Priority Setting 2nd... · 2018-08-30 · 2nd ANNUAL INTEGRATION SUMMIT 2018 2 Opening Statement We acknowledge that we are meeting on Treaty 4 Territory and the traditional Homeland

SECOND ANNUAL INTEGRATION SUMMIT 2018

September 5, 6 & 7Delta Hotel, Regina

Sector Engagement

Sector Engagement

Sector Engagement

Sector Engagement

Sector Engagement

Sector Engagement

Current Investment and Pressures


Current Investment and PressuresCurrent Investment and Pressures


Priority Setting

Priority Setting

Priority Setting

Priority Setting

Priority Setting Priority Setting

Strategic Advice

Strategic Advice

Strategic Advice

Strategic Advice

Strategic Advice

Strategic AdviceCall for Proposals

Call for Proposals

Call for Proposals

Call For Proposals

Call for Proposals

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Developm

ent

Professional Development




Excellence in Settlement and Integration Services in Saskatchewan

Funded by: Financé par:

Immigration, Refugeesand Citizenship Canada

Immigration, Réfugiéset Citoyenneté Canada

1 2nd ANNUAL INTEGRATION SUMMIT 2018

2nd Annual Integration SummitSeptember 5 – 7, 2018

Delta Hotel, Regina

Purpose

Day 1 & 2 Goals• To ensure that the entire Saskatchewan settlement sector is aware of current investments and pressures

facing the settlement system; • To engage all stakeholders in identifying key priorities for the remainder of the current fiscal cycle (Sept

2018-March 2020); and • To provide strategic advice to IRCC on the design of Call for Proposals 2019 on both essential priorities

and negotiating guidelines.

Day 3 Goal• To provide professional development for the Saskatchewan settlement and integration sector.

Master(s) of Ceremony: André Lalonde and Anthony Olusola

Note: 1. Livestream will be available for all plenary sessions2. Simultaneous interpretation will be available for all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions3. Whisper interpretation will be provided upon request

Excellence in Settlement and IntegrationServices in Saskatchewan

22nd ANNUAL INTEGRATION SUMMIT 2018

Opening Statement

We acknowledge that we are meeting on Treaty 4 Territory and the traditional Homeland of the Métis.

Let us recognize that all of us present are enthusiastic and passionate community leaders. There may be some who travelled great distances and some who live here and call Regina, Treaty 4 Territory, home. To those who are visiting, welcome.

We understand that we all have a unique story to tell, some of us here may be immigrants, some of us may be refugees, or have experienced different types of challenges. We acknowledge that we don’t know everything there is to know about one another but as we work through each day let us respect and embrace our diversity.

We acknowledge that everyone here has something important to say and something important to contribute to our purpose. Within this group we see tremendous opportunity, strength, and wisdom.

We also need to realize that many of us have more practice at being at meetings and speaking publicly, and we all experience uncertainty at times. We are here because we all want to work together to ensure a better quality of life for newcomers to Canada, and to make sure our communities are stronger and more welcoming.

Adapted with permission from the Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership.


Since 1987 SAISIA has taken pride in participating in the excellent services provided by settlement and integration agencies across Saskatchewan. Together we make Canada more culturally inclusive by assisting newcomers and refugees.

As we continue to focus on inclusion and diversity in Canada, we are pleased to inform you that we have laid out a number of informative plenaries, breakout sessions, and workshops where you can exchange knowledge through discussions and by asking questions. Therefore, we encourage you to stay engaged because your contribution will shape the future of Canada’s settlement and integration services.

Over the course of these three days, there will be opportunities for all to engage and share with the Saskatchewan settlement system. Current investments and pressures, key priorities for the remainder of the current fiscal year and strategic advice to IRCC on the design of Call for Proposals 2019 will be addressed, and professional development for the settlement and integration sector will be provided.

We believe that your presence is enriching and we are thrilled to have you with us. Every person, agency, and organization represented here are warmly welcomed!

Getachew WoldeyesusPresident SAISIA Board of Directors

Sylvia WatererExecutive Director SAISIA

Dear Summit Attendees,

On behalf of the SAISIA Board of Directors, SAISIA staff and the Planning Committee, welcome to the Second Annual Integration Summit of Saskatchewan.

