Conference 2020 | Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional

Conference 2020 | Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional Wellness A

Conference 20201 Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional Wellness 2

ORGANIZED BY

IN COLLABORATION WITH

HOSTED BY

FUNDED BY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome ............................................................................. 3

Venue Map .......................................................................... 4

Event Agenda ..................................................................... 5

January 29: Keynote & Plenary Sessions ......................... 8

January 29: Newcomer Stories ....................................... 11

January 29: Parallel Sessions ......................................... 13

January 30: Keynote & Plenary Sessions .......................22

January 30: Leadership Panel .........................................27

January 30: Town Hall ..................................................... 31

January 30: Parallel Sessions .........................................37

Session Feedback Forms ................................................45

Conference 2020 Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional Wellness3 4

WELCOME VENUE MAP

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES), through its Research and Program Development Department, is extremely excited to hold a conference on a key issue concerning the newcomer experience. As researchers and practitioners continue to inquire into the phenomena that surround tackling change in a new social and cultural environment, the emotional wellness of mothers, wives, daughters and sisters has emerged as a pivotal determinant in the eventual success of the newly arrived. While more nimble services within the community may often to respond to such needs, more formalized, state-driven organizations can be slower to adjust, encumbered by a more prescriptive emphasis on what it means to be a ‘citizen’ of the new community. These can include learning the local language to assimilate, and gaining local workplace experience to become more ‘qualified’. The interplay between the disruptive impact of migration, requirements imposed by host societies, and the responses of community organizations and service providers is explored in this conference. The hope

is that a continuing discourse on the very concepts and processes involving newcomer settlement and inclusion, from an ever-widening range of voices, will compel researchers, practitioners and policymakers to bring about improved approaches to a process that is integral to the health of our society.

We would like to thank you, as volunteers, participants, presenters, keynote speakers, panelists and moderators, for the contributions, viewpoints and ideas you bring to this event. In taking this conference from concept to reality, a special thanks is due to the other members of the conference committee not listed in the signatures below. In particular, Katerina Palova, the conference administrator, who was supported by the invaluable assistance of Elizabeth Pando and Stacy Lee Lockerbie. Also essential was the help of the TIES Communications Manager, Robert Toth, and Communications Coordinator, Alison Edwards. This team is largely responsible for bringing Conference 2020 to fruition and ensuring its ultimate success.

Cesar Suva, Ph.D, Director, Research & Program Development, TIESConference Co-Chair

Welcome to the Conference 2020 on Refugee and Newcomer Women’s Emotional Un-wellness as a Barrier to Economic Integration!

Sally S. Zhao, Ph.D Chief Executive Officer, TIESAlberta Addictions & Mental Health Council Member Conference Co-Chair

Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional Wellness5 6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020

Registration

Welcome Remarks and Introduction of Keynote Speaker

Mental Health - A Personal Immigration StoryAnila Lee Yuen, CEO of Centre for Newcomers

Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall

Coffee Break

Parallel Sessions

Multi-Layered Factors of the Wellness of Newcomer Women

Arzoo Sabour, Eun-Jin Kim, Tripat Kaur Room 0-14

Lunch Break & Networking

Parallel Sessions

Group Music Therapy - A Music Based Framework for Promoting Positive Coping Skills (20 people max.)

Fleur HughesRoom 0-13

A Mental Health and Emotional Literacy Curriculum for Newcomer Students and Staff

John Wang, Bess Yang, Priscilla LeePatricia A. Whelan Performance Hall

Newcomer Women in Canada: Exploring Research for Reducing Social

and Economic BarriersWalaa Taha, Andrea Herzog,

Sepidar YeganehRoom 0-14

An Insight on Newcomers’ Emotional Challenges from a Female Expat Community

The Experience of Expatclic.comCristina Baldan

Room 0-13

Examining the Intergenerational Challenges and Perspectives that Filipinx Newcomers Face in Calgary and Alberta

Roxanne Singlot, Nellie Alcarez,Kathleen Bragas


Coffee Break

The Woman of the World (WOW) ProgramDeborah Canales

Room 0-13

Creating a Sense of Belonging for Newcomer Women: Focusing on Language Acquisition

Through Citizenship and MultiliteracyNeda Asadi and Michelle Hawks

Room 0-13

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM

9:30 AM - 9:50 AM

9:50 AM - 10:30 AM

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

ChildcareRoom 0-13

ChildcareLibrary Kids Zone

(Refer to volunteers for directions)

ChildcareLibrary Kids Zone

(Refer to volunteers for directions)

DAY 1 - WEDNESDAY

EVENT AGENDA

Keynote Speech & Newcomer Stories3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Childcare Room 0-13

A Roadmap to Emotional Wellness: Exploring the Strengths, Vulnerabilities and Needs of Newcomer WomenDr. Suzanne Goopy, University of Calgary

Newcomer Stories: Noha El Tanahi, Yolanda Awel Deng, Faith Okolie, Tripat KaurPatricia A. Whelan Performance Hall

Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional Wellness 8Conference 20207

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020

Registration

Welcome Remarks and Introduction of Keynote Speakers

Brokering Law, Space and Culture with Refugee Women: Institutionalized Mediation of Gender Roles and Positionalities in the Resettlement Context of the United StatesDr. Odessa Gonzales Benson, University of Michigan

Rural Settlement and Complex Belongings for Migrant Care Works in Northwest EnglandDr. Georgia Spiliopoulos, University of Nottigham, UNNC


Coffee Break

Lunch Break & Networking

Parallel Sessions

The Lived Experiences of Moms of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Children Over Autism SpectrumDisorder Diagnostic Processes

Yan (Olivia) ChenRoom 0-14

Sex Migration: The Challenges of the Booming Enterprise Between

Nigeria and EuropeOlatunde Joseph Adebayo

BMO Room

Exploring Emotional Wellness in LINC Programs Across the Canadian Prairies:

The ReNEW Project, Context, and Preliminary Findings

Halley Silversides, Stacy Lee Lockerbie,Alesia Au


Coffee Break

Town HallFacilitator: Gerry Robitaille, Board Director, TIES


The Role of the Protocol to the AfricanCharter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on

the Rights of Women in Africa in Protecting Women on the Continent

Dr. Cristiano D’OrsiBMO Room

Human Trafficking in AlbertaJessica Brandon

BMO Room

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

9:15 AM - 9:25 AM

9:25 AM - 10:15 AM

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

ChildcareRoom 0-13

ChildcareRoom 0-13

Childcare Room 0-13

Leadership PanelFacilitator: Dr. Tanvir Turin Chodhury, University of Calgary


10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Childcare Room 0-13

Tracing Shifting ThresholdsCatherine Hamel

Room 0-14

The Role of Social Bridges inSupporting Integration AmongstSyrian Refugee Men and Women

