PEIANC 2017/2018 Annual Report
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2017/2018 Annual Report 1 PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada Board of Directors 2017/2018 49 Water Street Julius Patkai, President Ali Assadi Julius Patkai Craig Mackie Charlottetown, PE C1A 1A3 Tina Saksida, Vice President Arnold Croken Phone: (902) 628-6009 Jim Hornby, Treasurer Joe Zhang President of the Board Executive Director Fax: (902) 894-4928 Kaitlyn Angus, Secretary Jolene Chan Email: [email protected] Laura Lee Howard It has been another successful We are in the midst of changing Website: www.peianc.com Rachel Murphy year and I am grateful to be Presi- times and while there are chal- Selvi Roy dent of the Board of the PEI Asso- lenges, there are opportunities ciation for Newcomers to Canada. as well. PEIANC appreciates the A special thank you goes out to continued funding support from Federal and Provincial funding all levels of government to sup- partners, as well as municipalities port newcomers to PEI. New ar- and donors, for their continued rivals, from 78 different countries, support of the Association. totalled 1,987 and included 1,310 I was once a newcomer to permanent residents, 640 tem- Canada, arriving in 1971 from a refugee camp in Italy. porary residents, and 37 others. The largest intake was I can relate to the difficulties one can encounter when from China, and we saw increasing numbers from India, entering a new country, a new home, a new way of life, Vietnam, and the Philippines. We also welcomed 132 and the challenges one faces when adapting to a new cul- refugees. I completed my two-year term as Co-Chair of ture. People come to Canada to find safety, freedom from the Settlement and Integration Working Group with the persecution, prosperity, clean environment, and better Canadian Council for Refugees and I am now repre- lives for their families. This is because of Canadian customs senting Atlantic Canada settlement agencies at IRCC’s and culture, institutions, natural places, laws, and Canadi- Resettlement Assistance National Working Group on GARs. an values of unity, tolerance, diversity, and reputation for Key accomplishments at PEIANC in the fiscal year 2017-18: being welcoming. Although new immigrants come from • Significant intake of new temporary residents, many many different cultures and beliefs, we must be mindful interested in participating in the Atlantic Immigra- that being Canadian means respecting those values that tion Pilot Program (AIPP). attracted us to this beautiful country. • Core programs delivered needs assessments, initial For these reasons, I believe wholeheartedly in this great settlement support, helping families with the organization, and I believe that we need to do all that school system, assisting clients in finding work, and we can, as proud Canadians, to ensure its continued to find ways to integrate into Island life. success! I sincerely thank the Board of Directors, Executive Table of Contents • Provincial Immigration Partnership successful in Director, management, and staff for their dedication and working with municipal leaders across PEI to build attention to detail. With staff expertise and guidance, President’s Message 3 Provincial Immigration Partnership 8 more welcoming communities. newcomers are encouraged on a path to inclusion and Executive Director’s Message 3 Rural Services 9 success in Canada. • Success negotiating with the Public Schools Branch to launch a pilot to have settlement workers in Integrated Settlement 4 A Welcoming Island 10 I look forward to the year ahead, and I am confident that schools (SWIS). Newcomer Children and Youth 6 Community Engagement 12 we will continue to accomplish great things by working together as one. Newcomer’s achievements are supported by a dedicated Employment Services 7 Funders and Finance 18 group of staff, volunteers, and Board of Directors who are devoted to giving newcomers the best possible start in their new home. I’m grateful for their support and com- mitment. This report covers the period from April 1st, 2017 to March 31st, 2018 2 3 OUR VISION OUR MISSION Intake and Referral Services Before accessing settlement services from PEIANC, newcomers must register. Intake Workers complete a needs We see PEI as a welcoming, respectful, and The PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada brings assessment for each family member, determine eligibility for services and programs, and refer clients to integrated settlement inclusive community that supports newcomers people and communities together by providing appropriate resources within PEIANC and the wider community. as full members of society and values their settlement services and fostering contributions. inclusion and integration. Intake for the period from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018 – Total: 1,987 clients Number of registered clients by Number of registered clients by country of origin immigration category Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Refugees welcomed to PEI This program is designed to meet the initial Three other immigration settlement needs for Government Assisted Refu- categories (0.1%) newly arrived refugees