Welcome from SAISIA


BVOR Blended Visa-Office Referred

CCR Canadian Council for Refugees

CISA/ACSE Canadian Settlement Sector Alliance/Alliance Canadienne du secteur de l’établissement des immigrants

CFP Call for Proposals

GAR Government Assisted Refugee

H.I.S. Helping Immigrants Succeed

IRCC Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada

IRW Immigration Research West

LIP Local Immigration Partnership

LINC Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada

Min of ICT Ministry of Immigration and Career Training

OTC Office of the Treaty Commissioner

PNT Prairies and Northern Territories

PSR Private Sponsored Refugee

RAP Resettlement Assistance Program

RIF Réseau en Immigration Francophone

RSTP Refugee Sponsorship Training Program

SAH Sponsorship Agreement Holder

SK Saskatchewan

SPO Service Provider Organization

TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

SWIS Settlement Workers in School

Common Acronyms


Sincerely

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P. Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Message from the Federal Minister, IRCC

Greetings from the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

I’m pleased to welcome you to SAISIA’s Second Annual Integration Summit.

Our government is committed to helping newcomers to integrate into Canada, so they can participate in their cities, towns and neighborhoods. As a result, we now support settlement services in 22 Saskatchewan communities.

It’s valuable that you are bringing so many key players in the Saskatchewan settlement system together to plan how to enhance settlement

outcomes for newcomers. I look forward to hearing from you on how future programs and innovations can improve the settlement experience of newcomers and engage even more members of your communities in the nation-building work of settlement and integration.

You and your agencies and organizations are key to the success of newcomers in Canada. I thank you all for your dedication and wish you a productive and enjoyable summit.


Message from the Premier of Saskatchewan

Scott Moe Premier

On behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan, I am pleased to bring greetings to everyone attending SIASIA’s 2nd Integration Summit, held in our province’s capital city.

The Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA) was established in 1987 with the goal of providing newcomers access to opportunities for professional development, networking, and consulting services, among many others. Acting as the umbrella organization, SAISIA is an important voice for immigration and settlement agencies across our province, as well as throughout Canada.

Thank you to all members of SAISIA for your hard work in ensuring newcomers feel welcome and are given access to ample resources. Your dedication to providing these services is recognized and appreciated by all.

Best wishes for an enjoyable event.


Message from the Mayor of Regina

On behalf of City Council and the residents of Regina, it is my pleasure to welcome attendees of the Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA) Second Annual Summit to our city.

Regina is an ideal location for the summit, as we are Canada’s second fastest-growing city by population and, with the country’s highest rate of international immigration, a beacon to new Canadians coming from all over the globe. A truly welcoming city, we have become increasingly diverse in the 10 years to reflect the myriad cultures that make up our population.

After years of hard work and strategic growth we have created a fantastic place to live and play, with a wide variety of activities, entertainment, and attractions. Located on Treaty 4 land and the traditional territory of

the Métis peoples, Regina is fortunate to have many unique destinations for visitors to explore. Those include our iconic new Mosaic Stadium (go Riders!), Casino Regina, the RCMP Heritage Centre, the Saskatchewan Science Centre and Kramer IMAX Theatre, Royal Saskatchewan Museum and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. We also have many unique shops and fine restaurants, where you are sure to discover the warm, friendly spirit of our city. You can relax in Wascana Centre, the awe-inspiring urban park that houses the provincial Legislature building, the University of Regina, and Wascana Lake.

All of this is just a taste of what Regina can offer. Enjoy your stay, but be careful once you experience our infinite horizons, you may not want to leave!

Sincerely

Michael Fougere Mayor


Message from Tribal Chief of File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council

On behalf of the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council and our 11 member First Nations, I bring greetings to all attending Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA) Second Annual Integration Summit. We commend the hard work of SAISIA in allowing to open doors of opportunity, and continuing to be that important voice for immigration and settlement agencies across Saskatchewan. SAISIA’s continued community engagement and collaboration that serve newcomers is recognized and appreciated by all. Best of luck in your annual Integration Summit.

Best wishes

Edmund BellegardeTribal Chief of File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council


Pre-registration

Date: Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Pre - function Area


Wednesday, September 5, 2018Time & Room Activity

8:00 – 9:00Trentino/Tuscany

Breakfast and Registration


Welcome and Opening Statement By Getachew Woldeyesus, Board President of SAISIA, Sylvia Waterer, Executive Director of SAISIA and Marie Galophe, Coordinator of SK – RIF


GreetingsEdmund Bellegarde, Tribal Chief - File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council Welcome to Treaty 4 Territory and Traditional Homeland of the MetisNita Jolly, Acting Deputy Director General, Settlement Network, IRCCDavid Buckingham, MLA, Province of SaskatchewanBarbara Young, Deputy Mayor Councillor, City of Regina


Plenary 1: Service Mapping PresentationSpeakers:John Biles, Acting Director, Settlement Network, IRCCJan Kot, Executive Director, Immigration, Employment and Career Development Division, Ministry of Immigration and Career Training Anthony Olusola, Project Manager, SAISIA

Followed by Q&A/Discussion

10:30 – 10:50 Health Break


Plenary 2: Call for Proposals (CFP) 101Speaker: Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director, Settlement Network, IRCC



