rstp training modules · · 2014-05-14some notes on facilitating workshops _____ 2 know your...

RSTP Training Modules

Introduction to Sponsorship

Settlement Planning

Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) The RSTP is a program of the Sponsorship Agreement Holder representatives to the NGO-

Government Committee on the Private Sponsorship of Refugees.

Thank you to all those who provided input and guidance in the development of these training modules.

Readers should note that Canada’s immigration policies and procedures are regularly revised. The

information in these modules reflects the policies current at the time of publication.

These training modules have been produced thanks to the financial assistance of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

March 2001

Revised 2005

Table of Contents

Working with these Training Modules ______________________________________ 1

1. Introduction___________________________________________________________ 1

2. Some Notes on Facilitating Workshops ____________________________________ 2 Know your Group, Give them Input___________________________________________________2 Become Familiar with the Materials, Plan your Agenda ___________________________________2 Invite Guest Speakers ______________________________________________________________3

3. Prepare your Space, Equipment and Materials______________________________ 3

4. Principles of Adult Learning _____________________________________________ 4

5. Facilitating in a Multicultural Setting______________________________________ 4

6. Introduction Activities __________________________________________________ 5 Introduction Activity: “Stand up, Sit down”_____________________________________________5 The Animal Game Introduction Activity _______________________________________________7 Brainstorming Introduction Topics____________________________________________________7 What’s in Your Bag? Introduction Activity _____________________________________________7 Greetings? Introduction Activity _____________________________________________________7 Autograph Sheet or “Bingo” Introduction Activity _______________________________________7

7. Ice-Breakers or Energizers ______________________________________________ 8 Catch Me if You Can ______________________________________________________________8 Solemn and Silent_________________________________________________________________8 Animal Call______________________________________________________________________8

8. Activities to Break Into Groups___________________________________________ 9

Introduction to Sponsorship Training Module_______________________________ 11

1. Objectives ___________________________________________________________ 11

2. Sample Workshop Agenda______________________________________________ 12

3. Resource List_________________________________________________________ 13 Videos_________________________________________________________________________13 Some Print Resources _____________________________________________________________13 Some Useful Web sites____________________________________________________________14

4. Detailed Facilitator’s Guide_____________________________________________ 15 Welcome, Introductions, and Agenda Overview ________________________________________15 Resettlement as a tool of protection and a durable solution ________________________________16 Canada’s Refugee Programs________________________________________________________19 Who Can Sponsor? Who Can be Sponsored? __________________________________________20 Private Sponsorship Processing _____________________________________________________24 Introduction to Local Resources _____________________________________________________27 Questions and Answers, Wrap-up and Evaluation _______________________________________28

5. Overheads and Handouts- Introduction to Sponsorship______________________ 29

To be a Refugee ___________________________________________________________ 30

Durable Solutions _________________________________________________________ 31

Resettlement______________________________________________________________ 32

How do Refugees Come to Canada? __________________________________________ 33

Types of Refugee Sponsorship________________________________________________34

The Sponsorship Application Process- SAHs/CGs _______________________________35

The Sponsorship Application Process- Groups of Five____________________________36

Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet_______________________________________________37

Workshop Evaluation_______________________________________________________39

Settlement Planning Training Module _____________________________________ 40

1. Objectives ____________________________________________________________40

2. Sample Workshop Agenda ______________________________________________41

3. Resource List _________________________________________________________42 Videos ________________________________________________________________________ 42 Some Print Resources ____________________________________________________________ 42 Some Useful Web sites ___________________________________________________________ 43

4. Detailed Facilitator’s Guide _____________________________________________44 Welcome, Introductions, and Agenda Overview _______________________________________ 44 What is Settlement? _____________________________________________________________ 45 Introduction to Local Resources ____________________________________________________ 46 Settlement Planning and Budgeting _________________________________________________ 47 Settlement Planning from the Newcomer’s Perspective __________________________________ 56 Questions and Answers, Wrap-up and Evaluation ______________________________________ 57

5. Handouts- Settlement Planning __________________________________________58

Case Study A ______________________________________________________________59

Case Study B ______________________________________________________________60

Case Study C ______________________________________________________________61

Case Study D ______________________________________________________________62

Case Study E ______________________________________________________________63

Case Study F ______________________________________________________________64

Case Study G______________________________________________________________65

Budget Planning Sheet ______________________________________________________66

Arrival and Orientation Checklists____________________________________________67

RSTP Training Modules: Introduction to Sponsorship, Settlement Planning

Working with these Training Modules 1. Introduction The RSTP training modules, Introduction to Sponsorship and Settlement Planning, are designed to provide Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) and other sponsorship animators with tools to organize training workshops. Please feel free to adapt the activities and handouts to meet your own organization’s requirements, or to reflect local realities. The text in WORD format is included on the enclosed diskette. Introduction to Sponsorship This module is designed to provide basic information about refugee resettlement needs and the private sponsorship program to interested groups. The activities can be adapted to suit a group of individuals who are new to sponsorship, or to incorporate the expertise of “seasoned” sponsors attending the workshop. Settlement Planning This module is designed to help advise and guide groups who have made an initial commitment to sponsor. The module will help the group understand and address their roles and responsibilities – including fundraising, budgeting, financial management, planning for settlement, and community outreach.

Working with these Training Modules 1


2. Some Notes on Facilitating Workshops

Know your Group, Give them Input When preparing to facilitate a training workshop, adapt the agenda and the activities to suit the needs of the group. If possible, find out about the experience and interests of the participants before the workshop day. This can be done through telephone conversations, or by adding a few questions to a registration form. Even if you know the participants, it is important to give them the opportunity to give input into the agenda. As volunteers, the time of sponsors is precious, and they need to be reassured that attending your workshop will be time well spent. (See 1.4 below for other tips on adult learning.) Allow participants to raise issues when you review the agenda at the beginning of the workshop. It may be possible to add the issues they raise into the agenda. If not, reassure them that you will assist them outside of the context of the workshop by providing them with information and advice, or steering them in the right direction.

Become Familiar with the Materials, Plan your Agenda Carefully review the sample agendas and the workshop activities. You have some decisions to make. For some of the topics you have options of activities or presentation styles. You may choose to cover only certain topics, or compress the information. Choose the options that best suit your situation and your group’s needs. You also have choices of introduction activities, and some suggestions of ways to divide up the participants into small groups. The modules include handouts and overheads to match the activities. Choose which ones you will use, and copy the overheads onto transparencies. You may wish to adapt the handouts, or create your own in order to provide participants with local information. Finally, remember that as a facilitator, you are not expected to have all the answers to questions that may arise. Establish the limits of your expertise at the beginning of the workshop, and draw on the experiences and knowledge of the participants and the guest speakers. Very often in sponsorship circles, “the knowledge is in the group.”



Invite Guest Speakers You are encouraged to invite guest speakers to your workshop. It is important for sponsors to understand that they are not alone, and that there are resources in their community or in their region to help them with the sponsorship process and settlement issues. Local CICs Invite the private sponsorship representatives from your local Citizenship and Immigration Centres to participate in the workshop and give input on sponsorship processing. Settlement Agencies Invite representatives from local settlement service providers or immigrant serving agencies to give a short presentation on the services they offer. Make it clear how much time is available for their presentation, and that the focus should be on programs for which privately sponsored refugees are eligible. If no representatives are able to attend the workshop, ask them to send relevant brochures or other materials to distribute to the participants. Past-sponsored refugee Finally, asking a newcomer who was sponsored under the Private Sponsorship Program to share their experiences can give your participants invaluable insights into resettlement needs, and sponsorship challenges. When inviting someone to share their personal experiences, be sure to convey clearly how long you would like them to speak, and what issues or topics you would like to have addressed. Most former refugees have a lot to share, and limited opportunities to do so! 3. Prepare your Space, Equipment and Materials When choosing your workshop location, consider the size of your group, the accessibility of the facility, the availability of equipment, and flexibility of the seating. It is best to have chairs that can be moved around to allow participants to break into small groups. As well as the handouts, resources, and overheads for each of the activities on your agenda, you will need the following workshop equipment and materials:

Name tags Participant sign-up list Flip chart Coloured markers for flip chart Masking tape Overhead projector Screen or blank white wall Overhead transparencies Pens or pencils



4. Principles of Adult Learning Adults learn best when: They are active, not passive during the learning process. The content and learning processes relate directly to their current needs and problems. Frequent meaningful feedback is built into the learning experience. They are not over stimulated, stressed or anxious. New information is presented through a variety of sensory modes and experiences (voice,

visual aids, film, etc.), with sufficient repetition and variations on themes to allow patterns to emerge.