Mischa TaylorRoom 0-14

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29

KEYNOTE & PLENARY SESSIONS

DAY 2 - THURSDAY

8


KEYNOTE SPEAKERS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29

9:50 - 10:30AMAnila Lee Yuen

Mental Health: A Personal Immigration Story

Anila is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Newcomers. She has 24 years of experience in the settlement sector. Beyond traditional settlement services, Anila has spearheaded programming to include volunteer-led refugee supports; indigenous integration for newcomers; LGBTQ+ supports, domestic violence, homeless and mental health support services and broadened vulnerable youth programming and social venture opportunities. Anila holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience) and a BSc in Biological

3:30 - 4:00PMDr. Suzanne Goopy

A Roadmap to Emotional Wellness: Exploring the Strengths, Vulnerabilities, and Needs of Newcomer Women

Suzanne Goopy is a social and visual anthropologist. She is an independent social researcher and consultant, and holds a position as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. Suzanne’s approach to research aims to find innovative ways to engage with contemporary issues and challenges. Her research focuses on newcomer experiences, the notion of Healthy Cities, the impact of structures and systems on the everyday health and well-

Sciences from the University of Calgary and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is an alumna of the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program and is a featured author in the International Museum of Women’s anthology Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women, and the recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case in 2001 for her work advocating for the rights of immigrant and minority women and children in Canada. In 2017, she was honoured with the University of Calgary Alumni Award and Top 40 Under 40 designation. In 2019, she received the Woman of Wonder Award and a Women of Inspiration Award.

being of individuals and groups, and the need for innovative and engaging dissemination methodologies.

Asked what is the most important part of her research and Suzanne will answer, unequivocally, that it is the ability to disseminate her work to the broadest possible audience with the hope of engaging individuals, groups, scholars and governments in open and progressive dialogue.

Research Interests:

• Health and well-being• Migration• Newcomer health and emotional

well-being• Healthy Cities• Systems and structures• Design and planning• Knowledge transfer & exchange

PATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL


NOHA EL TANAHI

Noha is an Egyptian Canadian who immigrated to Canada in 2005. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and was trained in crisis intervention. In the past seven years, her passion has been helping people who struggle in their new life. Being an immigrant herself, she understands their difficulties. Working with The Immigrant Education Society has given her opportunities to support clients and give back to the community.Noha assists clients with one-on-one support in basic needs that include: accessing government agencies, affordable housing, transportation and interpretation. Noha also focuses on addressing the emotional wellness of her clients and connecting them with other communities.

YOLANDA AWEL DENG

Yolanda Awel Deng is a former refugee of South Sudanese origin. She came to Canada as a Student through the World University Services of Canada (WUSC) program. In 2009, Yolanda completed a degree in Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. Afterwards, she attended various institutions to specialize in working with vulnerable women and children. This led her to working with ex-child soldiers and women in South Sudan. Currently Yolanda works as a Settlement Case Management Support Worker at Saskatoon Open Door Society, where her main passion is working with families, creating and sustaining their wellbeing through compassion, advocacy and mental health awareness. She draws great strength from her cultural values and native teachings. Yolanda considers herself a voice for the voiceless, especially for immigrants and former refugees.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29NEWCOMER STORIESPATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL | 3:30- 4:00 PM

FAITH OKOLIE

Faith Okolie is married to Clifford Okolie and they have three children. She is a university graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics and Demography from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Faith has had trainings in education, human resource and personnel management, customer service, office management and general administration. She was once a school teacher and later moved on to being an administrator with a faith-based not-for-profit organisation, where she worked with drug and alcohol dependent individuals, commercial sex workers, street kids and communities.Faith is very passionate about working with people, helping them see their strength within and reaching for it to help attain a life of fulfillment. Faith is currently working with the Royal Bank of Canada as a Client Advisor.

TRIPAT KAUR

Tripat moved from India to Canada eight years ago with many years of experience in research and community counselling. She completed her post-graduation in Public Administration and then M.Phil in women and child development programs. Currently, she is working with Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers as Settlement Outreach Coordinator. She is an advocate for social justice and her passion is working with new immigrants, supporting women who are fleeing violence. In her free time she likes singing, listening to music and spending time with family and friends. Last but not least, she is a proud mother of two daughters.


11:00AM - 12:30PMArzoo Sabour, Eun-Jin Kim, Tripat Kaur

Multi-Layered Factors of the Wellness of Newcomer Women

ROOM 0-14

The Power of joining together Arzoo Sabour

Complexities of Family Violence Tripat Kaur

Systemic barriers to the wellness of newcomer women Eun-Jin Kim

Affiliation: Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers

Arzoo Sabour, Eun-Jin Kim and Tripat Kaur work with the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers (EMCN), a community agency that seeks to support immigrants and refugees coming to the Edmonton area. EMCN’s activity began in 1982 and EMCN works with up to 17,000

newcomers each year from all parts of the world. Especially for newcomer women, EMCN runs women’s programs such as Immigrant Women’s Integration Network (I-WIN), Visible Minority Women Employment Success Project, Global Girls, and Parenting and Literacy Program. EMCN also provides childminding services, language/sett lement/employment services, transportation support, and one-on-one counselling services for newcomer women’s full integration into the Canadian society. Arzoo, I-WIN Coordinator, will share her knowledge and experience working with newcomer women, and lead a discussion on personal well-being of newcomer women. Tripat, Settlement Outreach Coordinator, will review previous research on family violence that newcomer women experience and share her counselling experience with them to lead a discussion on family violence. Eun-Jin, I-WIN Program and Site Manager, will review AAISA’s report on mental health resources, programs and services available to newcomers in Alberta and present EMCN’s activities with other agencies and community partners to lead a discussion on systemic barriers to the wellness of newcomer women.