Plenary 3: National Settlement Council Update from June meeting – National Priorities Speakers: Nita Jolly, Acting Deputy Director General, Settlement Network, IRCCTracey Donaldson, Director, Settlement and Integration Policy, IRCCGetachew Woldeyesus, Board President, SAISIA


Day 1 Agenda



Plenary 4: Community Typologies (Agreement on minimal basket of services to be available in each size community) Speaker:Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager, Settlement Network, IRCC Respondents Paulina Ernberg, Small Centre Coordinator, SAISIAMaria Galophe, Coordinator, RIF Saskatchewan


12:30 – 1:30 Lunch Break (A taste of Caribbean)

1:30 – 2:40 Breakouts/Round Table Discussions 1: IRCC lead(One hour for table discussion and 10 mins for room summary)

Campania B Needs Assessment and Referral (Evie Barnes, Supervisor)

Verdi Information and Orientation (Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director)

Milan Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs), Réseaux en immigration francophone (RIFs), Umbrellas and other indirect services (Kelly Sims, Manager)

Trentino/Tuscany Support Services: Groups (Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager)i) Transportationii) Childmindingiii) Interpretation/translationiv) Crisis counselling



Plenary 5: Moving Settlement Forward TogetherSession will be co-chaired by:Nita Jolly, Acting Deputy Director General, Settlement Network, IRCCGetachew Woldyesus, Board President, SAISIASpeakers:David Manicom, Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement Network, IRCCChrista Ross, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Immigration, Employment and Career Development Division, Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, Province of Saskatchewan


Day 1 Agenda



Summary, Closing Remark and Wrap up for the day Summary by:

o Ali Abukar, Executive Director, Saskatoon Open Door Society Inc.o Bula Ghosh, ESL Program Coordinator, Great Plains Collegeo Wendy Hyshka, Program Coordinator, Immigrant Youth, Saskatoon Industry Education Council

Closing remark by: John Biles, Acting Director, Settlement Network, IRCCAnnouncements by: Sylvia Waterer, Executive Director, SAISIA

6:00 – 8:30 p.m. Networking Cocktails & Cash Bar

Note: 1. Livestream will be available for all plenary sessions2. Simultaneous interpretation will be available for all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions3. Whisper interpretation will be provided upon request


Day 2 Agenda

Thursday September 6, 2018Time & Room Activity


Breakfast and Networking


Welcome, and Opening Statement - By Getachew Woldeyesus, Board President of SAISIA, Sylvia Waterer, Executive Director of SAISIA, Dr. Judy White, Dean of the faculty of Social Work, U of R


Plenary 6: Cluster Update Speaker: Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director, Settlement Network, IRCC



Plenary 7: Overview Language, Youth, Community Connections, and Labour MarketSpeakers:Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager, Settlement Network, IRCCAbdur Rehman Ahmad – Saskatchewan Intercultural Association (SIA) - Results of summer program evaluation



10:35 – 12:00 Breakouts/Round Table Discussions 2: IRCC lead(One hour for table discussion and 20 minutes for room summary)

Trentino/Tuscany Language: Groups (Judy Sears, Acting Supervisor)i) Language assessmentii) Formal classroom languageiii) Blended languageiv) Informal language

Campania B Labour Market: Groups (Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager)i) Labour market preparationii) Mentorshipsiii) On-the-job supports required

Lombardy A Community Connections: Groups (Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director, Evie Barnes, Supervisor)

i) Engaging “mainstream institutions”ii) Connecting newcomers to other Canadians/Canadian institutionsiii) Engaging volunteers


Lombardy B Youth Groups (Kelly Sims, Manager)i) SWIS (including enhanced SWIS)ii) Summer programmingiii) Critical hours/after school programming

12:00 – 1:15 Lunch Break (A taste of Ukraine)

1:15 – 2:15 Breakouts/Round Table Discussions 3: IRCC lead(45 minutes for table discussion and 15 minutes for room summary)

Campania B LGBTQ+ (Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager)

Verdi Seniors (Judy Sears, Acting Supervisor)

Lombardy A Women (Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director)

Milan Newcomers with Disabilities (Evie Barnes, Supervisor)

Trentino/Tuscany Francophone Communities (Kelly Sims, Manager)

Lombardy B Small Centres Communities (John Biles, Acting Director)



Summary, Closing Remark and Wrap up for the day Summary by:

o Dalise Hector, Manager, South Central Regional Immigration Partnership, Moose Jaw o Judy White, Dean, faculty of Social Work, U of Ro Kristin Enns-Kavanagh, Executive Director, SK History and Folklore

Closing remarks by: John Biles, Acting Director, Settlement Network, IRCCWrap up by: Sylvia Waterer, Executive Director, SAISIA,Getachew Woldeyesus, Borad President of SAISIA

Note:1. Livestream will be available for all plenary sessions2. Simultaneous interpretation will be available for all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions3. Whisper interpretation will be provided upon request


Day 3 Agenda

Friday September 7, 2018Time & Room Activity


Breakfast & Networking


Welcome and Opening StatementBy Getachew Woldeyesus, Board President of SAISIA, Sylvia Waterer, Executive Director of SAISIA and Bula Ghosh, ESL Program Coordinator, Great Plains College


Plenary #1: Systems Approach to Sustainable Community ImpactAndré J. Lalonde, co-founder, Sentiers du leadership Inc.