Individual learning styles are taken into consideration. There is no one best way to learn or to

teach. Sufficient time is given to integrate new information and knowledge. The facilitator respects the past experience and cultural style of the learner. Examples are used that relate directly to the group.

I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.

Old Chinese Proverb

5. Facilitating in a Multicultural Setting You may be facilitating a large workshop in a multicultural setting. If so, you have a responsibility to be sensitive to and familiar with methods of intercultural communication. The following points should help you increase your ability to communicate effectively in a multicultural setting: Be aware of the influence of culture on people's beliefs, values and behaviour, including your

own. Be aware of and sensitive to verbal and non-verbal communication rules across cultures. Be able to identify cultural viewpoints that may be barriers to effective communication in a

workshop setting. Be sure that the style of communication is culturally appropriate.



6. Introduction Activities Choose from among these introduction activities for fun ways to handle participant introductions.

Introduction Activity: “Stand up, Sit down” This flexible activity is appropriate for a mixed group of participants who don’t know each other. It requires very limited preparation, and allows everyone to quickly identify “who is who” in the group. Instructions Start by asking everyone to put down their papers, clear the space around their feet so they don’t trip over anything, get them in the mood. Tell them that this is a fun exercise where they should STAND UP every time what you say applies to them. Preface the first few questions with “everyone stand up who” or “stand up if you”… so that they get the idea. Pause between questions while people are standing to ask them specific follow-up questions including their name and affiliation. Ensure that everyone eventually introduces himself or herself. The first question should be one that gets most standing. Something about location maybe- i.e. Everyone who found the hall easily.

Suggested Sponsorship-Related Questions: Stand up if you have don’t live in “x” (city of workshop)

Ask those standing to introduce themselves, and say where they are from. This gives you a sense of who has come, and allows you to welcome those who have made the effort to travel.

Stand up if you have been involved in a sponsorship before

Ask those standing to introduce themselves if they haven’t already done so, and name the sponsoring group to which they belong.

Stand up if you are a volunteer for your organization

Ask those standing to introduce themselves, and say which organization they are from; and make the point that sponsorship is a volunteer activity.

Stand up if you are paid (even part-time) to work with refugees?

Ask them what they do- this will draw out any CIC reps, some SAH representatives, your settlement agency guest speakers who can then identify themselves, etc.

Stand up if you were not born in Canada?

Ask those standing where they were born. It draws out the reality that Canada is a nation of immigrants.

Stand up if you have to leave before the end of the workshop (state your closing time)?

This way you can acknowledge those who have to leave early and make sure they get materials before they leave. Perhaps joke with the others that they “had their chance” and that none of them will be allowed to leave before the end of the session!



At this point you can go over the agenda for the workshop, explain what you will cover during the session and then say: “Stand up if you have come today with some particular question you really want to make sure gets answered, or some issues you really want to address.”

(Write these questions down on a flip chart- go back to them at the end of the workshop if they aren’t covered in your material, or explain where they can get the information)

Many other possible questions depend on the group. Throw in some humour if you want- everyone who got wet (if it is raining), those who are worried about their cars getting ticketed, etc. You can adapt the questions to extract the information you need, or allow participants to identify their needs and their expertise. e.g. Stand up if you have worked overseas in emergency relief operations, development projects, refugee camps In a large workshop setting you may wish to ask participants to identify themselves by geographic community, faith community, or type of sponsoring group (e.g. constituent group, Group of Five). This allows participants to take note of others from their communities that they may not have met before. Play this by ear, but be careful that you don’t miss anyone if you are naming specific communities or faith groups.



The Animal Game Introduction Activity This activity introduces the group to each other in a fun way, but does not address the subject matter of the workshop. Facilitation time depends on the size of the group. Instructions: Ask the participants to form a circle with their chairs. Then ask each participant to “think of the name of the place where you were born, and the name of an animal that you identify yourself with most”. Activity: 1) Go around the room and let everybody give their name, birthplace and animal association.

Then give your own name, point at someone and give his or her name and ask 2) X could you please find for me the person who’s animal is A? Don’t look at that person. 3) Then if Y is found, X asks, Y could you please find for me the person who was born in M

village? Alternate animals and birthplaces. When everyone has done this, ask participants to change chairs, to avoid associations with positions. Same procedure.

Brainstorming Introduction Topics Participants brainstorm what they want to know about each other. The group then selects 3 or 4 key items on the list. Each person introduces him or herself using the selected items from the list.

What’s in Your Bag? Introduction Activity Participants reach into their backpacks, purses or pockets, and pull out one item. One by one they explain the significance of this item to the group. If the crowd is large, this can be done in smaller groups.

Greetings? Introduction Activity In a culturally diverse group, have each participant demonstrate how they greet each other in their own country.

Autograph Sheet or “Bingo” Introduction Activity Participants are given a sheet with various traits on it. The objective is to find a person in the group who fits one of the descriptions and get that person’s autograph next to the trait. When making up the list, be creative, but include traits pertinent to the group. The autograph sheet questions can be arranged like a Bingo Card. Award prizes! Each person may sign each sheet only once. Here are some examples: Likes broccoli _____________ Has been involved in submitting a sponsorship in the last year ______________ Has been to a refugee camp ______________ Speaks another language _______________



7. Ice-Breakers or Energizers When a new group first assembles, participants are usually somewhat awkward and full of questions. Who is here? What is going to happen? Where do I fit in? How “safe” a place is this? Is this worth my trouble and time? If you don’t use an interactive introduction activity, you can try to anticipate these concerns by starting off with a warm-up activity, or “ice-breaker”. You may also choose to use one of these activities at a low-energy point during your workshop as an “energizer”. Most adults function best in an atmosphere of respect and support. Whichever technique you decide to use, make sure it helps to get people settled in, creates a sense of welcome, and establishes an atmosphere of trust and cooperation. Select your ice-breakers and energizers with care. An exercise that works in one group may not go so well in another group. These are just some sample activities:

Catch Me if You Can Players should be paired up. All players divide into two lines (facing in) shoulder to shoulder, with partners facing each other. Participants should be given approximately 30 seconds to look at their partners, taking in all details about the individual. The leader then instructs the two lines to turn and face away from the center. One or both lines has 15-20 seconds to change something about their appearance (i.e. change a watch to different wrist, unbutton a button, remove a belt, etc.). The change must be discrete, but visible to the partner. The players again turn in to face each other and have 30 seconds to discover the physical changes that have been made. Players get to interact with each other and have fun!

Solemn and Silent The instructor explains that this exercise will take self-control. Members pair back to back. On the count of three, everyone must face their partner, look each other in the eyes, and then try to remain solemn and serious. No speaking! The first to smile or laugh must sit down. All who remain standing then take a new partner and the activity continues until only one person has not smiled or laughed. (Second round of playing can involve two teams competing to outlast each other.) If you get a pair at the end who are both keeping a straight face, the rest of the group can ask hecklers to disrupt them.

Animal Call Break the group into pairs. Each pair must choose a machine and an animal. They then have to decide who is which. The pairs then divide up on opposite sides of the room. Everyone must close their eyes (if they feel comfortable), and by making only the noise that their character would make, they must find their partner. When they find their partner, they can open their eyes and wait until everyone else is done. Note: When conducting an activity with eyes closed, have the group raise their hands in front of their chests as "bumpers," and have at least one person (facilitator) acting as a spotter.




8. Activities to Break Into Groups Asking participants to number off is a quick and efficient way to divide into groups. Below are some other suggestions for fun ways for dividing participants randomly:

Self Selection Methods: (no preparation) Ask participants to form themselves into groups of a specific number by joining: x number of people they didn’t know previously x number of people who have a similar hairstyle or hair colour x number of people they haven’t been in a group with previously that day x number of people with similar socks/ shirts/ shoes x number of people who have the same number of siblings they do x number of people who aren’t from their organization/group etc.