PARALLEL SESSIONS

13


PARALLEL SESSIONS

11:00AM - 12:30PMFleur Hughes

Group Music Therapy - A Music Based Framework for Promoting Positive Coping Skills

ROOM 0-13

Please note: Maximum of 20 participants can attend this session

Fleur Hughes, MMT, MTA, MT-BC

Affiliation: Renfrew Educational Services

This interactive presentation will discuss how engaging in group music therapy can promote positive mental health. How does music therapy assist individuals to connect with others in a community-based group setting? How does the therapeutic process of music provide an outlet for positive coping mechanisms?

The presentation will include descriptions of music therapy through a community-based lens. Fleur will discuss the differences between positive and negative stress and how participants can develop resilience to cope with stress.Objectives:

1. Understand terminology commonly presented in related literature, for example: Community Music Therapy approach.

2. Showcase examples from music therapy literature and research on the use of music therapy and refugee or immigrant populations.

3. Understand how music therapy can facilitate inclusion and promote wellness.

BREAKOUT ROOMS


11:00AM - 12:30PMJohn Wang, Bess Yang, Priscilla Lee

A Mental Health and Emotional Literacy Curriculum for Newcomer Students and Staff


Birth of the Mental Health and Emotional Literacy Curriculum John WangAffiliation: The Immigrant Education Society, University of Calgary

A snippet of the Mental Health and Emotional Literacy CurriculumBess YangAffiliation: AHS/CCCSA

Challenges that newcomers face in accessing mental health servicesPriscilla LeeAffiliation: The Immigrant Education Society

As Alberta opens its doors to more newcomers, some of the challenges and barriers to service accessibility involving their mental and emotional wellbeing have been identified as:

(1) Stigmatized discourses held by newcomers, (2) Newcomers’ attachment to non-empirical based theories and interventions, (3) Newcomers’ unfamiliarity with local mental health service providers, (4) Inadequate inputs and support from relevant stakeholders, (5) A lack of vocabulary capacity which hinders effective communication and understanding between newcomers and the helping professionals. As a universal intervention and prevention strategy, mental health and emotional literacy curriculum for both newcomer students and staff have been developed through a collaborative, inter-agency endeavour. Many of the topics materialized through dialogues with newcomer serving staff, as well as through the analysis of evidence-based psycho-educational programs. Significant emphasis has been placed on topics that empower newcomer women, such as educational components pertaining to emotionally/verbally abusive relationships, sexual and reproductive coercion, along with financial and digital abuse. This presentation will speak to this mental health and emotional literacy curriculum’s development process, some preliminary findings, future trajectories, and provide an excerpt of the workshop that have been delivered to our student and staff population.


1:30 - 3:00PMWalaa Taha, Andrea Herzog, Sepidar Yeganeh

Newcomer Women in Canada: Exploring Research for Reducing Social and Economic Barriers

ROOM 0-14

Development of culturally sensitive services to support newcomer women and their familiesWalaa Taha, MSc Candidate

Newcomer women’s experience in post-secondary and career transitions.Andrea Herzog, MSc. Candidate

Fusing art with life: Supporting women’s emotional wellness through theatre and creative narratives.Sepidar Yeganeh, MSc. Candidate

Affiliation: University of Calgary

Newcomer women in Canada face many obstacles integrating into Canadian society. They must navigate new social systems, language differences, feelings of isolation, and employment challenges, all while holding several roles within their families and

communities as wives, mothers, and caregivers. These compounding factors contribute to emotional unwellness and underemployment experienced by many newcomer women. Studies show that families and communities become more prosperous as the number of working women increases (International Monetary Fund, 2018). In Canada, newcomer women are employed at lower rates, at lower paying jobs, and with less consistency than Canadian-born women (Statistics Canada, 2016). Additionally, it takes longer for newcomer women to enter the workforce than it does newcomer men (Statistics Canada, 2016) indicating a need to examine the experiences of newcomer women specifically.

This presentation will discuss the barriers to wellness faced by newcomer women and will introduce upcoming research projects involving this community. These projects will utilize an intersectional, social justice lens, and will focus on separate aspects of the challenges faced by newcomer women: navigating post-secondary integration and the subsequent integration into the workforce; the development of culturally sensitive family services; and the use of art-based programming to foster confidence and empowerment amongst newcomer women. In the interactive portion of this presentation, audience members will be invited to share experiences and ideas that can be integrated into future research.

PARALLEL SESSIONSBREAKOUT ROOMS

1:30 - 2:00PMCristina Baldan

An Insight on Newcomers’ Emotional Challenges from a Female Expat Community: The experience of Expatclic.com

ROOM 0-13

Cristina BaldanAffiliation: Expatclic.com

This presentation would like to share some strategies that worked and still work well for the community of Expatclic.com in supporting women facing any kind of relocation in various countries in the world. The community is formed mainly by expats, but many immigrants are also represented. Being an expat is a bit different from being an immigrant: the bigger difference is related to the fact that these women repeated the immigration process multiple times in their life, by facing the same sequence of difficulties each time they changed country again. With the experience, they learn resilience and develop unique skills for life.This kind of life and our 15 years as a community, allowed us to define the following points as the successful keys in helping women approaching life in a foreign country:

(1) Promote self-awareness

Understanding that what you are living is not “wrong” or “unusual”, knowing that you are not alone in these feelings and that they are not related to your inability to cope but they are essential steps of the experience that you are living, is the magic discovery that can make the difference.

(2) Building a network

Relate with other people who are living the same difficulties, have a safe space to ask for information, but also to chat for a while like with a friend, and to have the possibility to ask questions that you are scared or uncomfortable to ask somewhere else.

(3) Practicing “linguistic empathy”

The language barrier is not only made of lack of grammar knowledge or speaking abilities, there is more conveyed by a language that can cause miscomprehension.

(4) Offering a “safe space”

The incredible experience of “Gruppi di supporto” offered online that united women from all around the globe on topics specifically tailored on their needs and the friendship that was born after those experiences.



2:30 - 3:00PMDeborah Canales

The Woman of the World (WOW) Program

ROOM 0-13

Deborah Canales Affiliation: London InterCommunity Health Centre

The Woman of the World (WOW) Program started over twenty-five years ago at the London InterCommunity Health Centre. The program applies the Social Determinates of Health Framework to assess social isolation, language barriers and economic integration and follows a Peer Leaders model, targeting immigrant women from various ethno-cultural communities who experience additional barriers when integrating into their life in Canada. WOW program goals: (1) break the social isolation, (2) women to recognize their own skills/potential, (3) create social capital, (4) provide information about services in the community.