This plenary session will give participants a better understanding of the concept of collective im-pact. Explore how to plan for wider community engagement and coordinate services beyond the settlement. It will look at immigration as a learning journey involving various stakeholders who are on interwoven learning journeys as they progress through challenging and ever-changing immi-gration conditions and parameters. In addition to providing an orientation to the key components of community impact strategies, the session will provide some insights on existing collective impact initiatives, the limitations of such initiatives, and strategic directions for overcoming those limitations within the scope of the immigration and integration sector. Attention will be devoted to these matters both in relation to the Anglophone and Francophone spheres of the immigration and integration sector in Saskatchewan.


Plenary #2: Newcomer WellbeingDr. Judy White, Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, U of R

This session will emphasize looking at wellbeing in a holistic manner addressing the various dimensions of newcomers’ lives that have a direct impact on their overall health and well-being. It will touch on the various settlement issues relevant to people’s lives and different components of settlement work (whether employment, family, youth) contribute to their well-being. Participants should be able to situate their work and see how they contribute to their well-being, taking away some pertinent questions such as:

- What is the impact of service and program gaps on the well-being of a person? - What is the impact of job loss on mental health and well-being? For example, if newcomers

are unemployed or underemployed.- What is our role as settlement workers? What guidance do we offer so that newcomers

can cope? Who might be best positioned to address this?



11:15 – 12:15 Breakout/workshop concurrent / simultaneous sessions #1

Trentino/Tuscany Breakout #1A: Equipping Cross-cultural counsellors: Strategies for Effective Engagement and Self care: Dr. Funke Oba, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Work, U of R

This two-pronged interactive workshop will highlight the complex intersecting dynamics of cross-cultural helping. Using an appreciative inquiry and anti-oppressive framework to examine discourses of client, participants will deconstruct binaries between practitioners and clients. Facilitated discussions will enable a collaborative articulation of relevant context-based tools, strategies and models for effectively engaging diversity. Self - reflectivity and awareness building exercises will foster an atmosphere of critical thinking and openness. Examining both practitioner and service user needs will inform relevant self-care strategies to avoid worker burnout and ef-fective service delivery that does no harm. Participants would have had an opportunity to reflect on current policies and practices in cross-cultural supportive counselling. Using their collective experiences and voices, they will articulate theories and models of cross-cultural counselling and support as well as tools for identifying and addressing mental health needs of cross-cultural counselling practitioners.

Milan Breakout #1B: Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Newcomers: Tools Developed by OCASI & SK Rural – Sizwe Inkingi, OCASI coordinator of Safe Places initiative and Odessa Sherbaniuk, SWIS Worker, Humboldt Newcomer Resource Center

This workshop will discuss the importance of creating a welcoming environment where LGBTQIA+ newcomers are able to access culturally inclusive services with dignity and respect and service providers can work free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. What a positive space means and the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) Positive Spaces Initiative (PSI) will be discussed. The PSI aim to share resources and increase organizational capacity to more effectively serve LGBTQIA+ newcomers and refugees living in Ontario. The Positive Spaces Initiative Assessment tool will be shared with participants. The Positive Space Assessment Tool was designed by OCASI to benchmark organizational standards for serving LGBTQIA+ newcomers will be presented to participants. This will include how agencies can identify variables that could help measure whether or not the agency has systems in place that are following provincial human rights code. This benchmarking tool will also serve as a resource to better support and equip members of leadership team to identify existing strengths and gaps that might not only exist within the settlement sector but also cross sectoral.


Day 3 Agenda

Verdi Breakout #1C: Case Management and Working with Individuals with Disabilities – John Loeppky, Associate Artistic Director for Listen to Dis’ Community Arts

The workshop will focus on labels and perspective on disabilities and the stereotypes that lead to barriers in employment. In this workshop, John will use his experience as a disabled person who has held some form of job or volunteer position since the age of 12 to lead participants through the skills that disabled people bring to the workplace, how workplaces can be made more inclu-sive, and answer any question related to the topic of employability and accessibility.

