Presenters 1/16/2019. Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. Promoting Immigrant Integration in Partnership with City Government

Transcription

1 Promoting Immigrant Integration in Partnership with City Government Part I: Setting the Stage January 23, 2019 Presenters Leya Speasmaker Immigrant Integration Manager CLINIC Sara Ramirez Executive Director Catholic Charities of Central Texas (Austin) Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. Support over 330 charitable immigration legal services programs Advocacy, Capacity Building, Training & Legal Support sections Program management, technical assistance, legal training, advocacy training, newsletters, toolkits, resources, and private consultations. 1

2 Today s agenda Integration Vocabulary Agency s role vs Government s role Benefits of partnering with local government Convincing leadership Introduction to Sara Ramirez Challenges to engaging with the city Audience Q&A First things first You have such power at the local level Integration is local Communities are built piece by piece, locally You are the right person for this job Immigrant Integration A dynamic, two way process in which newcomers and the receiving society work together to build secure vibrant and cohesive communities. -Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees 2

3 Integration overview Everyone s responsibility newcomers and receiving community Working alongside and with each other Takes time, patience and flexibility Involves a lot of talking Not a linear process Local and relevant to the immediate community Integration versus: What s in a word? Acculturation Assimilation Americanization Vocabulary overview Receiving community Long term residents of a community Newcomers Immigrants and refugees living in a community Immigrant a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country Refugee a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster Asylee A person who is seeking or has been granted political asylum Foreign born people who have migrated from their country of birth to their current country of residence 3

4 The ideal integration project Solicits input from the newcomer and receiving community Has concrete goals and objectives Has a commitment to the initiative and proper understanding from the organization and staff Has defined methods to determine success We are a city of immigrants; this is a critical thread to our DNA it is our secret sauce. If we are going to compete in a global marketplace, we need to all be working together Mayor Sam Liccardo San Jose, CA 11 Agencies Who are the players? Local government 4

5 What is an agency s role in integration work? Solicit feedback and information from newcomers Viewed as trustworthy and safe Integration is part of the mission Newcomers and the receiving community already coexist Numerous opportunities for both receiving community and newcomers to partner on a project Who is the government? City Council Mayor Chambers of Commerce City government commissions Government departments Other elected officials, positions and entities What is a government s role in integration work? Obligated to be responsive to their community s opinion and feedback. Obligated to provide a safe community for all Obligated to provide equal access to resources for all Possess a wide network of many professionals and can establish liaisons with other government bodies. Able to help your agency convene and/or educate the public about your mission. Can assist with funding, marketing, and resource provision. 5

6 Why should you partner with your city? Serve the same clients Resource sharing Can reach a bigger audience Gives credibility to your agency Gives you a bigger mouthpiece Can influence policy at the local level How does your city benefit from partnering with you? Provide services to community members that the city can t or doesn t already provide to Have resources the city doesn t have Serve as the experts Can garner support for city-wide initiatives Help the community discuss any issues/concerns with the government Gain trust and legitimacy with populations with whom they don t yet have a relationship What can you do together? Share information Sponsor events Create strategic plans Hold regular community meetings Market community events Encourage community participation Move public opinion 6

7 Today s Expert Sara Ramirez Executive Director Catholic Charities of Central Texas (Austin) Common fears of agency leadership A flawed message will be disseminated Staff will get a question they can t answer or answer improperly Becoming higher profile will result in surge in demand that they may not be able to handle Mission may be distorted by staff speaking with city Not knowing what to ask for from the government Common fears of city officials Fear of exclusion: i.e. only Catholics can be served by a Catholic entity Fear of indoctrination: Agency will try to convert clients to Catholicism in order to receive services 7

8 Limitations to city government involvement Supporting an initiative that doesn t benefit its constituents Supporting something that encourages conversion to a religion Supporting something that encourages violence Welcoming San José Access and Engagement Education Economic Opportunity Safe, Healthy and Connected Communities Leadership and Communications Audience Q&A 8

9 Take-aways Pick the right staff person Be knowledgeable about statistics in your community and surroundings communities Know the opinions and interest areas of the officials you plan to approach Build a relationship first before asking for anything. Use talking points and be prepared to answer questions. Know what you want from the partnership Toolkit resources What Resources Cities Can Offer How to Respond to Common Concerns about Partnering with City Government Webinar #2 Week 2: Relationship building How to get to know the officials: Ensuring perfect timing: Becoming a trusted source: What is your ask?; Techniques to prepare your talking points Webinar: Wednesday, January 30 th, :00 3:00 EST Instructors: Ben Brokaw, Vanna Slaughter 9

10 4 part webinar series Week 2: Relationship building Webinar: Wednesday, January 30 th, :00 3:00 EST Week 3: Getting the job done Webinar: Wednesday, February 6, :00 3:00 EST Week 4: Following up and through Webinar: Wednesday, February 13, :00 3:00 EST Questions? Leya Speasmaker Thank You for Learning with Us! CLINIC envisions a country where every immigrant has access to affordable, quality immigration legal services. For the latest immigration happenings, CLINIC trainings, and newest resources, we invite you to sign up for e-news updates

11 Thank You for Learning with Us! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, visit our homepage for featured blogs and resources, and check our calendar of events to stay informed. Support CLINIC. To support CLINIC s mission and foster welcoming communities, make a donation at cliniclegal.org/donate