The program focuses on three different components:

(1) Fostering Identity. Women meet in an Ethnic specific group in their first language with official interpreters. The

program creates a safe and welcoming environment while addressing the community specific needs. Moreover, women are encouraged to strengthen, celebrate and share their own identity and culture.

(2) Increasing knowledge. Women gather in a learning environment where the primary goal is to learn about the breadth of services that are available in their new community. Service providers are invited to engage participants with their services.

(3) Building community. The members take a newly created leadership training, which help participants discover, through a conscious and self-reflective process, their own strengths and skills and use them as the foundation to build their own leadership capacities. Additionally, opportunities to engage in community initiatives such as the Municipal Election Strategy and others are offered.

Every year we run between 150-200 meetings assisting around 300 women and about 6,576 encounters with participants. A survey of participants and community patterns yielded the following results: 91% stated that Immigrants have increased health and wellbeing, 85% Immigrants have increased opportunities for education, appropriate employment and mentoring, 99% Women are more included, engaged and respected in the community, 99% feel more confident and at home in London.


2:00 - 2:30PMNesa Asadi & Michelle Hawks

Creating a Sense of Belonging for Newcomer Women: Focusing on Language Acquisition through Citizenship and Multiliteracy

ROOM 0-13

Dr. Neda Asadi, Dr. Michelle Hawks Affiliation: University of Alberta

This paper presents an alternative theory and practice for overcoming some of the challenges to integration for newcomer women by utilizing intercultural citizenship education and multiliteracy. Acquisition of the dominant language is a common, persistent, and systemic issue that inhibits many newcomer women from full participation in their new home country. Women are disproportionately negatively impacted by challenges of migration as they are also concurrently struggling with patriarchal standards of multiple cultures.

Given the persistence of this problem, we are suggesting that language acquisition services provided to newcomer women use intercultural

citizenship education within the framework of multiliteracy. This framework suggests that teaching any topic builds upon the learner’s existing knowledges including their language. In practice, this would demand that learners speak both in their mother language as well as the dominant language of a new location in order for all members to feel welcome and part of a group while speaking and hearing multiple languages simultaneously.

Additionally, using the lens of intercultural citizenship education focuses the curriculum not only on learning the dominant language, but also to develop a better understanding of Canadian history, systems and structures, alongside the cultures and histories that learners bring with them. Thus, the focus for newcomer women’s education would be about systems and structures that they need to navigate, such as health care, residency status, their children’s schooling, and the history of Canada, through the use of multiliteracies which would include instruction in both dominant and mother languages augmented with the use of technology. In the end, we are suggesting that students would glean both a better understanding of Canada as well as an enhanced knowledge of English simultaneously, while maintaining connections to their existing identities.



1:30 - 3:00PMRoxanne Singlot, Nellie Alcarez, Kathleen Bragas

Examining the Intergenerational Challenges and Perspectives that Filipinx Newcomers Face in Calgary and Alberta


Youth Empowerment Program, Fiest Filipino – speaking about young women’s issues.Roxanne Singlot

Migrante Alberta – speaking about Filipina caregivers and undocumented workers.Nellie Alcarez, MSW

Brenda Strafford Foundation – speaking about mental health and domestic violence among Filipina women.Kathleen Bragas, MA


Filipino/a/xs represent Canada’s fourth largest ethnocultural group and reflect a stratified diaspora that arrived in Canada under different types of immigration programs (Tungohan et al., 2015). In 2014, more than 40,000 Filipinos became permanent residents of Canada, making the Philippines the top source of immigration to Canada in recent years (Government of Canada, 2015). Moreover, the 2016 census data on the Filipinx-Canadian community reveals a growing gender gap between women and men both nationally and provincially. On a national scale, Statistics Canada (2016) noted that Filipino women in Canada (468,025 Filipino women) slightly outnumbered Filipino men (369,105) at 56% of the population.

Scholars have attributed the growth of the number of Filipino women to temporary and domestic care labour policies in Canada, which have historically facilitated entry to racialized women from the Global South in exchange for caring labour. These recent trends confirm that the Filipinx community in Canada generally, and in Calgary specifically, are shaped by the gendered nature of immigration and labour programs.This panel examines the intergenerational challenges and perspectives that Filipinx newcomers face in Calgary and Alberta. Panelists provide personal and professional stories that identify pressing issues, programs and policies; as well as meaningful stories and strategies of resilience and resistance.


THURSDAY, JANUARY 30

KEYNOTE & PLENARY SESSIONS

22


9:25 - 9:50AMDr. Odessa Gonzales Benson

Brokering Law, Space and Culture with Refugee Women: Institutionalized Mediation of Gender Roles and Positionalities in the Resettlement Context of the United States

Affiliation: Assistant Professor, University of Michigan (U-M) School of Social Work, U-M Detroit School of Urban Studies Faculty Cluster

The study applies a feminist analysis of institutional work within the resettlement policy-practice domain of the United States, focusing on state-funded Resettlement Agencies and grassroots Refugee-run Community-based Organizations. Drawing upon the theories of intersectionality and representation, we interrogate how refugee resettlement institutions unfold as site wherein gender struggles play out. Drawing upon interviews and surveys with organizational leaders, archival research and participant observation, three themes emerge: brokering law, brokering space, and brokering culture. These themes capture the ‘brokering’ role of resettlement institutions, and their leaders, programming and ideologies. Within the domains of culture, law and space, resettlement institutions thereby structure the lives of refugee women, entangling social responsibilities and humanitarian acts with institutionalized mediation of gender roles and cultural, social, political positionalities.

