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March 31, 2016 - April 1, 2017

Prepared by: Huda Hussein

London & Middlesex Local Immigration

Partnership

Community Achievement Report

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. The London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership - Who We Are .......................... 3

II. Our Community’s Strategic Priorities ................................................................................. 4

Welcoming community ................................................................................................. 4

Communication and access to information ................................................................. 5

Supports and services for immigrants .......................................................................... 5

Coordination and collaboration .................................................................................... 6

Reduction of systemic barriers ..................................................................................... 6

III. Our Ongoing Commitment ................................................................................................. 7

IV. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 8

V. Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 8

Appendix A: LMLIP Council Members ..................................................................................... 9

Appendix B: Other Participants ............................................................................................. 10

Appendix C: Participating Organizations & Associations ...................................................... 13

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I. The London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership: (LMLIP) Who We Are

Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

Established in September 2009

Guided by a Central Council and six issue specific Sub-councils which were formed in

February 2010

Supported through the work of 140 volunteers who are actively involved with the LMLIP

Central Council, six Sub-councils and the working groups with 2,926.5 hours of contribution

in addition to 432.5 hours by individuals who participated in our events this year.

LMLIP is supported by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, the Association of Municipalities

of Ontario (AMO), service providers, associations and interested citizens.

Our vision is a client centred approach that includes and works with immigrants to enhance their

successful integration into Canadian society.

In May 2016, the third LMLIP Strategic Plan 2016-2019, was completed and shared with our funder and the community. This report highlights the implementation of the first annual work plans to advance a number of strategies from the third strategic plan.

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II. Our Community’s Strategic Priorities

For the next three years, the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership will be guided by the

following overarching strategic priorities:

The following section highlights some of the projects and initiatives coordinated and facilitated by

LMLIP Central Council and the six issue-specific Sub-councils in the community:

Welcoming community

Organized LMLIP Day of Learning: Building a Welcoming Community for Immigrants to London &

Middlesex and identified stakeholders who could become involved in creating a more

welcoming community for immigrants in London and Middlesex. The session also helped LMLIP

to develop an action plan for creating a more welcoming community.

Met with system partners, namely, City of London, Police Services, Fire Department, London

Public Library, Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board,

Conseil scolaire catholique Providence, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and Children’s Aid Society.

Updates were provided to them on the community’s response to the influx of Syrian refugees,

shared best practices in terms of breaking barriers of integration for immigrants and provided

information on the needs and opportunities for immigrants.

Welcoming community

Communication and access to information

Coordination and

collaboration

Supports and

services for immigrants

Reduction of

systemic barriers

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In partnership with the Opening Doors Project, Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto, London Public Library, and My Sister’s Place, coordinated the delivery of two Opening Doors Sessions on Anti-Racism 101 and Bridging the Gap: Generation & Immigration to enhance support for service providers and immigrants.

Coordinated a session on the 2016 Census to strengthen community engagement at all levels, in partnership with the City of London

Partnered with Pathways to Prosperity, Western University to organize the Annual Journeys of Migration, which was attended by close to 150 individuals. Presenters at the session included a new comer family from Syria and the group of five who sponsored the family

Participated in the Faith and Settlement Partnerships Study: Setting Immigrants and Canada up for Success, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The project is led by the Centre for Community Based Research and included the local immigration partnerships from Waterloo, Peel, and Toronto Newcomer Office as well as faith groups and two universities.

Communication and access to information

Presented the LMLIP 2016-2019 Strategic Plan to the Community & Protective Services Committee, the City of London; Middlesex County Council, the Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Oppression Advisory Committee (formerly known as the London Diversity Race and Relations Advisory Committee - LDRAAC), Congress of Black Women in Canada, and Francophone services in London.

Provided information to faith groups across the City on opportunities for engagement and job positions to share with their parishioners.

Organized meetings with five faith groups. Briefed them on the role of LMLIP in supporting them, with information, as they help their sponsored families to settle.

Supports and services for immigrants

Facilitated the translation of the housing video, which provides information to first time renters, into Arabic, French and Spanish along with the sub-titles. The YMCA Western Ontario provided funding.