Activities Requiring Advance Preparation Mumble Jumble: Before the activity begins, the leader will cut up a few pictures into puzzle pieces. Each group member will grab a piece of a puzzle from a bag. The group members will keep their puzzle piece to themselves until the leader says, "GO!" At this point, the group members will try to locate the other members of the group with the pieces to form the appropriate pictures. The group sits down together. Whichever group does it first, wins. This activity could be adapted to use sponsorship-related questions and answers. Participants have to find their match. Comic Strip Chaos: Each participant takes a turn at picking a comic frame out of the large container. After the entire group has each chosen one, the participants begin to search for others with the same comic strip sequence. After the participants have found everyone in their group, they must arrange themselves so that the sequence of frames are in chronological order to form the comic strip correctly. Upon completion of sequence, the newly formed group sits down together.


Introduction to Sponsorship 10


Introduction to Sponsorship Training Module This module is designed to provide interested groups basic information about refugee resettlement needs and the private sponsorship program. The activities can be adapted to suit a group of individuals who are just being introduced to sponsorship, or to incorporate the expertise of “seasoned” sponsors attending the workshop.

1. Objectives At the end of the workshop, participants will better understand:

The role of resettlement within the international refugee context; Private sponsorship within Canada’s resettlement programs; Sponsorship processing steps; and The main roles and responsibilities of private sponsors.



2. Sample Workshop Agenda Introduction to Sponsorship Module – 2 –3 hours 15-20 min Welcome

Introductions, Agenda and Objectives Overview Resettlement as a tool of protection and a durable solution 15 min or Options a) Presentation with flip chart text or overheads 30 min or b) UNHCR Video- Journey of Hope 10 min Canada's Refugee Programs

Interactive Discussion with overheads or flip chart text on: In-Canada Processing of Refugee Claimants Overseas Selection of:

- government sponsored - privately sponsored

Joint-Assistance Sponsorship Program

30-50 min Who can sponsor? Who can be sponsored?

Options: a) RSTP Video- Who Can be Sponsored? b) Presentation with overheads or flip chart text

Handout- CIC Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet 20- 30 min Private Sponsorship Processing Presentation and Interactive discussion on the sponsorship application

Handout- Sponsoring Group Handbook, or Group of Five Handbook, or excerpts from Chapter 2 of either handbook

10 min Local Settlement Resources

Presentations from settlement agency guests, or group discussion and brainstorm about local resources

10- 15 min Questions and Answers, Wrap-up and Evaluation Note: Build in time for a break if you plan to take more than 2 hours to deliver the module.



3. Resource List

Videos Who Can Be Sponsored? Private Sponsorship of Refugees to Canada. 20 min Produced by the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program. This video features interviews with recently arrived refugees, a visa officer, experienced sponsors and SAH representatives. The video has an accompanying study guide. Available from Sponsorship Agreement Holders. Journey of Hope 26 min Produced by the UNHCR. This video gives an overview of the role of resettlement as a tool of protection and a durable solution as seen through the eyes of several refugee families. The film takes you from the camp where the refugees are first identified for resettlement, to their arrival in their new country. Available from UNHCR Ottawa: Attn. Information Officer, UNHCR Branch Office in Canada, 280 Albert Street, Suite 401 Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G8 email: canot@unhcr, tel: 613-232-0909 fax: 613-230 9120. There are also other excellent videos on refugee issues that have been produced by Canadian organizations. These are among some of the other videos that you may choose to use in your training: I am not a Stranger 30 min Produced by the Mennonite Central Committee Canada. This video and study guide helps viewers explore ways that people, and society at large, can become more receptive of refugees starting over in Canada. Available from MCC Canada at 1-888-622-6337. Refugees 29 min Produced by Canadian Lutheran World Relief. This video explores the issues and possible solutions surrounding the refugee crisis. It speaks of the hardships refugees experience when they have to flee their homeland, the uncertainty in the camps, and the hopes when congregations commit themselves to resettle and welcome refugees in Canada. Available from CLWR, 1080 Kingsbury Avenue • Winnipeg, MB • R2P 1W5 tel: 204.694.5602 • fax: 204.694.5460 • toll free: 1.800.661.2597(CLWR).

Some Print Resources RSTP Sponsoring Group Handbook / Group of Five Handbook These generic handbooks provide sponsoring groups with guidance in their “hands on” work of helping newcomers settle. The Sponsoring Group Handbook is geared to the Constituent Groups of Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs). SAHs are encouraged to adapt the handbook materials to suit their organization’s needs. The handbook is available from SAHs, or from the CIC Refugee Resettlement Partners web site at www.cic.gc.ca/ref-protection.


mailto:canot@unhcr

http://www.cic.gc.ca/ref-protection


Citizenship and Immigration Canada Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet: Reproduced in this module for your use as a handout, the fact sheet is available from CIC’s web site at: www.cic.gc.ca. Citizenship and Immigration Canada Sponsorship Application Kits and Guide The sponsorship application kits and the accompanying guide provide sponsors with information about the completion of the forms, definitions and selection criteria, and the processing of their applications.

Refugee Sponsorship Kit: Sponsorship Agreement Holders and Constituent Groups, Refugee Sponsorship Kit: Group of Five, and the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program are available from the CIC web site www.cic.gc.ca.

The kits can be ordered from the CIC call centres. The guide must be ordered from CIC Communications Branch, Ottawa ON K1A 1L1, Tel: (613) 954-9019, Fax: (613) 954-2221.

The following are the telephone numbers of the CIC call centres: If you live in the Montreal local calling area (514) 496-1010 If you live in the Toronto local calling area (416) 973-4444 If you live in the Vancouver local calling area (604) 666-2171 If you are calling from anywhere else in Canada 1 (888) 242-2100

Some Useful Web sites Citizenship and Immigration Canada, http://www.cic.gc.ca A great deal of information is now on the main CIC site. Consult this site for information on processing information, updates on immigration policies and procedures, and tools and resources for refugee settlement and integration.

The Refugee Resettlement Partners web site http://www.cic.gc.ca/ref-protection is accessed from the main site, and has useful information relating to refugee resettlement. The RSTP resources, and the sponsorship application kits and guide can also be downloaded from this site.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): http://www.unhcr.ch

The site contains a large number of country specific information, refugee statistics, and useful documents and links. You may wish to consult the Resettlement section on this site for more information about resettlement criteria, and resettlement activity internationally.

Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR): http://www.web.net/~ccr The CCR is a national coalition of organizations involved in the settlement, sponsorship and protection of refugees. The web site provides links to many other Canadian and international organizations and resources concerned with refugees.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/



http://www.cic.gc.ca/ref-protection

http://www.unhcr.ch/

http://www.web.net/%7Eccr


4. Detailed Facilitator’s Guide Introduction to Sponsorship Module Note that most of the overhead text can easily be written onto flip chart paper or blackboards if an overhead projector is not available.

Welcome, Introductions, and Agenda Overview Time: 10 – 15 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Enough copies of your workshop agenda for each participant, or

a copy of the agenda clearly displayed in the room Materials required for chosen introductory activity

Process: Interactive Introductions Ensure that participants have been informed of the location of the washrooms, and given other required logistical information before beginning the workshop. Introductions Welcome participants to the training, and give a few introductory remarks about yourself, and about the workshop.

Ask participants to introduce themselves. You may either facilitate one of the activities described above in the introductory materials “Working with these Training Modules”, or you can choose to go around the room and ask participants to provide specific information about themselves. Ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to introduce himself or herself is very important if the participants do not know each other. Having nametags will help participants get to know each other. If you choose to use the “Stand up, Sit down” introduction activity, you will notice that you are instructed to pause during the activity to review your workshop agenda. Agenda Review It is critical to review the agenda with participants, and provide them with an opportunity to give their input on the issues to be covered. Although you may have carefully planned and timed your workshop, it is important to be responsive to the group’s needs. List any additional issues or “burning” questions raised on a flip chart. Review the list at the end of the workshop with the participants to ensure that issues were addressed, or that they know where to look for answers. While reviewing the agenda and the module’s objectives, also indicate plans for breaks and or meals. Finally, make it clear whether you welcome comments and comments throughout the workshop. Addressing questions and comments as they arise makes the workshop more interactive, but means that the facilitator has to be comfortable with the agenda, and with the materials.