Dr. Odessa Gonzalez Benson is Assistant Professor at the U-M School of Social Work and is with the U-M Detroit School of Urban Studies Faculty Cluster. Her areas of research are: refugee resettlement, refugee/migrant-led organizations, participatory approaches to urban governance and social services with refugees, state-civil society relations, critical policy studies. Dr. Gonzalez Benson pursues interdisciplinary work integrating social welfare and community perspectives with refugee studies and urban studies, particularly within the context of ‘new refugee destinations’ such as Michigan and the broader midwest. Currently, her work is place-based research on immigrant-run grassroots organizations in Grand Rapids and Detroit, examining institutional links, functions and use of resources and urban space. Past research examined policy-driven vis-a-vis refugee-driven resettlement,

KEYNOTE SPEAKERSPATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL


based on nationwide data on refugee-run organizations in 30 U.S. states. She draws upon years of engagement with refugee communities, diverse education and work experiences and her personal path as a 1.5-generation immigrant to inform and motivate her research. She has a PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Washington in Seattle, MSW from Arizona State University, and BA in Communications from the University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Research Interests:

• Refugee resettlement • Refugee/migrant-led

organizations• Participatory approaches to

urban governance and social services with refugees

• State-civil society relations• Critical policy studies


9:50 - 10:15AMDr. Georgia Spiliopoulos

Rural Settlement and Complex Belongings for Migrant Care Works in Northwest England

Affiliation: School of International Studies, IAPS Research fellow, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC); Visiting Fellow, Centre for Health Innovation, Leadership and Learning, University of Nottingham UK

This study focuses on the complex belongings and settlement of first-generation migrants in small rural communities in northwest England post-global financial crisis. The

participants of this study, mainly female, from South and Southeast Asia, were brought to these rural, isolated and predominately ‘white’ communities through employment agencies and networks of kin to undertake work in the private care sector. The characteristics of the two communities studied (named here ‘Community A’ and ‘Community B’) allowed for a flourishing of the private care sector as an alternative employer to the failing industrial economy, in the case of Community A and to the tourist industry, in the case of Community B. Although there were distinct differences between the two communities, the participants – nurses, care workers and domestic workers – narrated similar experiences of cultural and geographical isolation and social exclusion and made plans to migrate either to urban areas or to other countries. Despite having an average of nine years of stay in their communities, from six months to fourteen years, their sense of belonging to their local community was fraught with tension. These complex belongings and feelings of being unsettled were mediated through diasporic cultural practices and transnational familial networks, partly due to insufficient community service provision for migrant newcomers. Additionally, care work is a highly gendered profession, with few opportunities offered for social mobility and career progression, migrant care workers often being ‘outsiders’ in the communities they

work and live in, despite caring for the most vulnerable in these communities. Moreover, rural racism, experienced in different forms, for many of the participants was an embodied, situated in the everyday, experience. This study draws on literature related to the ‘global care chain’, transnational networks and rural migration in the English countryside and explores in some detail the complex belongings of these first-generation migrants.

Dr. Georgia Spiliopoulos joined the School of International Studies and the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies (IAPS) in February 2016. Her background is in Applied Social Science/Social Work and she completed her PhD studies in August 2013 at the Department of Applied Social Science (now Department of Sociology), Lancaster University. She is currently Visiting Fellow for the Centre for Health Innovation, Leadership and Learning (CHILL) at the Nottingham University Business School, UK. Prior to joining the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China, she worked for academic institutions in China (Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University) and the UK (Lancaster University, Sheffield College). She has taught in the subject areas of international relations, criminology and sociology. She has recently completed two funded projects on the effects of ‘Brexit’ on the

retention and recruitment of migrant nurses and on returnee Filipino nurses. She has also worked on a number of collaborative research and evaluation projects funded by NGOs and governmental bodies (ESRC, Oxfam, UK local government and the Home Office). Her recently completed collaborative project titled ‘Retention and recruitment of migrant nurses post-Brexit’ has received international media attention, including BBC Radio Nottingham interview and features in television, newspaper and internet blogs in the USA, the UK and other European countries, also from bodies such as the Royal College of Nursing (Nursing Standard journal) and others.

Research Interests:

• Migrant identity, belonging and acculturation stress

• Migration of healthcare workers, especially from South and Southeast Asian countries

• Feminization of migration, transnational families and the ‘global care chain’

• Human agency and social/gender inequality

• Feminist theories (critical feminist theory, intersectionality)

• Social care for older adults• Rural migration• Poverty and social welfare• Diasporic cultural practices• Race relations in the UK• Young and older adults & disability

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30KEYNOTE SPEAKERSPATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL


MINISTER LEELA AHEER

Minister Aheer was first elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Chestermere-Rocky View on May 5, 2015. She was re-elected on April 16, 2019, as the MLA for the newly formed riding of Chestermere-Strathmore. Born in Edmonton and raised in Chestermere, where she is raising her family, Aheer is a proud wife and mother of two boys. Prior to entering politics, Aheer was a professional vocal coach and music teacher, who instructed singing in 7 languages, owned and operated businesses as an entrepreneur, and was heavily involved in the arts, volunteerism and community service. Leela Aheer was

appointed as Alberta’s Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women on April 30, 2019. She is also Minister responsible for the Francophone Secretariat. Previously serving as the Opposition Critic for Children’s Services and Status of Women, Aheer brings her experience as a legislator to her new portfolio. A key priority of the Alberta government is to provide more protections for women, through initiatives like Clare’s Law.

Aheer will continue to work hard to build an Alberta that regardless of who you are, who you love, where you come from, to whom you pray - is for generations to come, strong and free.

MINISTER JASON COPPING

Minister Copping was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on April 16, 2019, as the MLA for Calgary-Varsity. With over 20 years of senior management experience in labour relations, human resources and corporate affairs, Minister Copping is well acquainted with the Labour and Immigration portfolio. Working in the transportation industry, he has led teams in the development and implementation of labour relations strategies, negotiated and administered collective agreements, and presented cases before labour arbitrators. More recently, Minister Copping has worked as a consultant providing advice and training to clients on labour relations and human resources issues, as well as offering dispute resolution services in the

field. He has also served as a part-time member of the Alberta Labour Relations Board. Minister Copping has taught Labour Relations at the University of Calgary and Labour & Employment Law as well as Human Resource Management at the University of Lethbridge. He holds a Master of Industrial Relations from Queen’s University and an LLM with a specialization in Labour & Employment law from Osgoode Hall, York University. Jason Copping was appointed as Alberta’s Minister of Labour and Immigration on April 30, 2019. His extensive background in labour relations makes him well positioned to take on this portfolio as Alberta’s government seeks to create more jobs, and deliver on fairness for newcomers entering the workforce.

