VANCOUVER ISLAND SETTLEMENT REGIONAL MEETING October 4, 2016
Welcome Tracy Wideman AMSSA
LIVESTREAM Welcome to settlement & language training organizations watching online 9:00 12:00 pm 2:45 3:30 pm Tech issues: communications@amssa.org 604 718-4221
LIVESTREAM Please email your questions to: events@amssa.org
Introductions Tracy Wideman AMSSA
Objectives for the Day Discuss and learn how IRCC priorities will impact and influence settlement and integration within the Vancouver Island region. Discuss and share settlement and integration including best practices from a regional perspective. Learn about new resources and tools to better serve clients. Cultivate an environment of networking, sharing and collaboration
Morning Agenda Overview of the Day Welcome Remarks from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada Welcome Remarks from the Province of BC AMSSA Presentations Language Supports Accessing AMSSA Resources Research and the Settlement Sector Supporting Refugees Presentations & Panel Discussion Afternoon Agenda Breakout Discussions
Housekeeping Cell phones turn off ringer / turn on vibrate, take calls outside. Expense claim / evaluation Please complete both forms and leave them with AMSSA staff. All meeting documents will be sent out electronically after the meeting.
Remarks from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada Tiana Solares Manager, Integration Western Region IRCC
Classification (if any) IRCC Update October 2016
Classification (if any) Overview of Updates HR Updates Organizational Changes Syrian Refugee Update CFP Update Language Waitlists Update
Classification (if any) HR Update 42 Full time Staff 1 x Director, 2 x Managers, 1 x Senior Program Policy Advisor, 4 Supervisors, Integration Program Officers, RAP Officers and Assistants Employees on assignment/secondment have created temporary vacancies within the unit. A number of staff have joined the team this fiscal year Recently completed file redistribution within the unit 7 term/co-op/casual employees have been hired in anticipation for Phase II of Operation Syrian Refugees
Organizational Changes Previously Operations sector operated under separate regions: Eastern, Ontario, Western As of September 12, 2016, new network structures have been implemented: Domestic Network, Settlement Network, International Network Limited impact on day-to-day work below the director level Changes facilitate work as a single, integrated network, bringing more consistency to how we do our work
Syrian Refugee Arrivals in BC 2 RAP Centres Vancouver Victoria 5 Spoke communities Abbotsford Nanaimo Prince George Kelowna Vernon
Syrian Refugee Arrivals in BC Nov 4, 2015 to Mar 1, 2016 Between Nov 4, 2015 and Sep 11, 2016, 30,647 Syrians arrived in Canada Up to Mar 01, 2016, BC received 2,346 Syrian refugees 71% GARs 16% PSRs 13% BVORs Data Source: Open Data Source: Canada - Admissions of Syrian Refugees by Province/Territory and Census Metropolitan Area of Intended Destination, November 4, 2015 - March 1, 2016
Syrian Refugee Arrivals - Trends Destining Centre Breakdown 88% of Syrian GARs destined to Vancouver & spoke communities 12% of Syrian GARs destined to Victoria 31 communities outside of Metro Vancouver, Victoria and Spokes have welcomed Syrian refugees Cities where majority of permanent accommodation is secured: Surrey, Coquitlam, Burnaby, Vancouver, Victoria, Delta
Operation Syrian Refugees Phase II Anticipate similar number of refugees to arrive between September to December 2016 as earlier in the year. Includes regular refugee arrivals Service Providers in five communities across BC to receive GARs directly destined by Matching Centre. Housing search workers secured and actively engaged to search for permanent accommodations; expectations established surrounding housing options and acceptance
CFP Update Applicants informed of status of proposal end of September. Officers should have reached out to successful applicants to begin the process of negotiations. Priorities may have shifted since CFP 2015 submission; Officers will be working with you to outline shift in priorities and organizations will have opportunity to shift programming to address these priorities
Language Waitlists New National Waitlist Management Strategy and Guidelines implemented on May 2, 2016 in an effort to manage and reduce waitlist numbers. BC: 7,490 clients on a waitlist during initial request in April 2016 Subsequent request in August 2016 still to be determined. Preliminary numbers indicate clients may have decreased but will need to factor in new clients that have been added to waitlist BC allocated $2.9 M additional funding in 2016-2017 to create approximately 69 additional classes and 1,242 seats, CLB 1-4 to priority areas in Surrey, Tri-Cities, Burnaby/New Westminster and Victoria.