assisted by gees (GARs). It is delivered in the 6-8 weeks af- Family Class (0.9%) 115 Canadian Citizens (1.6%) RAP and Settlement sta ter their arrival in Prince Edward Island. Services Skilled Workers (2.3%) information sessions delivered by include: greeting at airport and transportation to 5.8% Refugees and Refugee Dependants 12 26.6% 69 other countries Canadian Life Skills temporary accommodation, assistance with 7.4% Study Permit Holders countries of origin Syria finding permanent housing, an initial assessment, Iraq the delivery of orientation and needed informa- 9.3% Visitor Visa Holders United States(1.8%) Somalia tion in order to begin the resettlement process, Iran (1.9%) Hong Kong (2.2%) Bhutan assistance with health and medical services, link- Nigeria (2.9%) integrated settlement Eritrea age to other existing programs and services, and 4% Vietnam 15.4% Work Permit Holders Kenya documentation for Immigration, Refugees, and 4.9% Syria 5 other countries Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 6.5% Phillippines Over this reporting period, there were 1,987 new clients from 78 countries who All RAP clients receive information from PEIANC staff 11.3% India registered with PEIANC. about topics such as: Canadian culture, budget- ing and banking, Waste Watch, parenting norms in Canada, nutrition, fire safety, what to do in an 57.2% Provincial Nominees emergency, public and other transportation, Canadian law, education system, prenatal care, 37.9% People’s Republic of China apartment living, and more. This information, delivered within the first 6-8 weeks of settlement, helps new refugees understand their new home, and to feel comfortable on Prince Edward Island. Language Referrals Newcomer Settlement Services (NSS) Learning or improving English continues to be a Newcomer Settlement Services team provides as- Canadian Life Skills (CLS) high priority for many newcomers. This fiscal year sistance with orientation, translation, interpretation, PEIANC made a total of 788 referrals for language access to services such as immunization programs The Canadian Life Skills program aims to provide newly arrived refugees with guidance and support as they training to the Language Instruction for Newcom- and other medical services, and make referrals to and adjust to life in Canada. The program is delivered within the first 12 weeks of arrival. The CLS worker visits ers to Canada (LINC) training institutes: 653 to act as liaison with, community services and govern- families to cover various topics depending on the specific needs of clients. The CLS program also offers a se- Holland College, 107 to Study Abroad Canada, and ment programs. NSS clients also include temporary ries of workshops on a wide variety of topics open to all newcomers, regardless of their immigration category. 4 28 to the online program, LINC Home Study. foreign workers and international students on PEI. 5 SPEAKING Rights Project Alternate CAREERS Day Employment Assistance Services In partnership with Equitas International Centre for With funding and support from the Department of servicesemployment Human Rights Education, the YSS team supported a Workforce and Advanced Learning, and in partner- group of young newcomers in the creation of a youth- ship with Réseau de développement économique et led project that focused on human rights and issues d’employabilité de l’Î.-P.-É., the EAS team organized in their community. The group chose to create an PEIANC’s third Alternate Careers Day on September newcomers who started jobs 435 awareness video to address stereotypes that society 26, 2017, at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel. The day newcomers in education or training programs places upon teenagers that are unfair, limiting, and gave approximately fifty of PEIANC’s clients the op- 86 BASEL AL-Rashdan at THE UN’S inaccurate. portunity to connect with over forty representatives newcomer volunteers 32 The group collaborated with Mahdi Selseleh to pro- from local Island industries. Participants engaged in HEADQUarters IN New YORK newcomers in workshops duce and edit the video launched on January 31, 2018 conversations about PEI’s labour market, listened to 372 Basel Al-Rashdan and his family arrived on PEI as at the PEIANC. Guests included teachers, commu- client success stories, and had one-to-one time with Syrian refugees in late December 2015. Basel was nity partners, School Board officials and local media. employers and sector council representatives. involved in a number of PEIANC Youth Settlement Throughout the process youth were empowered, in- The day focused on careers in aerospace, information Services programs, and his leadership and charismatic spired, obtained a sense of achievement, and learned technology, health, bioscience, trades, finance and employers / organizations connected with 825 behavior made him stand out. decision-making and leadership skills. accounting, and early childhood education. The feed- On World Children’s Day, November 20, 2017, twelve- The video was featured on local television, radio, and back from both clients and employers/industry repre- year-old Basel was invited to share his experience of newspaper, and shared on social media.