Lombardy A Breakout #1D: Training Low English Speakers for Employment - Refugee Employment Development Initiative (REDI): Promising Practice – Marvin Marcial, Program Coordinator, Manitoba Institute for Trades and Technologies (MITT)

This workshop is an opportunity to reflect on promising practices from the award-winning REDI project as an innovative program to address meaningful employment for refugees with low levels (CLB 1-3) of English language ability. Participants will learn what the project is and how it came to be, find out about some of the successes, and hear of the many challenges and hiccups experi-enced along the way. All of this will serve to highlight some key lessons learned that may provide inspiration or insight to how a similar initiative can be undertaken in Saskatchewan - or at the very least, may lead to some effective employment training for low CLB, tweaks or hacks you can take back to your programming.

12:15 – 1:15 LUNCH BREAK ( A taste of India)

1:15 – 2:15 Breakout/workshop concurrent / simultaneous sessions #2

Trentino/Tuscany Breakout #2A: Equipping Cross- cultural counsellors: Strategies for Effective Engagement and Self care

Milan Breakout #2B: Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Newcomers: Tools Developed by OCASI & SK Rural

Lombardy A Breakout #2C: The Milestones Test - Pre- and Post-Language Training assessments Chantal Goyette and Karine Begine; Research and Development, IRCC

CCLB has been funded by IRCC to carry out pre- and post-language training assessments using the Milestones Test for program evaluation in LINC programs, as well as using the test with individuals not in language training. Milestones is a standardized CLB based assessment which evaluates communicative competence across the four language skills. It is intended for use by students in IRCC’s language training programs, as well as in other contexts, such as educational institutions and training programs.


Lombardy B Breakout #2D: Regulated Professions – Pathways to accreditation – Din Ladak, Program Director, Calgary Immigrant Educational Society

Canada welcomes over 300,000 refugees and newcomers every year. Refugees and newcomers come to Canada with a big dream: to be safe and secure in a country that values multiculturalism, and one that has promise for being the land of milk and honey. Many of the arriving immigrants have strong qualifications in various “regulated professions”, and they are somewhat challenged by the difficulty in obtaining their acceptance of their earned qualifications from their homeland. This often leads to them obtaining jobs in fields other than what they have been trained in and can lead to a significant drop in their quality of life. This one-hour session will explore in some depth, how to best support newcomers and refugees obtain their credentialing in Canada and will discuss some of the best practices in optimizing this potential of professional knowledge and wisdom.

2:15– 2:30 Health Break


Plenary #3: CCISA/ ACSE Initiatives Update – Chris Friesen, Director Settlement Services, Immigrant Settlement Services of British Columbia

The settlement sector in Canada continues to evolve into a distinct and recognized professional sector. Our role is key to nation building and the social and economic integration of immigrants and refugees. As we look ahead to the next decade, how will current pan Canadian initiatives and advancements in technology influence our collective impact. The CISSA-ACSEI will highlight 10 developments-initiatives-calls for action as we collectively respond to new and emerging newcomer populations with different needs. SAISIA will do a 10-minute demonstration on how to utilize the unique feature (Sector Canvas) on SAISIA’s website to feed up to NSC and beyond.

3:30 – 4:00 General Q &A

4:00 – 4:30 Summary, Wrap-up and Closing Summary by:

o Brenda Sherring, Program Head, LINC Regina Campus, SaskPolyo Sunbo Toby-Lade, Program Supervisor, Newcomer Career and Support Services, Catholic Family Services, Reginao Neelu Sachdev, Executive Director, Regina Immigrant Women Centre

Closing Remark and wrap-up by: Sylvia Waterer Executive Director and Getachew Woldeyesus, President of SAISIA

Note:1. Livestream will be available for all plenary sessions2. Simultaneous interpretation will be available for all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions3. Whisper interpretation will be provided upon request


Day 1 Presenters

Getachew Woldeyesus is the Manager of Settlement, Family and Community Services at the Regina Open Door Society. He is also current President and board member of Saskatchewan Association Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies. Since 2009, he represents the Saskatchewan at the National Settlement Council. An accredited Settlement Practitioner in Saskatchewan and former refugee from Ethiopia, Getachew has been with the Regina Open Door Society since 1987. During the last twenty–nine years, he held several positions within the organization. He also worked on several community partnership initiatives to help develop a welcoming and supportive community for immigrants in the city of Regina. Getachew holds a Bachelor Social Work Degree and MSW (soon to be awarded) from the University of Regina. As part of his graduate studies program, he conducted several

research projects in the area of immigration including Temporary Workers Program, Canada Seasonal Agricultural Program, and Refugee Protection in Canada.