Remarks from the Province of British Columbia Dominic Fung Program Advisor Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training
BC Government: Immigrant Integration Unit Update AMSSA Regional Meetings Oct 2016 Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and and Skills Training Labour Workforce Market Development and Immigration & Division Immigration Division
Table of Contents 1. JTST Immigrant Integration Program Updates 2. JTST/IRCC Partnership 3. Immigration Programs and Policy Staff 4. Looking Forward 5. Questions 23
Program Updates BC SIS BC Settlement and Integration (BC SIS) - next steps re: program renewal. Program Update Bulletins Eligibility for language services Open Work Permit initiative Other initiatives 24
Program Updates Skills Connect Skills Connect extended to end on March 31, 2017 pending launch of Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants. The plan is for a 3-month overlap with the new program. Working with Skills Connect providers to create a client transition plan 25
Program Updates Career Paths Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants is currently in final stages of procurement. Anticipate contracts to be in place in December for a January 2 nd program start date. Career Paths will be delivered with combined funding from both JTST and IRCC. 26
Career Paths Service Model Customized case management for 1,000-1,200 Skilled Immigrants per year. Intake & Eligibility Career Assessment & Individual Action Plans Skill Enhancement Services (subsidy for training etc.) Job Search, Workplace Orientation, Mentorship Stream 1 Stream 3 Unregulated Occupations BC Priority Occupations Includes OSLT Stream 2 Regulated 27
Career Paths Service Model Client Eligibility PR or protected person Minimum of 1 years experience for Youth, 3 years for other Stream 1 BC Priority Occupations Program available Meets EL benchmarks Underemployed, 20 hrs +/week OR non-ei, non-bcea needing longer term training &/or practicum Meets other criteria Stream 2 Regulated Occupations Regulated occupation CLB 6 or higher Underemployed, 20 hrs +/week OR non-ei, non-bcea needing longer term training &/or practicum Stream 3 Unregulated Occupations Unregulated Occupation CLB 5 or higher Underemployed, 20 hrs +/week 28
Program Updates Refugee Readiness Fund Refugee Readiness HUB robust portal, 1-800 clinician line, resources in place and RRT training complete. Refugee Response Teams action plans in implementation stage. RRT Network meet monthly, information & best practice sharing, issue identification. One time funding concludes March 31, 2017. 29
JTST/IRCC Partnership Transition Settlement Agreement (TSA) in place for two fiscal years 14/15 and 15/16, now concluded. TSA succeeded by the Canada-BC Settlement Arrangement as of April 1, 2016. Areas of collaboration include: BC SIS, Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants, Employment Collaboration Project, the Syrian Refugee initiative. 30
Immigration Programs and Policy Staff Erin Seeley, ED Immigration Programs Lucy Swib, Director, Immigrant Integration Vicki Chiu Senior Program Advisor RRF, BC SIS Joni Rose Senior Program Advisor Skills Connect/Career Paths Dominic Fung Program Advisor All programs Karina Lai Contract Officer All programs Cloe Nichols, ED Immigration Policy Carling Helander Director Robyn Uhl Senior Policy Advisor 31
Looking Forward 2016 OCTOBER Career Paths Procurement, BC SIS Review NOVEMBER Career Paths & BC SIS Notification of Awards DECEMBER Career Paths & BC SIS contract negotiations 32
Looking Forward 2017 JANUARY Career Paths Launch MARCH Skills Connect & RRF conclude APRIL Renewed BC SIS 33
QUESTIONS?????? 34
AMSSA Presentations Jennifer Cummins, Sabrina Ziegler & Lucy Buchanan-Parker AMSSA
Language Resources
1. Services Language Supports 2. Representation 3. Resources
Language Services Support LINC providers at the administrative level Organize language-specific online events Co-organize integrated online events Organize in-person events Contact key stakeholders
Representation Chair the Settlement Language Working Group (SLWG) Sit on the National Language Advisory Body (NLAB) Membership in the Vancouver Immigration Partnership
Resources LINC Exit & Progress Tests Moodle Saeedeh Foghani sfoghani@amssa.org Language Specific Settlement Net Resources Language Resource Page
Contact Jennifer Cummins Settlement Language Coordinator jcummins@amssa.org 604-718-2779
