Forty-four Years of Ethnic Media Relations: Lessons Learned (Download Presentation)
  Andres Machalski, President, MIREMS International Inc.

Tuesday, April 12 | Mardi, 12 avril
The Future is Now: Enabling Immigrant Youth Workforce Inclusion (Video Recording)
Chair: Tasha Truant, World Education Services

This session highlights key strategies rooted in collaboration to improve the labour market outcomes of immigrant youth. Youth, and immigrant youth in particular, were one of the demographics hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. While exacerbated by the pandemic, these trends of un- and underemployment are consistent with long-standing patterns relating to labour market inclusion of immigrant youth in Canada. Featuring select members of the National Roundtable on Immigrant Youth Workforce Development, this workshop provides unique insights from employers, service providers, and post-secondary institutions on how to drive change, create impact, and support positive long-term employment outcomes and economic empowerment of immigrant youth.

• A Solid Foundation: Expanding Access to Work Integrated Learning Opportunities (Download Presentation)
  Theresa Jones – World Education Services
• Emerging Innovation: Increasing Youth Representation in Entrepreneurship (Download Presentation)
  Juanita Lee-Garcia, Venture for Canada
• The Role of Post-Secondary Institutions in International Student and Immigrant Youth Inclusion (Download Presentation)
  Sarah Anderson, Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, Prabhpreet Singh Bassi, Ryerson University
• Employer Engagement for Successful Outcomes (Download Presentation)
  Denisse Alejo, NPower Canada

Tuesday, April 19 | Mardi, 5 avril
Amplifying Newcomer Voices During the Pandemic (Video Recording)
Chair: Yvonne Lai, New Canadians Centre Peterborough

We present three programs that kept newcomer voices at the forefront in the midst of the isolation imposed by the pandemic. Through the Living Library, newcomer children were engaged in developing “Building a Home”, a children’s book that is inspired by their artwork and candid accounts of settlement. Newcomers were also engaged in training in storytelling and audio/radio production to share their stories through podcasts and on local radio. The New Canadians Centre Young Leaders (NCCYL) and the Newcomer Leadership Group provides youth and adults with a platform to explore their own stories while building leadership skills. Both groups have produced digital resources to support settlement and integration.

• “This is my story…” – Building Bridges Through Storytelling (Download Presentation) 
  Bhisham Ramoutar, New Canadians Centre Peterborough
• Empowering Newcomer Youth as Community Leaders (Download Presentation) 
  Lubna Sadek, New Canadians Centre Peterborough
• Building Capacity for Newcomer Leadership (Download Presentation) 
  Yvonne Lai, New Canadians Centre Peterborough

Tuesday, April 26 | Mardi, 26 avril
Les besoins en main d’œuvre dans les communautés francophones en situation minoritaire (Vidéo)
Chair: Yollande Dweme Mbukuny Pitta, University of Toronto et COPA National

Il y a des pénuries de main d’œuvre partout au Canada mais le problème est particulièrement grave dans les collectivités éloignées et du Nord où d’importantes communautés francophones en situation minoritaire résident. Pour la survie et la vitalité des CFSM, il est essentiel de répondre à ces pénuries. Quelles sont les bonnes pratiques mises en place pour les acteurs locaux pour attirer et garder les travailleurs qualifiés francophones? Quelles sont les solutions apportées, et les lacunes, à l’intégration, dans leurs professions, des professionnels formés à l’étranger ? Quels types de partenariats faudrait-il développer?

• Yollande Dweme M. Pitta, University of Toronto et COPA National (Télécharger la presentation)
• Roukya Abdi Aden, RDÉE Canada (Télécharger la presentation)
• Aurélie Lacassagne, Université d’Ottawa et Université Saint-Paul

Tuesday, May 3 | Mardi, 3 mai
Supporting Immigrant Women and Gender Diverse People in the Pandemic (Video Recording) (Download Presentations)
Chair: Paulina Babkin, Skills for Change

This workshop aims to create a space for reflection on how the pandemic has affected the wellbeing of women and gender diverse people, particularly from racialized refugees and immigrant groups. We will look at how gender, status and race intersect and what we can learn from taking an intersectional approach in terms of meeting the needs of these populations.

• Titilola Elizabeth Omotosho, Skills for Change
• Paulina Babkin, Skills for Change