Resettlement as a tool of protection and a durable solution Time: 15 minutes to 30 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers VCR and monitor, if you plan to show Journey of Hope Overhead projector Overheads: To be a Refugee, Durable Solutions, Resettlement

Process: Option A) Presentation with flip chart text or overheads Option B) UNHCR Video- Journey of Hope (Available from UNHCR Ottawa) Option A) In this section you want to convey some fairly basic, but important information about refugees and about resettlement. Be careful to judge the level of knowledge of your group carefully, and skim over the material quickly if the entire group is fairly knowledgeable.

1) Differences between Immigrants and Refugees Begin by asking the participants to name the major differences between refugees and immigrants. Prompt them if they have difficulty- this isn’t a test! While there are a range of possible answers depending on individual circumstances, you want to make sure that the main points are covered quickly:

Immigrants CHOOSE to move, Refugees FLEE

Immigrants PLAN their move Refugees often LEAVE HASTILY, taking the quickest way out of their country

Immigrants PACK all their belongings, and organize to bring their things

Refugees often leave with whatever they can carry Immigrants take time to get their DOCUMENTS ready

Refugees leave secretly, often not daring to advertise their intention of leaving by arranging travel documents.

Immigrants SAY GOODBYE to their friends and family

Refugees often cannot tell anyone that they are leaving, for fear that friends or family will be tortured to reveal the information.

Immigrants CAN GO HOME if things don’t work out in their new country Refugees can not go home. If drawing responses out of the crowd doesn’t work well, or you feel uncomfortable, put up the Overhead quote “To be a refugee” and review the points above.



2) Durable Solutions Put up the Overhead: Durable Solutions

If you have time, facilitate a discussion about the number of refugees in the world, and where most of them are. (See UNHCR website at www.unhcr.ch for up-to-date information.)

Go over the three durable solutions, covering some of these points: Voluntary Repatriation

Most refugees want to go home Repatriation to the home country should happen only when the situation in the

home country has changed in a lasting and meaningful way and the refugees can return safely.

Refugees sometimes go home in large numbers after decades, (e.g. some Eritreans and Ethiopians in the early 90’s) or after a few months (e.g.Kosovars in 1999).

Local Integration A refugee is considered locally integrated in the country where they sought refuge if:

they can move around that country freely, they may leave and return to that country, they are allowed to earn a living, their children are allowed to attend school, there is no threat of forcible return to country of origin, and there is a possibility of acquiring permanent residence or citizenship.

Most of the world’s refugees are in asylum countries neighbouring the areas of conflict. Millions are in refugee camps. Most will never become completely locally integrated. Resettlement to a third country

Resettlement as an instrument of protection is geared primarily to the special needs of refugees whose life, liberty, safety, health or fundamental human rights are at risk in the country where they sought refuge.

Resettlement provides a durable solution for those who are particularly vulnerable and who are unable to benefit from the other two solutions.

Resettlement is also a means of burden-sharing and of family reunification. Usually resettlement offers the refugee the right to remain in the resettlement

country permanently.


http://www.unhcr.ch/


3) Resettlement Put up the Overhead “Resettlement” Facilitate a discussion about the fact that resettlement is an option for only a few of the world’s refugees. Compare the number of resettlement places with the number of refugees in the world. Reflect on which countries are resettlement countries. Traditionally, the countries resettling larger numbers of refugees have been the countries that also have an active immigration program. The Nordic countries accept refugees with special needs, but in smaller numbers. Identify the eight new resettlement countries: Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Iceland, Ireland and Spain. or Option B) UNHCR Video- Journey of Hope (Available from UNHCR Ottawa)

26 minute video screening, 5 minute discussion This video gives an overview of the role of resettlement as a tool of protection and a durable solution as seen through the eyes of several refugee families. The film takes you from the camp where the refugees are first identified for resettlement, to their arrival in their new country.

Begin by introducing the video. You may have to quickly differentiate between inland asylum seekers, and resettled refugees, depending on your group knowledge and experience. Also mention that Canada is a resettlement country with a regular annual quota. The video does not show resettlement to other countries.

After the video discuss the role of resettlement, and review the list of resettlement countries. Clarify that Canada applies its own criteria to screen those refugees resettled to Canada. This provides a good transition to the next section.



Canada’s Refugee Programs Time: 10 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers overhead projector overheads How do Refugees Come to Canada,

Types of Refugee Sponsorship

Process: Interactive discussion with overheads or flip chart text. 1) Put up the Overhead How do Refugees Come to Canada?

Quickly go over the basic differences between inland claimants, and refugees resettled from overseas. Reinforce the fact that it is very difficult to get access to Canadian visa posts, and that many refugees are forced to seek asylum in Canada. If participants have previously volunteered primarily with claimants, reinforce the fact that resettled refugees have been accepted by Canada, and do not have to make a claim again. They will usually have their medical and criminality and security checks completed before leaving for Canada, and will therefore be “landed” on arrival. Resettled refugees do not need work permits, and their visas do not need to be extended. 2) Put up the Overhead Types of Sponsorship Review the range of sponsorship types, touching on the financial arrangements, and introduce Joint-Assistance sponsorship. Explain that government-assisted refugees, including those sponsored under JAS, receive Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) funding. RAP support is based on provincial social assistance rates. Private sponsors can use these rates as guidelines for budgeting appropriate levels of support. Emphasize the point that refugees sponsored under the private sponsorship program are in addition to the government resettlement commitment. Through the Private Sponsorship Program, over 175,000 refugees who would not have otherwise been able to come to Canada were resettled between 1979 and 2000. This program is unique to Canada, in that private sponsors can name the refugees they wish to sponsor, and are fully financially responsible for their support.



Who Can Sponsor? Who Can be Sponsored? Time: 30- 50 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers VCR and monitor RSTP video Who Can be Sponsored?: Private Sponsorship of Refugees to

Canada handout CIC private Sponsorship Fact Sheet

optional Sponsorship Application Kit: SAHs and CGs, and/or Sponsorship Application Kit: Groups of Five Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program

Process: Option A) Video Presentation, information reinforced by handout

Option B) Interactive Discussion with handout Option A) Discussion and RSTP Video Presentation Who Can be Sponsored? Private

Sponsorship of Refugees to Canada 20 minute video, 20-30 minute discussion

1) Who Can Sponsor? Distribute the CIC Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet. Review question # 2, Who can sponsor a refugee? Identify Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) contacts in the room, and clarify that each SAH sets its own priorities, and has its own criteria for recognizing sponsoring groups. Identify any current or potential Group of Five sponsors in the group, and briefly review the difference between sponsoring as a constituent group of a SAH, or as a Group of Five: Organizational responsibility and financial liability when sponsoring as a CG or SAH Individual responsibility and financial liability when sponsoring as a Group of Five Distribute copies of the application kits, or inform the participants about the two different kits: one for SAHs and their Constituent Groups, and the other for Groups of Five. Ensure that you have at least some copies for display. Distribute copies of the Guide to the Private of Refugees Program. The guide has useful supplemental information, and participants should be encouraged to get a copy from Communications Branch or download it from the web site if you do not have copies to distribute.



2) Who can be Sponsored? Introduce the 20 minute video as produced by sponsors, for sponsors. Indicate that although the focus is on groups sponsoring under a Sponsorship Agreement Holder, the video is relevant for Groups of Five as well, as the selection criteria are the same. Screen the video. Review the definitions for Convention Refugee Seeking Resettlement, Member of the Country of Asylum Class, and Member of the Source Country Class printed on the Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet. This is an appropriate time to highlight specific sponsorship needs, or promote certain case profiles. If you believe that your sponsor-referred profiles have a strong claim, then you can reinforce the understanding the criteria for resettlement by pointing out the resettlement need of the refugees, and the likelihood of their acceptance. If you are facilitating a workshop of your constituent group members, you may at this time also wish to break into small groups to discuss sponsorship priorities, and how to set them.