Coordinated the delivery of two sessions for new immigrants seeking opportunities in starting their businesses, in collaboration with Adult Education, Thames Valley District School Board, the Small Business Centre, Scotia Bank, Royal Bank, London Public Library, the City of London, The Business Help Centre Middlesex County, and Accounting Services and Collins Barrow. The sessions were attended by 84 immigrants. Established business owners from the immigrant community shared their stories of success

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Coordinated the delivery of two sessions for residents on some aspects of the justice system in

partnership with a grassroot community group. A total of 100 residents attended.

Coordinated the delivery of forty sessions on services and programs to adult language learners

at the Language Instruction sites for newcomers to Canada.

Coordination and collaboration

In partnership with the Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Program, Western University,

completed an annotated bibliography on research done on developing leadership among

immigrants. The bibliography provides valuable research work to further engage immigrants.

New partnership established with the Réseau-femmes du sud-ouest de l’Ontario to explore

opportunities of collaboration. The Réseau-femmes now serves on the LMLIP Settlement Sub-

council.

Coordinated an information session for private sponsors who are coming to the end of their

sponsorship agreements and new sponsors in collaboration with, the London Cross Cultural

Learner Centre. Ninety individuals, including private sponsors from St. Thomas, attended.

In collaboration with the YMCA Western Ontario and South London Neighourhood Resource

Centre, organized A Day of Learning and A Day of Wellness for staff employed by agencies

funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The two-day sessions were

funded by IRCC and Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).

Facilitated a new partnership between South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre, Youth

Program and students from Huron University College. This partnership will allow an informal

mentorship program between university students and immigrant youth who are in their final

year of high school.

Réseau de soutien à l’immigration francophone du Centre-Sud-Ouest de l’Ontario (RIF) provides

monthly updates at the Central Council meetings.

LMLIP is represented on the Francophone Local Immigration Committee of London

Reduction of systemic barriers

Participated in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Parliamentary Secretary’s Roundtable and provided input with regard to immigration and challenges that immigrants face.

Participated at the meeting hosted by IRCC for agencies and organizations funded by IRCC and provided input to the identified actions to further assist reducing barriers to integration.

Participated at the Community Engagement Meeting for Newcomers and multicultural groups held by Museum London and provided input on how immigrants and newcomers may use space and access programs at the Museum.

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LMLIP provided input to the planning process for the London Immigration Strategy.

Delivered a poster presentation of the position paper, “Speaking Freely: A Case for Professional Health Interpretation in London, Ontario” to highlight the value of professional interpretation in a medical setting, at the Annual Pathways to Prosperity Conference.

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III: Our Ongoing Commitment

In this reporting year, the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership completed its third

strategic plan. For the next three years, under the guidance of the following overarching priorities,

the Central Council and the six issue-specific Sub-councils, in collaboration with the community, will

continue to:

engage school-based parent groups to include immigrants;

educate the host community and stakeholders about immigrants’ contributions and issues

related to their integration;

raise immigrants’ awareness about resources and accessibility;

celebrate and recognize employers and immigrants who have successfully engaged in

offering and securing meaningful employment; and,

educate immigrants about opportunities of entrepreneurship.

Welcoming community: The

London and Middlesex community appreciates diversity and actively supports

immigrants. All residents have a positive attitude

toward and, awareness and

understanding of the need to engage in the

full participation of immigrants into

Canadian society.

Communication and access to information:

Communication between and among Central Council, Sub-councils, all levels of

government, the community, service

providers and immigrants is easily accessible, timely, clear and relevant.

Coordination and collaboration:

Maximized outcomes for immigrants are

achieved by improved coordination and

collaboration among all service providers.

Supports and services for immigrants:

Immigrants have increased access to

supports and services to ensure they can

fully and successfully participate in the

community.

Reduction of systemic barriers: All levels of government, funders and institutions are engaged in order to reduce the existing

systemic barriers that impede immigrants’

ability to successfully participate in the

community.

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IV: Conclusion

LMLIP Council and the six issue-specific Sub-councils will draft their second year annual

implementation plans and coordinate the execution of their action plans in collaboration with the

community. Recommendations from the LMLIP’s Day of Learning will be reviewed and Council will

explore opportunities with existing initiatives and other resources in the city, to implement and or

support actions that align with the LMLIP Strategic Plan 2016-2019.