David Manicom, Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement Network, IRCC

Christa Ross, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Immigration, Employment and Career Development Division, Ministry of

Immigration and Career Training

Nita Jolly, Acting Deputy Director General, Settlement Network, IRCC

John Biles, Acting Director, Settlement Network, IRCC

Jan Kot, Executive Director, Immigration, Employment and Career Development Division, Ministry of Immigration and

Career Training

Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director, Settlement Network, IRCC

Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager, Settlement network, IRCC

Tracey Donaldson, Director, Settlement and Integration Policy, IRCC


Day 1 Presenters

Marie Galophe Ph.D.Marie was born in France. She holds a Master’s degree from La Sorbonne and a Ph.D. in French Creative Writing from the University of Ottawa. She arrived in Saskatchewan in 2016 and currently works as coordinator of the

Francophone Immigration Network (RIF-SK). In this regard, Marie makes sure to develop partnerships with organizations to ensure understanding of Saskatchewan linguistic diversity and Francophone immigration’s purpose. As a writer, she regularly contributes to the francophone newspaper, Eau vive, and does translation as she is an associate translator for the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Saskatchewan (ATIS). She is also the president of the Club France Regina Inc. and sits on the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan’s board of directors.

Paulina ErnbergPaulina moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from Sweden in 2011. She studied Commerce, majoring in Human Resources at the University of Saskatchewan. Paulina’s previous work with a Saskatoon Newcomer-serving organization

moved her to obtaining a second degree in Social Work at the University of Regina. As Small Centre Services Coordinator at SAISIA, promoting positive community and economic growth in our neighborhood. She looks forward to building relationships with Small Centre Service Provider Organizations across Saskatchewan settlement and integration sector. In her free time, Paulina loves to travel with her fiancé, she also helps him to run a local business. Grateful for an amazing group of neighborhood friends, Paulina is passionate about assisting newcomers on their settlement and integration journey.

Anthony Olusola Anthony Olusola has been with SAISIA since January 2016. He values the opportunity to work with and learn from immigrant and refugee service providers across Saskatchewan and feels very positive about SAISIA. Anthony is a life-long learner possessing

post-secondary degrees in Business Education with specialization in Curriculum Development and Instructional Design, Nigeria and Political Studies, Canada. He also holds professional certificates in Community Development, Germany; Project Management-Lean Process from Management and Strategic Institute, USA, amongst others. Currently completing a Business Strategy and Big Data Analytics Specialization from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA, Anthony is excited to continue contributing to SAISIA’s growth by utilizing his knowledge, skills and abilities of over 10 years working in the terrain of Global Initiatives and allied industry.


Day 2 Presenters

Abdur Rehman Ahmad Originally from Pakistan, Abdur has made Saskatoon his new home since 2012. Possessing a Masters in Business Administration from Pakistan, Abdul completed another Masters of Public Health Course (MPH) in 2016 from the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). Having over 8 years’ experience working in the public health and non-profit sector. Abdur had worked on Public Health projects in the global south namely Pakistan and worked with international development agencies based in Austria, Germany and The Netherlands. He currently works with SIA as the HR & Policy manager. Abdur is thrilled every day to work for an intercultural organization that is creating impact in the community by helping Newcomers through employment and language programs as well as building bridges between Newcomers and Indigenous people.

Grace Van Fleet, Acting Assistant Director, Settlement Network, IRCC

Rhonda McIntosh, Acting Manager, Settlement Network, IRCC


André J. Lalonde André is the co-founder of les Sentiers du Leadership Inc., a company dedicated to supporting community organizations in the Canadian Francophonie. In the field of immigration les Sentiers du leadership (Lise and André) have done extensive work researching, consulting

and supporting a number of provinces in the development of francophone strategy. These include: drafting of Ontario’s White Paper on Francophone immigration, developing a communication plan for Saskatchewan’s Réseau en immigration francophone (RIF). Facilitating various cooperative planning meetings in preparation for up-coming Calls for proposals with national and regional (Prairies) organizations, this include various activities and forums with Manitoba’s and Alberta’s Réseau en immigration francophone (RIF). Conducted external evaluations for British-Columbia’s francophone immigration services (direct and indirect services). Facilitated the first provincial strategic planning process for Ontario’s three Francophone Immigration Support Networks and the regionalization of Francophone immigration. Facilitated meetings and provided professional development for the coordinators of the 13 Réseaux en immigration francophone (RIF). Conducted various external evaluations for college bridging programs for francophone immigrants.

Judy WhiteDr. Judy White is a registered social worker who migrated to Saskatchewan from the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago in 1987. Judy’s interest in the broad topic of migration, and particularly in the issues of immigrant and refugee women’s mental health and

well-being is sparked by her own journey as an immigrant to Canada. Judy is the Dean of the Faculty of Social Work and has continued to participate as a board member and volunteer with several community-based agencies. Her past board engagement has included Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, International Women of Saskatoon, the Vanier Institute of the Family, and the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women.