Option B) Interactive discussion with handout, CIC Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet 30- 40 minutes

1) Who Can Sponsor? Distribute the CIC Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet, and review question #2, Who can sponsor a refugee? Identify Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) contacts in the room, and clarify that each SAH sets its own priorities, and has its own criteria for recognizing sponsoring groups. Identify any current or potential Group of Five sponsors in the group, and briefly review the main difference between sponsoring as a constituent group of a SAH, or as a Group of Five: Organizational responsibility and financial liability when sponsoring as a CG or SAH Individual responsibility and financial liability when sponsoring as a Group of Five Distribute copies of the application kits, or inform the participants about the two different kits: one for SAHs and their Constituent Groups, and the other for Groups of Five. Ensure that you have at least some copies for display. Distribute copies of the Guide to the Private of Refugees Program. The guide has useful supplemental information, and participants should be encouraged to get a copy from Communications Branch or download it from the web site if you do not have copies to distribute. 2) What are the responsibilities of the Sponsoring Group? Facilitate a discussion on the main responsibilities of sponsors. Be careful of your time, remembering that this is only an introduction. The list below is adapted from the undertaking. During the Sponsorship Period the SPONSORING GROUP promises to provide:

Reception Meet the refugee(s) on arrival in Canada Provide an orientation to life in Canada Lodging Provide suitable accommodation, basic furniture, and other household essentials Care Provide financial support for food, clothing, local transportation costs and other basic necessities of

life Settlement Assistance and Support Help the refugee(s): Complete required forms including health insurance, social insurance, and child tax benefits Learn English or French (e.g. help them getting into an ESL or FSL class) Understand the rights and responsibilities of permanent residents Find employment Get access to resources including, interpreters, community support groups, settlement services Register children in school and guide them in dealings with the school system Select a family physician and dentist Become independent. Sponsors provide ongoing friendship and emotional support.



The sponsors’ obligations are to support the sponsored refugees for a period of 12 months (or 24 in some cases) or until they are self-sufficient. The newcomer is not eligible for social assistance during the sponsorship period. However, SPONSORING GROUPS are NOT responsible for repaying any immigrant (transportation, admissibility or assistance) loans. 2) Who can be Sponsored? Use the handout text to facilitate a discussion on the eligibility and admissibility criteria. Highlight recent changes in refugee policy including:

relaxing the requirement that refugees be able to establish themselves within a year, and balancing the need for protection against the ability to successfully establish

making a more concerted effort to process families together, and facilitate the reunion of families

(proposed) legislative change to remove “excessive medical costs” as an inadmissibility factor for resettled refugees.

You might also invite or include a presentation from a sponsor or a SAH on their process of deciding who to sponsor, and on current resettlement needs. If you are facilitating a workshop of your constituent group members, you may wish to break into small groups to discuss setting sponsorship priorities. Factor some time into the workshop agenda if you decide to break into small groups. This is an appropriate time to highlight specific sponsorship needs, or promote certain case profiles. If you believe that your sponsor-referred profiles have a strong claim, then you can reinforce the understanding the criteria for resettlement by pointing out the resettlement need of the refugees, and the likelihood of their acceptance.



Private Sponsorship Processing Time: 30 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Overhead Projector Overhead: The Sponsorship Application Process

(from Chapter 2 of the Sponsoring Group Handbook) may be distributed as a handout instead

Handouts: Sponsoring Group Handbook or Group of Five Handbook or Excerpts from Chapter 2 from either handbook

Process: Presentation and interactive discussion on the sponsorship application process You may wish to distribute complete copies of either the RSTP Sponsoring Group Handbook, or the RSTP Group of Five Handbook to workshop participants. If you are a coordinator for a Sponsorship Agreement Holder, and you are facilitating a workshop of your constituent group members, than this might be a convenient time to distribute the handbooks as a resource. This module will draw primarily from Chapter 2, The Sponsorship Application Process. Therefore, you may decide to copy only the chart on the first page of Chapter 2, and other relevant sections. Put up the Overhead The Sponsorship Application Process, or distribute this page as a handout. Facilitate a discussion about the processing steps, asking participants to give their input on the processing challenges along the way. Be sure to explain terms and acronyms as you go through the steps. Be careful of your time, as this session can stretch out with questions and examples. It is especially important to keep this moving quickly for groups who have not yet made a commitment to sponsor, and who are looking for an overview. If facilitating a more experienced group, you could also choose to assign more than 30 minutes to this overview of processing steps, allowing for a fuller discussion. These are some of points you may wish to touch on during the session: Forming Your Group

Sponsorship is a group activity; you can’t do it alone! If you know whom you would like to sponsor, find out as much as possible about their

refugee story to ensure that they have a reasonable chance of being accepted. Create a budget early in your planning process!



Submitting Your Group’s Sponsorship Application Contact your Sponsorship Agreement Holder to ensure that you have the required forms or

instructions to meet their approval requirements; Develop a realistic settlement plan, submit as many details as possible to your SAH if you

are a CG; and to CIC if you are a Group of Five; Complete the undertaking carefully, ensuring that you have the correct spelling of each

family member’s name, and their correct date of birth; Send your local CIC the original SAH letter of approval with the undertaking and supporting

documents; Groups of Five must be careful to include all the required documentation with the financial

profiles; Note the file number and CIC contact information sent to you with the signed undertaking;

CGs, inform your SAH when you receive the signed undertaking from your local CIC. The Preparation of the Refugee’s File Overseas

Currently the local CIC office forwards the information about the sponsorship undertaking to the relevant visa office overseas, and the visa post opens a file, and sends the applicant an IMM0008 to complete. In the future, sponsors may be asked to take on responsibility for sending the blank IMM0008 to the applicant. The local CICs will supply the IMM0008.

The IMM0008 is the “trigger” for all the steps that follow. It must be completed fully and accurately, and returned to the visa post quickly. Sponsored refugees should be advised to:

Check off the “access to information” box authorizing release of information to the sponsor.

List ALL family members, even those not coming to Canada, or missing, or presumed dead.

List a safe mailing address (advise both the visa post and their sponsor of any address changes).

Sponsors should, if possible, stay in direct contact with the refugees they sponsor.

The Screening Process After the IMM0008 is completed satisfactorily, the refugee is wait-listed for an interview. It

can take over a year. Each post has different processing times. Canada has only a limited number of visa posts abroad, and some are responsible for over a dozen countries.

As covered earlier in this training module under “Who can be Sponsored”, the interviewing officer will be evaluating eligibility and admissibility factors at the time of the interview. To be eligible, a person must be either a Convention Refugee Seeking Resettlement or a member of a Country of Asylum or Source Country class. To evaluate eligibility, the officer will be considering:

Does the applicant meet the definition of a Convention Refugee Seeking Resettlement to Canada, or a member of the County of Asylum or Source Country Class?

Is repatriation possible? Has the applicant already integrated in the asylum country?

Is resettlement the preferred durable solution?



To be admissible, a person must demonstrate the ability to successfully settle and become independent in Canada, and must pass the medical and security and criminality checks.

The refugee and all dependents must complete a medical exam. The applicant will receive instructions from the officer or in the mail regarding the medical exam. Canada has “designated medical practitioners” authorized to conduct these exams.

The refugee and all his/her dependents, including dependents 18 years of age and over who are not coming to Canada with the principal applicant, will be subject to a security check and criminality check. Security checks can take many months to process.

Expenses and Loans

The following loans are available to eligible applicants from the government of Canada: The Transportation Loan, which enables applicants to pay for transportation to their place of

final destination in Canada. The Admissibility Loan, which enables applicants to cover the costs of their medical exam.

The refugee signs the immigrant loans form before coming to Canada. The form may be signed directly after the interview.

Visa, Notice of Arrival, Travel and Landing

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) arranges most refugee travel, including required transit visas.

The visa post sends a Notice of Arrival (NAT) to CIC. The local CIC will inform sponsors of the refugee’s date and time of arrival. The notice can be quite short.

Upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry, the refugee’s documents are examined by an immigration officer. Refugees should be advised to read the landing documents carefully at this time, and advise the immigration officer if there are any errors or changes required to marital status, spelling of names, dates of birth or other personal details. This ensures that the corrections get made before the record of landing is signed.

Upon landing, the newcomer becomes a permanent resident of Canada.




Introduction to Local Resources

Time: 10 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Your handouts: Lists of local services or service providers

Process: Guest presentations from local settlement agencies or Group discussion about local resources This session is intended to reinforce for sponsors that they are not responsible for every aspect of the refugee’s settlement, and that there are resources in their community. Most larger centres have agencies specialized in offering support to newcomers to Canada, and privately-sponsored refugees are eligible for these services. Many communities have compiled a list of local services or service providers. It would be very helpful to distribute such a list. (Search the CIC web site for community resource lists.) Invite your guest speakers to give a short presentation focussing on the services relevant to sponsored refugees. (The HOST program, for example, is only for government assisted refugees.) Make sure that participants understand the range of agencies active in the community, and the range of referral, counselling, interpretation, employment, language acquisition, and specialized services offered. Your guest speakers may be willing to speak about the services of other agencies as well, as agencies may specialize in certain services or certain language groups. If there are participants active or interested in Joint-Assistance sponsorships, it would be a good opportunity to clarify the services offered by the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) provider. These orientation and financial support services are only available to government assisted refugees, included those sponsored under the joint-assistance program. JAS sponsors should be in touch with the RAP provider before the arrival of the refugees, in order to clarify the division of responsibilities, and discuss the orientation process. The guest presentations are intended to be a short introduction- not an extensive overview of services. Most important perhaps are the options for English language classes, however sponsors should be aware that there are other services which they should help the newcomer access. Speakers should be encouraged to distribute brochures or contact information. If you do not have guest speakers, or a list of services to distribute, hold a group discussion about the services available. Overall, ensure that participants understand that the refugees they sponsor will be eligible for these services, and that they are mostly free.


Questions and Answers, Wrap-up and Evaluation Time: 10- 15 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Handout: Evaluation Form (sample provided)

Process: Final question and answer session, wrap up, and group or individual evaluation Final Questions and Answers At this time, revisit the questions and issues raised during the introductions, and ensure that they have been covered, or that participants are advised where they can seek out the information. However, remember that groups that have sponsored previously may have “burning questions” about specific cases, and will probably understand that answers cannot be provided in the context of the workshop. Wrap-up Before moving on to evaluations, wrap-up any other local business. You may have other issues to raise with your participants, or information to convey about future meetings or workshops. There may also be logistical details about reimbursements or travel, or you may wish to call on volunteers to help you clean up the workshop space. Address all of these issues before conducting the evaluation. Evaluation There is a sample basic evaluation form included with the handouts. You may choose to use this, or develop your own form. If you have limited time, or think that it is unlikely that participants will complete a written evaluation, you may wish to facilitate a quick evaluation activity to draw out the information you need. For example: Clear a space the length or width of the room. Inform participants which end of the room represents strong agreement, and which strong disagreement. Instruct participants that a series of statements will be posed, and that they should position themselves physically along the range between strong agreement and strong disagreement. Some suitable statements may be:

I learned something today All of my questions were answered The session was too short The space was comfortable I would come to another workshop etc.

Finally, be sure to thank your participants for dedicating their time, and for their interest in private sponsorship!



5. Overheads and Handouts- Introduction to Sponsorship Durable Solutions Resettlement How do Refugees Come to Canada? Types of Refugee Sponsorship The Sponsorship Application Process- SAHs/CG The Sponsorship Application Process- Groups of Five Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet Workshop Evaluation



To be a Refugee

To be a refugee means you are an exile. It is a very different experience from being a migrant. Many migrants have come here to get a better standard of living - we have come here because our lives are in danger!

quote from a refugee



Durable Solutions

Presently, there are over 22 million people displaced around the world.

The majority of the world’s refugees come from, and seek refugee in, countries of the South.

Internationally, the UNHCR promotes three permanent, or durable,

solutions for refugees Voluntary Repatriation

- returning home - conditions must allow return in safety and dignity

Local Integration

- integrating into the country of asylum Resettlement

- permanent move to a “third” country - limited option for those who cannot go home, are not safe

in their asylum country



Resettlement

Resettlement is a tool of protection, and a durable solution. There are very few resettlement places available internationally.

Worldwide, about 150,000 refugees are resettled each year. Only a few countries have regular resettlement programs and accept

quotas of refugees on an annual basis.

Eight new countries have recently joined the list of resettlement countries.

Resettlement Countries:

Argentina Australia Benin Brazil Burkina Faso Canada Chile Denmark Finland Iceland Ireland Netherlands New Zealand Norway Spain Sweden Switzerland USA



How do Refugees Come to Canada?

Inland processing

Person arrives in Canada, and makes a refugee claim The claim is processed in Canada through the refugee determination

process at the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) Approximately 15,000 refugees are accepted and landed in Canada

each year

Overseas processing

Sponsored refugees have their interviews, medical, security and criminality checks conducted overseas. A refugee resettled from overseas is “landed” on arrival in Canada, and enters the country as a permanent resident.

Government-assisted refugees annual target, currently at 7,300

Privately sponsored refugees additional to the government program current range 2,800-4,000 a year



Types of Refugee Sponsorship

Private Sponsorship fully funded by the

sponsoring group sponsors may be: SAHs or their constituent

groups Groups of Five includes: sponsor-referred (named)

sponsorship Canada-referred (unnamed)

sponsorship

Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) government funded

sponsorships with private sponsoring

group logistical and moral support

for refugees identified as having special needs

note: Groups of Five are not eligible for JAS sponsorships

Full Responsibility by Private Groups…to Full Responsibility by Government

Government Assisted fully-funded by the

government



The Sponsorship Application Process- SAHs/CGs

Forming your ▼ FORM A GROUP: Sponsoring Group ▼ Decide to sponsor; Begin to raise funds

▼

Submitting Your Group’s ▼ RESEARCH & WRITE your Settlement Plan

Sponsorship Application ▼ SUBMIT settlement plan to SAH; if approved... ▼ RECEIVE Letter of Approval from SAH ▼ COMPLETE Undertaking ▼ SUBMIT to CIC: Letter of Approval, completed Undertaking and supporting documents ▼ RECEIVE signed Undertaking from CIC, with file number and CIC contact info

▼

The Preparation of the ▼ CIC FORWARDS Undertaking to Visa Office overseas Refugee’s File Overseas ▼ Visa office OPENS FILE and assigns refugee applicant a VISA POST NUMBER ▼ Visa Office SENDS IMM0008 to refugee ▼ Refugee COMPLETES and RETURNS IMM0008 to

visa office ▼

The Screening Process ▼ Refugee is WAIT-LISTED for interview ▼ Screening or INTERVIEW... if accepted... ▼ MEDICAL EXAM...if cleared... ▼ SECURITY & CRIMINALITY CHECK ... if cleared...

▼

Expenses and Loans ▼ Refugee SIGNS Immigrant Loans forms

▼

Visa, Notice of Arrival, ▼ GRANTED VISA Travel, and Landing ▼ IOM arranges travel ▼ NOTICE OF ARRIVAL sent to sponsoring group ▼ Refugee BOARDS plane to CANADA ▼ Refugee is “landed” on arrival

Arrival ▼ Sponsor greets NEWCOMER!



The Sponsorship Application Process- Groups of Five

Forming your ▼ FORM A GROUP: Sponsoring Group ▼ Assess eligibility, decide to sponsor; begin to raise funds

▼

Submitting Your Group’s ▼ RESEARCH details for your settlement plan

Sponsorship Application ▼ COMPLETE financial profile for each group member ▼ GATHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

▼ WRITE your settlement plan, demonstrate that the group has necessary finances and settlement mechanisms ▼ COMPLETE Undertaking

▼ SUBMIT to CIC: completed Undertaking, settlement plan, financial profiles and supporting documents ▼ RECEIVE signed Undertaking from CIC, with file number and CIC contact info

▼ The Preparation of the ▼ CIC FORWARDS Undertaking to Visa Office overseas Refugee’s File Overseas ▼ Visa office OPENS FILE and assigns refugee applicant a VISA POST NUMBER ▼ Visa office SENDS IMM0008 to refugee ▼ Refugee COMPLETES and RETURNS IMM0008 to visa

office ▼

The Screening Process ▼ Refugee is WAIT-LISTED for interview ▼ Screening or INTERVIEW... if accepted... ▼ MEDICAL EXAM...if cleared... ▼ SECURITY & CRIMINALITY CHECK ... if cleared...