LEADERSHIP PANELPATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM



ASSOCIATE MINISTER JASON LUAN

Minister Luan was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Calgary-Foothills on April 16, 2019. He previously served as an MLA for Calgary-Hawkwood (2012-2015).Married to Ms. Fengying Zhang for 34 years, Luan has two daughters. Graduating from the University of Calgary with a Masters of Social Work in 1990, he has dedicated his career to public service, promoting healthy families, strong communities and economic prosperity. He served in a variety of roles in provincial and municipal governments including as a child protection worker, a social planner, a manager and as a senior counsellor. Luan has also managed funding for non-profit social service

agencies for over 20 years. He co-chaired the Immigrant Sector Council of Calgary (2006-2012) and served on the Calgary Council on Mental Health and Addictions from 2017 to 2018. He is proud to have made a difference in many lives throughout his professional services and community volunteering, and received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for community services. Jason Luan was appointed as the Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions on April 30, 2019. His extensive experience in working with those suffering from addiction makes him uniquely positioned to handle the key commitment to address the opioid epidemic in Alberta.

COUNCILLOR GEORGE CHAHAL

George was raised in Saddleridge and attended Stanley Jones Elementary, and Macleod Junior High School in Renfrew. George continued his education at Crescent Heights High School completing an Advanced High School diploma. George attended university and graduated from University of Calgary with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics.

George has continued his passion for sport at many levels of competition locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. George has a passion for teaching and coaching children. More recently in 2016, George was a member of the Provincial Gold medalist Calgary Phantoms at the Provincial Ball Hockey Championships, and Masters National Gold medalists with Team Alberta.

George entered the workforce full time as a Financial Advisor with CIBC Bank. In 2002, George followed his father’s footsteps, entering the Real Estate and Development Industry. George is the Vice President, Finance & Planning at Oxford Group. He is a member of a number of professional associations including but not limited to the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and Certified Commercial Investment Management Institute (CCIM).

In 2003, George enrolled in the faculty of Environmental Design Planning (University of Calgary). His involvement in the program, gave him the opportunity to work on many interesting projects such as a team member of Alta da Lisboa community redesign in Lisbon, Portugal. In November 2006, George graduated with a Masters Degree in Environmental Design (Planning).

Currently, George has been focused on his entrepreneurial endeavors, running a small business and his continued passion for research and learning. He also has served on many committees over the last decade.

LEADERSHIP PANELPATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM



TOWN HALLPATRICIA A. WHELAN PERFORMANCE HALL | 3:30 - 5:00 PM


ANILA LEE YUEN

Anila is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Newcomers. She has 24 years of experience in the settlement sector. Beyond traditional settlement services, Anila has spearheaded programming to include volunteer-led refugee supports; indigenous integration for newcomers; LGBTQ+ supports, domestic violence, homeless and mental health support services and broadened vulnerable youth programming and social venture opportunities. Anila holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience) and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Calgary and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management.

She is an alumna of the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program and is a featured author in the International Museum of Women’s anthology Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women, and the recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case in 2001 for her work advocating for the rights of immigrant and minority women and children in Canada. In 2017, she was honoured with the University of Calgary Alumni Award and Top 40 Under 40 designation. In 2019, she received the Woman of Wonder Award and a Women of Inspiration Award.

BRUCE RANDALL

Bruce Randall is the Founding Executive Director of Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC). CRIEC is a not-for-profit organization that connects newcomer professionals with local corporate professionals in mentoring strategies designed to lead to meaningful career paths. Bruce has been a community-builder across a range of sectors for more than 35 years. A graduate of McGill University Law School, Bruce has had careers in law, business and the non-profit community in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. He served as General Counsel,

Vice-President Law and Corporate Secretary with The Forzani Group Ltd. in Calgary, retiring in 2004. He also helped establish Influence Mentoring, a mentoring program for post-secondary Indigenous students, and currently serves as Chair and Board Director of Miskanawah Community Services Association. Bruce is sessional lecturer at Mount Royal University and Red Deer College, where he teaches Law and Governance in the non-profit sector, amongst other courses. Bruce mentors students, professionals and community members.


FARIBORZ BIRJANDIAN

From the local to the international level, Mr. Fariborz Birjandian has served on committees, boards and task forces related to immigration, refugees, diversity, equal rights and the cultural arts.

He became a refugee when he left his home country of Iran with his family in 1987. His involvement and work with refugees began in 1987 and has continued these past 30+ years. He initially began this work with the UNHCR and, once settled in Canada, he volunteered with several organizations including the Red Cross and Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS). In his role as CEO with CCIS, he leads 300 staff members and 1,600 volunteers as they deliver approximately 80 programs and

services designed to aid the settlement and integration of immigrants and refugees in Calgary, Alberta and its surrounding communities. He has been instrumental in designing and initiating numerous methodologies related to settlement and integration including the UNHCR Settlement Handbook that is used nationally and internationally.

He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his community involvement, and for his commitment to ensuring that institutions, advisory groups and all levels of government work to recognize the needs and challenges faced by newcomers, promote the creation of welcoming and engaged communities, and recognize and celebrate diversity.



newcomer client seminars, and he hopes to see this initiative continue. Following a visit to Uganda, Hyder and Christina started a non-profit charity – FullSoul – an organization supporting maternal health in Uganda. As a recognized strong community leader, Hyder received an Immigrants of Distinction Award in 2018, 2017 University of Waterloo Young Alumni Award, 2018 Calgary Top 40 under 40 Award, 2016 Global Runner-up Plan Plus Financial Planning Awards, & 2019 Compelling Calgarian.

HYDER HASSAN

Hyder has held positions in various leading financial institutions and most recently was Head of Wealth Management at First Calgary Financial/Qtrade before joining Immigrant Services Calgary in February 2019 as their CEO. Hyder and his wife, Christina, moved to Calgary in 2013. It did not take long for Hyder to become involved in the local community, including Rotary, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Alberta Health Services. In addition, Hyder has also volunteered with Immigrant Services Calgary where he organized several




LAUREEN MACNEIL

Laureen MacNeil is the Executive Director at the Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary Region (CMHA Calgary). Last year CMHA Calgary provided mental health promotion and community-based services to over 30,000 Calgarians. In 2018, CMHA Calgary launched the first Recovery College in Alberta. Recovery College is an innovative, educational approach to supporting addiction and mental

SAROSH RIZVI

Sarosh is the Executive Director at the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) and has worked in the settlement and integration sector for more than a decade managing the largest Settlement Workers In Schools (SWIS) program in Canada.