LMLIP will continue to consult with the community and establish new partnerships to facilitate the

integration of immigrants in London and Middlesex.

In this reporting year, our webpage received 3,170 visits, with 2,510 unique visits. The 10 top

countries who visited our webpage are, Canada, United States, India, the United Kingdom, Saudi

Arabia, Brazil, Thailand, Bosnia Herzegovina, Belgium and Pakistan.

LMLIP will continue to reach out to both settlement and non-settlement sectors to engage them in

the process of welcoming immigrants and developing a greater understanding of their issues and

ways to address them.

V: Acknowledgements

We sincerely acknowledge our funder, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for their

continued financial support.

LMLIP success is attributed to the support and contributions of the following:

The City of London for their leadership and continued support; The members of the LMLIP Central Council and its working groups; Sub-councils and their

working groups; and participants who attended, coordinated and promoted LMLIP events (Appendix A and B); and,

The generous in-kind contributions of organizations and associations (Appendix C).

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Appendix A: LMLIP Council Members

Ayan Aden

Sonali Advani

Faranak Aeeni

Dr. Mohamed Al-Adeimi

Dr. Saad Aldin

Dr. Asmaa Al-Joudy

Theresa Allott

Pauline Andrew

Rose Aquino

Josh Archer

Robin Armistead

Sahar Atalla

Nazia Bano

Kelly Barnes

Jean-Marc Boisvenue

Katy Boychuk

Jean-Pierre Cantin

Sheila Carson

Robert Collins

Ashanti Cooray

Gerardo Crasto

Tam Dam

Christelle Desforges

Wilma de Rond

Arthur D’Souza

Maria D’Souza

Xiaoxiao Du

Abbey Duggal

Melanie Elms

Noha Elsheikh

Mayssa El Sayegh

Ana Enriquez-Johnson

Dr. Victoria Esses

Sheila Foster

Svetlana Galynskaya

Susannah Gergich

Mahin Ghasemiyani

Rita Giroux-Patience

Kim Godin

Heather Harder

Craig Harper

Anna Hendrikx

Francis J. Hinnah

Doreen Hodgkinson

Jennifer Hollis

Cindy Howard

Suzanne Huot

Rifat Hussain

Taghrid Hussain

Huda Hussein

Jo-Ann Hutchison

Cecilia Inguanse

Rick Jefferson

Hanaa Khair

Kate Kennedy

Heather Kipp

Maureen Kirwin

Dharshi Lacey

Gabrielle Laurin

Yvonne Lindsay

Christina Lord

Emily Low

Ramona Lucan

Dr. Gaston Mabaya

Karen Macari

Hanein Madlol

Michele Manocchi

Valerian Marochko

Patricia Mazariegos

Janet McAllister

Cathy McLandress

Nancy McQuillan

Yenny Medina

Sara Middleton

Barbara Milanovic

Kathy Milczarek

Dr. Beth Mitchell

Ayshin Mousavi

Speciose Mukakamanzi

Phillipa Myers

Lissette Ochoa

Helen Patterson

Karen Pennesi

Bill Pigram

Simon Pont

Janet Pinder

Naeem Qureshi

Amani Radhaa

Roxanne Riddell

Jacquie Rumiel

Carlos Saakan

Dr. Dev Sainani

Sara Salem

Jayne Scarterfield

Bharati Sethi

Nassisse Solomon

Sharon St. Amour

Jill Tansley

Denise Taylor-Edwards

Dr. Shelly Taylor

Nimmi Thind

Clint Thomson

Jan Tomlinson

Maria Vasquez

Corinne Walsh

Janice Walter

Elisabeth White

Amy Wilkinson

Lana Winchester-Tucker

Joe Winser

Martin Withenshaw

Ahmed Yahya Ali

Melinda Zack

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Appendix B: Other Participants