▼

Expenses and Loans ▼ Refugee SIGNS Immigrant Loans forms

▼

Visa, Notice of Arrival, ▼ GRANTED VISA Travel, and Landing ▼ IOM arranges travel ▼ NOTICE OF ARRIVAL sent to sponsoring group ▼ Refugee BOARDS plane to CANADA ▼ Refugee is “landed” on arrival

▼

Arrival ▼ Sponsor greets NEWCOMER in Canada !



Citizenship and Immigration Canada – Private Sponsorship Fact Sheet

The Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program is a partnership program administered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the people of Canada to extend Canada's capacity to resettle refugees from abroad. 1. Who may be sponsored under the Private

Sponsorship of Refugees Program? Convention Refugees Abroad and Members of the Country of Asylum Class and Source Country Class (also known as the Humanitarian Protected Persons Abroad classes) may be sponsored. People who are already in Canada are not eligible for sponsorship. The full definitions of the eligible categories are included as an appendix to this document. 2. Who can sponsor a refugee? Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) and

their Constituent Groups (CGs) and/or Cosponsors. SAH: An organization that has a formal

sponsorship agreement with Citizenship and Immigration Canada and may sponsor refugees under these agreements.

CG: A group authorized in writing by the SAH to act on its behalf in sponsoring refugees.

Cosponsor: An individual or organization authorized in writing by the SAH to share responsibility for an undertaking.

Groups of Five: Any group of five (G5) or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents, who are at least 18 years of age and who live in the community where the refugees are expected to settle.

Community Sponsor: An organization, association, or corporation based in the community where the refugees are expected to settle.

3. What are the responsibilities of a sponsoring

group? The sponsoring group must: make provision for reception, care, lodging and

settlement assistance for the sponsored refugees in the expected community of settlement for a period of 12 months (longer in

exceptional circumstances if agreed to by the sponsoring group) from the date of arrival of the refugee or until the refugee becomes self-supporting and no longer requires settlement assistance, whichever is less.

complete a settlement plan outlining the settlement arrangements put in place for the sponsored refugees, such as finding suitable housing for them, and helping them to learn an official language, get a job, make friends, and learn about our Canadian culture and values and about services in the community; and

physically reside in the expected community of settlement.

At the time you apply, you must provide information on the financial resources available for the 12-month sponsorship period.

4. How is the refugee identified? A group may submit an undertaking to sponsor a particular refugee(s) from abroad (sponsor-referred refugee). The alternative is for a visa office to refer a refugee(s) (visa office-referred refugee) for sponsorship. This individual (or family) is eligible for resettlement in Canada at the time that the undertaking to sponsor is made provided he or she meets the medical requirements and obtains criminal and security clearance. 5. What happens after the sponsorship is

accepted? A visa officer will interview the applicant to establish if he or she is a member of the Convention Refugee Abroad class or a member of one of the Humanitarian Protected Persons Abroad classes and whether the applicant will settle and establish well in Canada, and if he or she meets other requirements such as medical and security checks. 6. How long before the refugee arrives? Generally, processing times vary from about 6 to 18 months or more in exceptional cases depending on whether the person is a sponsor-referred or visa office-referred refugee, which country the person is coming from and the complexity of his or her immigration application.



7. Joint Assistance Sponsorship The Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) Program enables the SAHs, their CGs and Cosponsors to facilitate, with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the admission and resettlement in Canada of special needs refugees. These people are unlikely to re-establish successfully within 12 months without additional emotional support and settlement assistance. 8. How does a group apply to sponsor a

refugee? You may contact the CIC call centre to order an application kit: 1 (888) 242-2100

Constituent Groups should also contact the Sponsorship Agreement Holder coordinator of their organization.

Sponsoring a refugee can be a rewarding and enriching experience. CIC appreciates the contribution sponsors make to strengthening Canada's reputation as a humanitarian nation.

More information is available on our Web site at http://www.cic.gc.ca

Definitions

A Convention Refugee is any person who, by reason of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, and membership in a particular social group or political opinion:

a) is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable or, by reason of that fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country; or

b) not having a country of nationality, is outside the country of his or her former habitual residence and is unable or, by reason of that fear, is unwilling to return to that country.

A Convention Refugee Abroad Class is any person

a) who is a Convention Refugee, b) who is outside Canada, c) who is seeking admission to Canada for the

purpose of resettling in Canada, and

d) in respect of whom there is no possibility, within a reasonable period of time, of a durable solution.

Members of the Country of Asylum Class include those persons a) who are outside of their country of citizenship

or permanent residence; b) who have been or continue to be seriously and

personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or

c) have suffered massive violations of human rights; and

d) for whom there is no possibility, within a reasonable period of time, of a durable solution.

Individuals selected under this class must be privately sponsored or have adequate financial means to support themselves and their dependants. Members of the Source Country Class include those persons a) who are residing in their country of citizenship

or habitual residence, b) who have been and continue to be seriously

and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict,

c) who have suffered serious deprivation of their right of freedom of expression, right of dissent or right to engage in trade union activity and have been detained or imprisoned as a consequence,

d) who fear persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, and

e) for whom there is no possibility, within a reasonable period of time, of a durable solution,

f) who reside in a country which appears on the Source Country Schedule. The 2001 Schedule includes Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Guatemala and Colombia.

Individuals selected under this class may be government-assisted, privately sponsored or have adequate means of supporting themselves. Source: http://www.cic.gc.ca



Workshop Evaluation

Comments, suggestions, and follow-up questions:

This workshop helped me to:

I LIKED:

I would have liked:

I was attending to find out more about:

I would still like to know more about:

Settlement Planning 39



Settlement Planning Training Module This module is designed to help advise and guide groups who have made an initial commitment to sponsor. The module will help the group understand and address their roles and responsibilities – including budgeting, fundraising, financial management, planning for settlement, and community outreach.

1. Objectives At the end of the workshop, participants will better understand:

How to make a settlement plan; The need for flexibility during the settlement process; The resources available in their community; Their role as an “enabler” of settlement.


2. Sample Workshop Agenda Note: You may offer this module together with the Introduction to Sponsorship module in an evening or full-day session. If they are offered together, you need not repeat the introductions, or the presentation on local settlement resources, and you can conduct the evaluation at the end of the entire session. If you are offering this module on its own, you may need to review the basic roles and responsibilities of private sponsors before beginning the settlement planning exercise. Settlement Planning Training Module – 2 –3 hours 15 min Welcome

Introductions, Agenda and Objectives Overview 10 min What is settlement?

Interactive discussion

10 min Local Settlement Resources Presentations from settlement agency guests, or group discussion and brainstorm about local resources

60 - 90 min Settlement Planning and Budgeting Small group work with case studies and debriefing 30 min Settlement Planning from the Newcomer’s Perspective RSTP Video: Starting Over: Refugee Voices and discussion or Presentation from a previously-sponsored guest speaker 10- 15 min Questions and Answers, Wrap-up and Evaluation Note: Build in time for a break if you plan to take more than 2 hours to deliver the module.



3. Resource List

Videos Starting Over: Refugee Voices 20 min Produced by the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program, this video shares the insights and first-hand accounts of newcomers’ experiences with groups who are preparing to sponsor under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. The video has an accompanying study guide. Available from Sponsorship Agreement Holders. There are also other excellent videos on refugee settlement and integration issues that have been produced by Canadian sponsoring organizations and settlement agencies. Consult your local agencies, or visit their web sites!