He is also the founder and Executive Director of Kleos Microfinance Group, a woman-centred international development charity based in Calgary. Sarosh’s support of marginalized communities has been recognized by being named by Avenue Magazine as ‘Top 40 Under 40’ and by MOSAIC Volunteers with the Community Hero Award.

health by providing over 60 courses co-designed by individuals that have experienced a mental health or addiction challenge. Laureen is a professional engineer and holds a Masters in Health Services Administration from Dalhousie University and an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan School of Management.



PARALLEL SESSIONS

1:30 - 2:00PMYan (Olivia) Chen

The Lived Experiences of Moms of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children over Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Processes

ROOM 0-14

Yan (Olivia) ChenAffiliation: The Immigrant Education Society, University of Calgary

The presentation will demonstrate the lived experiences of moms of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children who have been through the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic processes.

Immigrant children usually learn and practice two languages. Language assessment is decisive in ASD diagnosis (Presco & Kay-Raining Bird, 2016). Since 1976, research has repeatedly claimed that ASD is more frequent in children of immigrant than native-born parents (Harper & Williams, 1976; Lauritsen et al., 2005;

Williams et al., 2008; Magnusson et al., 2012; Dealberto, 2011). Moreover, even when the final diagnosis decides that the child does not have ASD, a label of development delay is usually attached to the child. Thereby, “the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education has been a persistent problem” (Sullivan, 2011). Many studies focus on psychological assessment, language disorder assessment, or the causes of ASD (Boema & Blom, 2017; Presco & Kay-Raining Bird, 2016). Currently, there is sparse research on parents, especially Mom as the primary caregiver’s experience. As an immigrant woman, who is also facing multiple challenges to settle and integrate into Canadian society, what have they experienced? The study will ask how do their children’s ASD diagnostic process affect the integration trajectory?

The study aims at pointing out the problematic nature of the ASD diagnostic process. It attempts to help the CLD mothers to cope with their children’s ASD diagnosis and their social integration. As the planned study is still in process, the presentation will focus on the literature review for the study (Merriam, 1998).


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2:00 - 2:30PMCatherine Hamel

Tracing Shifting Thresholds

ROOM 0-14

Catherine HamelAffiliation: University of Calgary

The larger framework of this presentation is the activism that lies within the expressive arts and social change. The immediate study is of a feminine body that has been unwillingly pushed across borders and boundaries. From surviving to thriving, the focus is on a productive consequence of remaining in exile within oneself as a coping strategy in forming a new identity.

The exile’s knowledge of living a displaced life dislodges people from their false sense of security. The intentional tracing of elusive shadows is the voicing of a subject to help it stand, not as a temporary emotive story, but as a narrative that confronts imposed ubiquity. We draw lines of distinction in the construction of our world. Lines that are rigid, aggressive, imposing.

Lines that can be subtle, delicate, wondering. By intentionally displacing space to draw out an experience, the body becomes a site of migration of knowledge that dispels the boundaries imposed. It is a collision between modes of expression and experience that can never be perfectly matched. A process of constantly translating oneself across the limits encountered. Living within the ebb and flow of the joy of discovery and the restrictions of ability creates an ongoing negotiation that challenges segregation and the parceling of thought. In such a context one persistently exists between conditions, oscillating, perpetually crossing the borders of habit. It is a rich existence that defies the comfort of stale meaning.

Three projects about adaptation that use this parallel ongoing and delicate balance between loss and discovery will be presented: To My Beirut of Flesh and Blood; The Drawn Out Identity of Forced Displacement and A Life Misremembered. These modalities of expression as productive deviations showcased as tools become preventative diplomacy created through corridors of relieve in the experience of being grafted. How did you leave? Not by choice. The visible world perceptibly comes apart yet is imperceptibly stitched back together.

2:30 - 3:00PMMischa Taylor

The Role of Social Bridges in Supporting Integration Amongst Syrian Refugee Men and Women

ROOM 0-14

Sophie Yohani, Anna Kirova, Rebecca Gokiert, Mischa TaylorAffiliation: University of Alberta

The unprecedented influx of Syrian refugees arriving in Canada in 2015 onwards, with experiences of trauma, precipitated an urgency to facilitate their settlement and integration on a large scale. In response, a community-based participatory study is currently being conducted with the Syrian refugee community in Edmonton to explore critical aspects of psychosocial adaptation and integration after trauma using Community Learning for Empowerment Groups (CLEGs). This study employs the combined Domains of Integration model (Ager & Strang, 2008) and the ADAPT model

(Silove, 2013) as its framework. A key indicator of psychosocial integration within both models is social connections, which is examined in the CLEG project. As a student researcher member on the team, my thesis research will form a complementary study to explore the experiences of social connections amongst male and female members of the Syrian refugee community, focusing particularly on social bridging. Its focus on men and women as distinct groups is intended to provide insight on the unique experiences of each gender group, and will identify individual and community-level gaps and strengths in social bridging by comparing gender group experiences.

As such, this presentation will share some of the preliminary findings on social connections that have emerged from the CLEG project and discuss the further research that I will conduct on social bridging specifically. This presentation will introduce the qualitative methodology that will be employed in my thesis research as well as next steps, and highlight the implications of better understanding how social networks within the greater community can influence refugee integration.

BREAKOUT ROOMS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30PARALLEL SESSIONSBREAKOUT ROOMS


1:30 - 2:00PMOlatunde Joseph Adebayo

Sex Migration: The Challenges of the Booming Enterprise between Nigeria and Europe

BMO ROOM

Olatunde Joseph Adebayo Affiliation: University of Abuja

Sex work, in different places, shifts boundaries between the formal and informal, between being official and unofficial. Nigerian sex workers are present in almost every city of Western Europe. The paper explains the upsurge of the multi-billion dollar enterprise, having built massive networks in Nigeria, other African countries and Europe.

Sex migration had been relatively unnoticed until 1995, when it became clear there were a significant number of Nigerian women in Italy for sex work and slavery. Currently, there are between 10,000 to 20,000 Nigerian sex workers in Italy. The paper offers

insight on how and why the dawn of the so-called Arab Spring in the early 2011, has continued to be symbolic; engendered normative and institutional change in migration for sex work. The period crystallized, ushered in unprecedented quick-running machinery for Nigerian sex workers to have their enterprise plied abroad, via Sahara, “the largest hot desert,” and Mediterranean, “the most trafficked sea.” It investigates the challenges associated with integration in Libya and Europe, which involve oaths of secrecy before traditional shrines, requiring victims’ body parts like blood, hairs, fingernails and personal items. It discusses the future dynamic potential and cross-cutting impacts of the emerging, but bigger group, covering a wide range of geographical and ecological zones.