Ahmed Abazed

Malek Abazed

Muriel Abbott

Susan Abdula

Rana Abdulghaffar

Rana Abouzeeni

John Anagnostou

Kashif Ahmed

Dania Ajami

Murad Akhmedov

Hanadi Akkad

Ashna Ali

Rajaa Al-Abed

Ali Al Ajeb

Mohammad Al Akrad

Mohammad Kheir AlHamad

Ahmed Alhout

Nedal Aijaaouni

Suzanne Aljabsani

Bachar Alolabi

Saleh Althamena

Bashar Altaweel

Osam Ali-Ozkan

Anne Alton

Heather Andrade

Sarah Andrews

Anne Marie Apau

Jennifer Artan

Eric Arellano

Ibrahim Ashour

Mohamad Assaf

Zahra Assaf

Fadwa Ayayda

Michelle Barkley

Jutta Zeller-Beier

Lesley Bell

Juan Bello

Melanie Bertens

Mary Catherine Bishop

Charity Born

John Bouma

Tim Bourgard

Lisa Boyko

Mohammed Bouchi

Sukhi Brar

Ruth Bullas

Nicole Buteau

Tes Buzamlak

Alanna Cameron

Marie-Pier Cantin

Marc Carruthers

Leah Cartan

Jen Carter

Councillor Maureen

Cassidy

Kirsti Cheese

Kienan Chong

Zeina Choucair

Jennifer Chung

Kelly Cipriani

Mackenzie Clements

Marilyn Cook

Tully Cogswell

Lynn Collins

David Cottrill

Ryan Craven

Riley Culhane

Rose Damen

Lisseth D'Andrea

Saousan Daouk

Sandra Datars Bere

Robin Destun

Aina DeViet

Mirlande Dickinson

Janice Dolliver

Carolyn Doyle

Tracy Drenth

Lynette D’Souza

Mohamed Dukhan

Jamie Duncan

Mary Jo Dunlop

Nassma E

Hosain Ebad

Laure Eldik

Sabrine Elejel

Noureddine El Askar

Dina El Henaway

Lina El-Kassem

Mary Lee Felder

Maria Forte

Sabrina Fracassi

Claire Francoeur

Jacqueline Fraser

Leslie Garrett

Laurence Ghobrial

Dhira Ghosh

Hanan Gindi

Jennifer Glenn

Ben Goes

Michael Goodmurphy

Timothy Gopaul

Tracey Gordon

Myrian Goyes

Aaron Guo

Sue Haber

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Moustafa Haddara

Mudrika Hamou

Yousef Hatoum

Lisa Harness

Nada Hashem

Nadim Abo Hassan

Kerry Hendricks

Lamia Herzallah

Jacquie Hicks

Natalie Hleba

Wincy Ho

Jacqueline Hoekstra

Madilyn Hughes

Melissa Hughes

Bisan Hussein

Sherin Hussien

Linda Imrie

Lamia Itani

Sandy Jansen

Sanni Jaotombo

Tristan Johnson

Anne Jorna

Ahamadi Khaladi

Sabeel Khan

Saleha Khan

Martina Kaiser

Ariel Kayabaga

Margaret Kendall

Joan Kicks

Cynthia Konnerth

Pierce Knezic

Alexandra Kotyk

Guifang Lan

Kapil Lakhotia

Paul Levac

Jodi Lewis

Snjezana Linkes

Kethika Logon

Munira Lokhandwala

Arla Longhurst

Gary Longhurst

Pablo Lozano

Devinder Luthra

Darlene Mackenzie

Brett Mckenzie

Amal Mahmoud

Jack Malkin

Xavier Manga

Janice Marchant

Marcel Marcellin

Didier Marotte

Derek Martin

Jo-Elle Mazur

Cornelie Mbaya

Kathryn McCulloch

Stewart McIntyre

Sarah McKay

Brett Mckenzie

Brian McLaughlin

Glen McLeod

Mary Ann McLeod

Selvin Mejia

Rachel Merrill

Dean Michelson

Linda Micallef

Mary Ann Molloy

Antoinette Monardo

Laszlo Morar

Essad Muhammet

John Murch

Caitlin Murphy

Nicole Musicco

Peninah Mutinda

Zahra Naqvi

Gabriel Ndayishimiye

Emily Nguyen

Imad Noureddin

Jennifer O’Brien

Melanie O'Brien

Lesley Oliver

Gabrielle Sanio-Oneill

Tessa Parkes

Dana Patton

Joy Petersen

Victoria Pilon

Hoby Tahosy

Radaniarison

Suzanne Rajeh

Erick Ramirez

Neevita Rathee

Marlene Be

Razafindravola

Mark Richardson

Elisabete Rodrigues

Questyn Rodriguez

Ana Rojas

Vince Romeo

Deborah Rosehart

Charlene Saade

Amir Saeidi

Lana Salih

Erin Salter

Alberto Sanchez

Lori Baldwin Sands

Michele Sands

Don Scanlon

Gabrielle Schotter

Matthew Seguin

Artem Serkov

Chen Shi

Diana Sierra

George Sinclair

Phil Singeris

Bryn Smith

Kelly Smith

Tim Smuck

Trask Swanson-Spoor

Brooke Southcote

Rob Stainton

Jennifer Strong

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Arien Tahir

Amanda Tezucano

Arlene Thompson

Sally Thomson

B. Tibasima

Olga Tischenko

Christine Troughton

Michelle Truppe

Suzanne Vandervoort