Olufunke (Funke) Oba Funke is an associate professor of social work at the University of Regina. She has PhD in Social work as well as master’s degree in sociology. Funke’s research interests include cultural appreciation, immigration, race, equity, as well as community

based, qualitative and arts-based research. Funke has a keen interest in community development and newcomer issues. she was a founding member of the “Multiculturalism: Making it Work Roundtable” which evolved into the Waterloo region immigrant employment network and ultimately the Local immigration partnership. She served on the Kitchener Record community editorial board. As president of the African Canadian Association of Waterloo region, Funke coordinated the after-school homework club, collaborated with the coalition for the success of Caribbean and African youth, the Kitchener multicultural center, and the Wilfrid Laurier University multicultural placement program. She also served on the Waterloo Region District School Board ‘s Equity and Inclusion advisory board. The Bridging Resources (immigrant peer support) group Funke helped to start and facilitate as a board member of KW Counselling services continues to offer community leadership training, multicultural outreach, grant writing and other supports for ethnic leaders. Funke is most proud of her Community Academic Reciprocal Engagement (CARE) project, a social laboratory which brings African youth, elders, and social workers together in social action. She is a public speaker who offers workshops on cultural diversity and Afrocentric therapy models for teams and organizations.

Day 3 Presenters


Sizwe Alexandre Inkingi Sizwe is coordinator, Positive Spaces Initiative at OCASI. As an Afropolitan queer, passionate about community building and empowerment. Sizwe moved to Ottawa, Canada five years ago to complete his tertiary education at Carleton University. He has

a bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs and Policy Management and is currently working for the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants’ in Toronto as the bilingual coordinator for the Initiatives Espace Positif also known as the Positive Spaces Initiative. This initiative seeks to build the capacity of the immigrant- and refugee-serving sector in Ontario particularly to serve LGBTQ+ newcomers.

Sizwe’s work primarily focuses on strengthening this network of LGBTQ+ newcomer communities to Canada and providing useful resources and tools to the community at large.

Odessa Sherbaniuk Odessa joined the Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre (HRNC) in 2016 to work in their Settlement Workers in Schools program. She has a Master of Social Work from McGill University and traveled extensively as part

of her undergraduate and graduate studies. A post-grad fellowship provided her with the opportunity to return to one of her favorite places – Guatemala – to work with women’s groups in creating participant-led development projects. Despite her love of travel, the call to return to her rural roots brought her back to the prairies. Working at the HRNC provides her with an opportunity to combine a strong desire to connect with people from around the world and an appreciation for the strength of community that can be found in small centres.

John LoeppkyJohn Loeppky is a writer, athlete, advocate, and creative. He has been involved with sports since the age of ten, winning national championships in wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, along with two Canada Games medals. As

well as being the editor-in-chief of the Carillon, the University of Regina’s student newspaper, John is the Associate Artistic Director for Listen to Dis’ Community Arts Organization, a non-profit that enables people with disabilities to participate in art. John’s goal in life is to have an entertaining obituary to read while taming his ever-expanding to-do list.

Din LadakDin is the Program Director at the Calgary Immigrant Educational Society. He has been the President and CEO of The Educational Partnership Foundation, Executive Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane, Chief Executive

Officer at Immigrant Services Calgary and Program Director at the Independent Living Program at Hull Child and Family Services. A graduate of the University of Calgary, Din has a B.Sc. in Psychology, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Masters in Social Work with specialization in Ethnicity and Family Therapy. He has taught at the University of Calgary as well as at Mount Royal College and has been the recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award at the University of Calgary.

Din’s community contributions include an extensive number of volunteer projects and positions. Especially of note has been his involvement as a Board Member of The Calgary Foundation, his participation as a member of the Campaign Cabinet with the United Way of Calgary and Area and his role on the Executive of the Alberta Association for Immigrant Serving Agencies. He was the Chair of the Aga Khan National Social Welfare Board of Canada from July 2009 to 2012 and is currently teaching Conflict Resolution as a volunteer. Din is a committed humanitarian and believes in improving the quality of life of all individuals, families and groups. He values diversity, inclusion and equality and believes that all people should have a chance to participate fully in society.

Day 3 Presenters


Marvin MarcialMarvin Marcial is an administrator and educator in the English Language Training field in Manitoba. He is currently the Program Coordinator of the Refugee Employment Development Initiative (REDI) program at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology

(MITT). He is an experienced speaker and presenter but he’s also a bit of a nerd, continually studying Organizational Development and Leadership in his free time. He lives in his hometown of Winnipeg.