The author looks into the issues of human rights of the workers from home country to other countries. He explores the roles of officers at all stages of the movements. And the web of networks connecting countries together with the source, Nigeria, transit and destination, Libya, and the dreamed host continent, Europe. Constituting a transnational social space facilitating trafficking flows.


2:00 - 2:30PMJessica Brandon

Human Trafficking in Alberta

BMO ROOM

Jessica Brandon Affiliation: Manager of Training and Education; Action Coalition on Human Trafficking

The Action Coalition on Human Trafficking Alberta (ACT Alberta) is a coalition working to identify and respond to human trafficking in Alberta. The ACT Project was housed within Changing Together - a Center for Immigrant Women located in Edmonton. A 2007 Environmental Scan called “Trafficking of Women and Girls to Canada” found trafficking to be inadequately addressed, and so ACT Alberta was formally founded as a not-for profit agency, and an officially registered charity in 2010. As of this time, ACT offices reside in Edmonton and Calgary, while projects managed by ACT Alberta run throughout Rural Alberta and smaller urban centers like Red Deer, Lethbridge and Slave lake. Our Mission: To increase knowledge and awareness on human trafficking, advocate for effective rights-based responses, build capacity of all

involved stakeholders, and lead and foster collaboration for joint action against human trafficking.

Our Values: (1) Human rights-based and victim-centered, (2) Collaboration and partnership, (3) Diversity, (4) Evidence-based. Human trafficking is the exploitation of a person for sex/labour, domestic servitude or forced organ removal. It happens right here in Calgary. In 2018, 42.1% of ACT Alberta’s referrals were found to be Temporary Foreign Workers or international victims of human trafficking. 57.9% of our clients were found to be domestic or Canadian citizens. Labour trafficking is on the rise in our province; legal industries such as agriculture, construction, retail, restaurants, hotels, and caregivers are some places people are experiencing this human-rights violation.

During this panel, attendees will hear:

• What is human trafficking,• The difference between human

trafficking and human smuggling,• The Temporary Foreign Worker

program and labour trafficking,• The complexities of this crime,• Who potentially can become a

victim of human trafficking,• Red flags and indicators,• How human trafficking presents

in Alberta,• What is ACT Alberta and how we

can work together.



2:30 - 3:00PMDr. Cristiano D’Orsi

The Role of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa in Protecting Women on the Continent

BMO ROOM

Dr. Cristiano D’Orsi Affiliation: Research Fellow & Lecturer, South African Research Chair in International Law (SARCIL), Faculty of Law, University of Johannesburg

My work focuses on the role of the 2003 Maputo Protocol in protecting women in Africa. Generally, there is significant concern as to how the protocol could be implemented, given that, at times, several rights provided in the 2003 Maputo Protocol are blatantly opposite to rooted cultural, national traditions. In effect, the Protocol’s approach recognizes that equality between women and men, even if refugees and hence united, in Sub-Saharan Africa is not possible unless certain cultural and

traditional attitudes and stereotypes can be corrected. Furthermore, the majority of the provisions contained in the 2003 Maputo Protocol, including the ones concerning the situation of refugee women, seem unattainable now if we consider the present conditions in many countries in the region. The Protocol also fails to recognize several rights, deemed as particularly relevant for refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as the right to a fair trial, and the rights of convicted and detained women. Also, due to the fact that it is based on the presumption that women’ rights are of a paramount importance, the significance of the 2003 Maputo Protocol as a legal instrument may not give effective legal protection unless women participate directly in the development, interpretation and enforcement of the law.

Until these aims have been met, the role of the 2003 Maputo Protocol in protecting women and, more specifically, refugee women’s rights remain limited, falling short of ‘a new dawn’ for women on the continent. In sum, the 2003 Maputo Protocol should be perceived as a reason to celebrate the protection of women’s rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, but not as a reason to be fully satisfied with the degree of women’s rights protection this legal instrument has reached up to now.


1:30 - 3:00PMHalley Silversides, Stacy Lee Lockerbie, Alesia Au

Exploring Emotional Wellness in LINC Programs Across the Canadian Prairies: The ReNEW Project, Context, and Preliminary Findings


In and Out of the Classroom: A case study on newcomer emotional wellbeing as reported by front-line workers.Alesia Au, BN, RN

Preliminary Qualitative Findings: Frontline Narratives from LINC Teachers and Managers.Stacy Lee Lockerbie, PhD.

Statistics telling the story: Initial survey analysis and results from the ReNEW Project.Halley Silversides, MLIS, RN


The Refugees and Newcomers Emotional Wellness (ReNEW) Partnership Project for Best Practices is a collaborative, three year, multi-site study looking at the emotional wellness of LINC students as well as the teachers, managers, and organizations that support them.

This IRCC funded project is a collaboration between The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) and the University of Calgary, Faculty of Nursing and included partner sites in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. This panel will discuss the foundations of the ReNEW study as well as the preliminary results of specific aspects of the ReNEW project including 13 completed focus group, over 700 student paper surveys (offered in nine languages) and 60 electronic surveys from teachers.

Although this project focuses on newcomer LINC students as a whole, discussion about the findings of newcomer women will also be featured throughout each panelist’s presentation.



SESSION FEEDBACK FORMS

SESSION FEEDBACK WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 | 9:50 - 10:30 AM

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SESSION FEEDBACKWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 | 11:00AM - 12:30PM

SESSION FEEDBACKWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 | 1:30 - 3:00PM


SESSION FEEDBACK WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 | 3:30 - 4:00PM

SESSION FEEDBACK THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 | 9:25 - 10:15AM


SESSION FEEDBACK THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 | 10:30AM - 12:00PM

SESSION FEEDBACK THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 | 1:30 - 3:00PM


NOTES

THANK YOUFor attending the Conference 2020 on Refugee &

Newcomer Women’s Emotional Wellness!

Our sincere thanks goes to the funders, presenters, volunteers and staff who made this event possible.

To learn more about our programs, services and research initiatives please visit us online at:

www.immigrant-education.ca

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Documents

Conference 2020 | Refugee & Newcomer Women’s Emotional