Alex van der Wal

Giselle Varrilas

MP Karen Vecchio

Cindy Viner

Jennifer Vong

Alyson Walker

Andrew Walsh

Osama Watad

Terry Webb

April White

Nathan Wilcox

Margaret Wilkinson

Gary Williams

Steve Williams

Ailene Wittstein

Emily Wood

Judy Wright

Matthew Wynn

Ghada Yahia

Duaa Yahya

Basel Yazbek

Rebecca Ye

Abdul Younes

Alyssa Young

Sandra Zarate

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Appendix C: Participating Organizations & Associations

Access Centre for Regulated Employment

ACFO de London Sarnia

Anglican Deanery

Across Languages

African Canadian Federation of London & Area

Addiction Services of Thames Valley

Artemis Group

Brescia University College

Byron United Church

Canadian Mental Health Association

Canada Revenue Agency

Centre for Addiction & Mental Health

Cheshire London

Childreach Centre

Children’s Aid Society of London & Middlesex

Collège Boréal

Collins Barrow

Community Employment Choices

Community Living London

Centre communautaire régional de London

Congress of Black Women of Canada

Conseil scolaire Viamonde

Conseil scolaire catholique Providence

Culture Office, City of London

Culture Works

Ed Corrigan Law

Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning & Development Board

Elizabeth Frye Society

Entité de planification des servives de santé en français

Ethno-cultural Council of London

Family Service Thames Valley

Fanshawe College

Forest Community Church

International and Exchange Student Centre, Western University

Investing in Children

Islamic Centre of Southwestern Ontario

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

MP Irene Matthysen’s office

John Howard Society of London & District

Kala Manjari

MP Kate Young’s office

King’s University College

London Cross Cultural Learner Centre

London Deanery

London District Catholic School Board

London Economic Development Corporation

London Employment Help Centre

London Fire Department

London Health Sciences Centre

London Heritage Council

London Intercommunity Health Centre

London Middlesex Immigrant Employment Council

London Multicultural Association

London Muslim Mosque

London Police Service

London Public Library

London Small Business Centre

LUSO Community Services

Merrymount Children’s

Centre

Middlesex County

Middlesex-London Health Unit

Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration

Newcomer Settlement Services, South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre

Neighbourhood Watch

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Networking for an Inclusive

Community

North Park Church

Ontario Ministry of Citizenship

& Immigration

Or Shalom Congregation

Osama Watad Barrister

Pathways Skill Development

Pathways to Prosperity, Western University

Perth Care for Kids

Pillar Non-Profit Network

Place Concorde

Platinum Leadership Inc.

Research Library Services and Business Connector, City of London

Réseau de soutien à l'immigration francophone Centre-Sud-Ouest de l’Ontario

Réseau-femmes du sud-ouest de l'Ontario

Rogers TV

Royal Bank of Canada

Scotiabank

Siloam United Church

Sixth Line Creative

Somali Association of London

South London Neighbour- hood Resource Centre

St. George’s Church

St. John the Evangelist Church

St. Justin’s Church

St. Michael’s Church

Syrian Canadian Council

Thames Valley Children's Centre

Thames Valley District School Board

The Business Help Centre (CFDC) of Middlesex County

The Healthline and Information London

Tim Hortons

United Way London & Middlesex

Valleyview Mennonite Church

Wesley-Knox United Church

Western University Canada

WIL Employment Connections

Women’s Community House

YMCA of Western Ontario

Youth Opportunities Unlimited