Accessing AMSSA Resources Sabrina Ziegler Settlement Coordinator
AMSSA s Resources Settlement Net Migration Matters Quick links & resources Videos, Webinars, and E-symposia Cultures West Magazine
Settlement Net What is Settlement Net? Web database of news & resources for the settlement and language sector Updated daily, with weekly newsletter Who is it for? Settlement staff and all levels of management Password protected
Accessing Settlement Net Accessing Settlement Net Register for a username & password www.amssa.org/settlementnet Click on the links in the Weekly Update Resources available Media clippings Reports, research, and resources Professional development opportunities Events
Migration Matters 2-page summary of important settlement issues Statistics, trends and policy updates Suggestions for further reading & resources Topics are based on feedback from service providers
Quick Links & Resources Compilations of guides, toolkits, research and other relevant info arranged by topic Targeted for all levels of staff Topics are based on feedback from settlement service providers
E-Symposia Live events online 2 hour, interactive, learning events with a panel of expert speakers Webinars 1.5 hour, interactive, online training events with expert presenters Next Virtual Training Event: November 2 Media Relations
Online videos Videos Short, informational videos Recordings of online events E-Symposia Webinars
Cultures West magazine Magazine published quarterly Available online or in print (free) Topics in the area of migration, immigrant settlement and integration, or diversity Includes features, articles and stories.
AMSSA resource topics Immigration to smaller centres Technology Immigrant research and data Immigrant youth and children Syrian refugee crisis LGBTQ Immigrants & Refugees Self care Newcomer mental health Facilitation & curriculum development Newcomer health Employment Funding proposals & contribution agreements Specific policy changes
Staying Up-to-Date Want to know what s happening? Settlement Net! Register to receive updates or to request login information Join AMSSA s Mailing Lists
Your input, please! (Blue Handout) Info Sheets Topic suggestions? Webinars, Online Videos & E-Symposia Topic suggestions? Quick Links and Resources Suggested improvements, specific resources?
Contact Sabrina Ziegler Settlement Coordinator sziegler@amssa.org 604-718-4220
Research and the Settlement Sector
Overview Major research bodies and initiatives Collaborations between researchers and settlement organizations AMSSA support Upcoming conferences Ongoing research
Research bodies and initiatives Immigration Research West Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) Metropolis Conference Canadian Refugee Child, Youth, and Families Research Coalition
Researchers offer: Collaborations Evidence on newcomer needs Evidence on program efficacy Settlement organizations offer: Access to clients On the ground knowledge Both parties need to benefit
AMSSA support Community-University Research Principles Representation on the Western Region Research Advisory Committee Settlement Sector Research Agenda Knowledge mobilization
Upcoming conferences Pathways to Prosperity December 1-2, 2016 Ottawa Metropolis Conference March 16-17, 2017 Montreal
Ongoing research AMSSA-ISANS: Settlement Online Pre- Arrival (SOPA) in the settlement landscape Survey for frontline settlement workers and managers
Contact Lucy Buchanan-Parker Research and Information Coordinator lbuchanan@amssa.org 604-718-2784
Networking and Coffee Break 30 minutes
Supporting Refugees David Lau, Lynn Weaver and Winnie Lee
Supporting Refugees Panel Discussion
Lunch 1 hour
Morning Agenda Overview of the Day Welcome Remarks from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada Welcome Remarks from the Province of BC AMSSA Presentations Language Supports Accessing AMSSA Resources Research and the Settlement Sector Networking & Coffee Break Supporting Refugees Presentations and Panel Discussion Afternoon Agenda Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session Each participant will have the opportunity to join all of the following breakout sessions. Please refer to the handout in your packages for Discussion Questions. 1. IRCC Priorities 2. The Mechanics of your Contribution Agreements 3. Collaborations and Connections across the Province
Breakout Session Report Back Tracy Wideman AMSSA
Closing Remarks Expense Claim Form (pink) Short Deadline Evaluations (yellow) Name Tags Thank you!