Chris FriesenAs a veteran of the refugee and immigrant settlement sector for over 30 years, Chris Friesen is a frequent speaker, media spokesperson and research collaborator on immigration related policy and program areas. Under his tenure with ISSofBC,

Chris has been at the forefront as a key leader of the shifting immigration and refugee resettlement changes in BC and Canada. More recently, Chris led the multiple aspects of the Syrian resettlement operation in BC as well as playing a key national role in the overall operation. Mr. Friesen was an instrumental member of the concept and design of the ISSofBC Welcome Centre in Vancouver.

Besides his role as Director, Settlement Services for ISSofBC, Mr. Friesen is presently the Chair and a founding member of the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance (CISSA-ACSEI). For several years, he has also co-chaired with IRCC, the National Settlement Council. In 2013 under Canada’s leadership Chris co-chaired, as the NGO focal point, the UNHCR Annual Consultation on Refugee Resettlement in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to ISSofBC, Mr. Friesen coordinated a British Educational Trust for Refugees based in Nairobi, Kenya. As an undergraduate student at UBC in the mid 1980’s, Chris successful led a referendum on campus to increase the student fees in order to establish a permanent student refugee scholarship program. This referendum concept has now spread to over 60 post-secondary institutions across Canada.

Farrukh Syeer Farrukh Syeer is SAISIA’s Community Partnership Facilitator. Holding master’s degree in Social Development & Sustainable Livelihoods, Farrukh has worked overseas for 10 years in the domain of social development in a variety of contexts. Having

worked previously with two of Saskatoon’s settlement sector service provider organizations for the past four years, Farrukh brings to SAISIA his professional interests in institutional capacity building, social innovation, developmental impact evaluation and community impact.

Day 3 Presenters


Summit Catering Menu

Executive Breakfast BuffetChilled fruit juices Selection of sliced fresh fruitAssortment of grains and cerealsWestern Style scrambled eggsHome fried skillet potatoesCountry Bacon and SausagesFreshly baked Danish, muffins, croissantsAssorted yogurtsButter, honey and fruit preservesFreshly brewed Starbucks regular and decaffeinated coffeeSelection of Tazo tea

Lunch

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

Taste of the Caribbean Taste of the Ukraine Taste of India

Soup: Pepper potMixed greens with assorted dressing Caribbean salad with chilli lime vinaigrette Black bean & corn Salad Jerk chicken Coconut fish curryBlack bean & rice Veg medley Assorted Dainties & fresh fruit

Soup: BorschtColeslawBeet and orange saladCheese stuffed perogiesGreen BeansMeat filled cabbage rollsKielbasa sausageButter tart squares

Soup: Soup of the DayMixed greens with assorted dressingAloo chana chaat (potato chick pea salad)Mini samosa with tamarind chutneyButter chicken (marinated chicken with creamy tomato sauce)Aloo matar (potato and green peas cooked with whole spices)Steamed basmati riceFresh NaanDessert: Gulab jamun

Networking Function – Wednesday September 5th 6pm to 8:30pmDry garlic ribsSalt n Pepper chicken wingsVegetable spring RollsDeep fried picklesVegetable Tray with goddess dressing


Service Provider Display Tables

Name of Organization Table #Regina Immigrant Women Centre 1Saskatoon Council on Aging Inc 2Saskatchewan SWIS Coordinator 3Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan 4Saskatchewan Intercultural Association 5Great Plains College 6International Women of Saskatchewan 7Saskatoon Open Door Society 8Regina Region Local Immigration Partnership 9Refugee Sponsorship Training Program 10

Delta Regina Hotel

Pre-function Area

Electrical available on Tables 1 – 5

Our Thanks to...

Members of the Planning CommitteeAnahit Falihi – Saskatoon Open Door Society Inc.

Anthony Olusola – SAISIA

Beulah Gana – SAISIA

Brenda Sherring – Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Regina Campus

Bula Gosh – Great Plains Regional College, Swift Current

Getachew Woldeyesus – Regina Open Door Society Inc.

Icasiana de Gala – Southwest Newcomer Welcome Centre, Swift Current

Janine Hart – Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre, Humboldt

Joe Garcea – University of Saskatchewan

Jaella Wiebe – Moose Jaw Multicultural Council

Katie Nyandwi – International Women of Saskatoon (IWS) Inc, Saskatoon

Kirandeep Bhullar – Regina Immigrant Women Centre

Marie Galophe – RIF – Saskatchewan

Vicky Angua – Saskatoon Open Door Society Inc.

SAISIA would like to thank presenters, facilitators, notetakers, attendees, volunteers, our MC André Lalonde and our settlement officer, Donna Wall

Funded by: Financé par:

Immigration, Refugeesand Citizenship Canada

Immigration, Réfugiéset Citoyenneté Canada

Documents

Priority Setting 2nd... · 2018-08-30 · 2nd ANNUAL INTEGRATION SUMMIT 2018 2 Opening Statement We acknowledge that we are meeting on Treaty 4 Territory and the traditional Homeland