Some Print Resources RSTP Sponsoring Group Handbook / Group of Five Handbook These generic handbooks provide sponsoring groups with guidance in their “hands on” work of helping newcomers settle. The Sponsoring Group Handbook is geared to the Constituent Groups of Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs). SAHs are encouraged to adapt the handbook materials to suit their organization’s needs. The handbook is available from SAHs, or from the CIC web site at www.cic.gc.ca . Citizenship and Immigration Canada Sponsorship Application Kits and Guide The sponsorship application kits and the accompanying guide provide sponsors with information about the completion of the forms, definitions and selection criteria, and the processing of their applications.

Refugee Sponsorship Kit: Sponsorship Agreement Holders and Constituent Groups, Refugee Sponsorship Kit: Group of Five, and the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program are available from the CIC web site www.cic.gc.ca.

The kits can also be ordered from the CIC call centre at 1-888-242-2100. The guide must be ordered from CIC Communications Branch, Ottawa ON K1A 1L1, Tel: 613-954-9019, Fax: 613-954-2221.





Some Useful Web sites Citizenship and Immigration Canada, http://www.cic.gc.ca A great deal of information is now on the main CIC site. Consult this site for information on processing information, updates on immigration policies and procedures, and tools and resources for refugee settlement and integration. The RSTP resources, and the sponsorship application kits are also accessible from this site.

Integration-Net http://integration-net.cic.gc.ca, was created by CIC as a communications and research tool to support the work of the Canadian settlement community. It provides a means to develop both a national and international exchange of information and ideas about best practices on integration strategies and programs in order to share and learn from the experience of others. You will find extensive information about settlement programs. Search the site for information about your local services.

Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR): http://www.ccrweb.ca The CCR is a national coalition of organizations involved in the settlement, sponsorship and protection of refugees. The web site provides links to many other Canadian and international organizations and resources concerned with refugees.



http://integration-net.cic.gc.ca/

http://www.ccrweb.ca/


4. Detailed Facilitator’s Guide Settlement Planning Module If you are facilitating this module together with the Introduction to Sponsorship Module, you do not need to repeat the introductions. You may wish, however, to briefly review the agenda and the objectives for this module.

Welcome, Introductions, and Agenda Overview Time: 10 – 15 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Enough copies of your workshop agenda for each participant, or

a copy of the agenda clearly displayed in the room Materials required for chosen introductory activity

Process: Interactive Introductions Ensure that participants have been informed of the location of the washrooms, and given other required logistical information before beginning the workshop. Introductions Welcome participants to the training, and give a few introductory remarks about yourself, and about the workshop.

Ask participants to introduce themselves. You may either facilitate one of the activities described above in the introductory materials “Working with these Training Modules”, or you can choose to go around the room and ask participants to provide specific information about themselves. Ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to introduce himself or herself is very important if the participants do not know each other. Having nametags will help participants get to know each other. If you choose to use the “Stand up, Sit down” introduction activity, you will notice that you are instructed to pause during the activity to review your workshop agenda. Agenda Review It is critical to review the agenda with participants, and provide them with an opportunity to give their input on the issues to be covered. Although you may have carefully planned and timed your workshop, it is important to be responsive to the group’s needs. List any additional issues or “burning” questions raised on a flip chart. Review the list at the end of the workshop with the participants to ensure that issues were addressed, or that they know where to look for answers. Also indicate plans for breaks and or meals. Finally, make it clear whether you welcome comments and comments throughout the workshop. Addressing questions and comments as they arise makes the workshop more interactive, but means that the facilitator has to be comfortable with the agenda, and with the materials.




What is Settlement? Time: 10 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Process: Interactive discussion or brainstorming The objective of this introductory brainstorming session is to have participants draw out the type of support that newcomers require to settle in Canada. More than financial and logistical support is required! Brainstorming works best when participants have already had a chance to get “warmed up”. There are no right and wrong answers to the questions, and you should encourage all participants to contribute their thoughts. There is no definitive definition for settlement. Encourage the participants to brainstorm responses to the following questions, and write their thoughts on a flip chart. Don’t worry about covering all aspects of settlement. Keep the session moving along. 1) When is a refugee family settled? Some of the many possible responses: When they are: self-supporting employed secure safe

feeling at home confident in our culture healthy reunited with their families

2) What does a privately- sponsored refugee require to settle in Canada (or your community name)? Possible responses will include a wide range from the specific to the general:

a place to live language training emotional support employment food clothing someone to show them around

help completing forms money medical care friendship education a ride from the airport

Finally, ask the participants whether we can anticipate all the needs of a particular family before they arrive? Clearly the answer is no! Overall Comment: We can’t know all of the newcomers needs before they arrive. You will revise your settlement plan throughout your sponsorship, as needs arise, but it is important to be as prepared as possible. Let’s make a settlement plan!


Introduction to Local Resources Time: 10 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Your handouts: Lists of local services or service providers

Process: Guest presentations from local settlement agencies or Group discussion about local resources You do not need to repeat this presentation if you are facilitating both the Introduction to Sponsorship and the Settlement Planning modules together. This session is intended to reinforce for sponsors that they are not responsible for every aspect of the refugee’s settlement, and that there are resources in their community. Most larger centres have agencies specialized in offering support to newcomers to Canada, and privately-sponsored refugees are eligible for these services. Many communities have compiled a list of local services or service providers. It would be very helpful to distribute such a list. (Search the CIC web site for community resource lists.) Invite your guest speakers to give a short presentation focussing on the services relevant to sponsored refugees. (The HOST program, for example, is only for government sponsored refugees.) Make sure that participants understand the range of agencies active in the community, and the range of referral, counselling, interpretation, employment, language acquisition, and specialized services offered. Your guest speakers may be willing to speak about the services of other agencies as well, as agencies may specialize in certain services or certain language groups. If there are participants active or interested in Joint-Assistance sponsorships, it would be a good opportunity to clarify the services offered by the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) provider. These orientation and financial support services are only available to government sponsored refugees, included the joint-assisted. The guest presentations are intended to be a short introduction- not an extensive overview of services. Most important perhaps are the options for English language classes, however sponsors should be aware that there are other services which they should help the newcomer access. Speakers should be encouraged to distribute brochures or contact information. If you do not have guest speakers, or a list of services to distribute, hold a group discussion about the services available. Overall, ensure that participants understand that the refugees they sponsor will be eligible for these services, and that they are mostly free.



Settlement Planning and Budgeting Time: 60- 90 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Handouts: Selected Case Studies

Copies of Settlement Plan forms from the relevant application kit (IMM 5440, or IMM5373A) Budget Planning Sheet Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) rate sheet (acquire locally) Sponsoring Group Handbook or Group of Five Handbook Arrival and Orientation Checklists

Process: 40- 70 minutes small group work on case studies, and debriefing Preparation Make sure that you have selected which case studies to use in advance, or have developed some of your own. Case studies can be easily adapted or created to suit your community’s circumstances. Each of the case studies has enough information to have a discussion, but is missing certain details. A sample Joint-Assistance case, and a few cases involving family members in Canada have been included. Each small group will work on a different case study. Make enough copies for each participant in a group. Participants only need a copy of the case study they will be working on. The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) rates vary from province to province, as they are geared to the social assistance rates. These rates outline the financial support provided to government-assisted refugees, and are a good budgeting resource for private sponsors. Providing each group with a copy of your provincial RAP rate gives participants a realistic sense of how much money sponsors should provide. The rate sheets are available from the local RAP service provider, or from your local CIC. If you have difficulty, copy the social assistance rates. Case Studies: Break the participants up into groups of 3 to 6 people. (See page 9 for suggestions for how to break into groups.) Distribute the groups around the room so that groups can discuss their cases without disturbing each other. Assign a case to each group. Provide participants with a copy of their group’s case study, a copy of the Settlement Plan from the CIC kit, and a copy of the budget-planning sheet. Each group should also have a copy of the RAP rates, or the social assistance rates. You may also distribute copies of the Arrival and Orientation checklists to help guide participants in dividing group responsibilities. The checklists are from the RSTP handbooks. The Sponsoring Group Handbook or the Group of Five Handbook are useful sources of information, and distributing them during this session may encourage participants to explore their contents!



Instructions to Groups: Tell the participants: You are now going to begin the process of settlement planning. As a sponsoring group, you are required to submit an initial settlement plan, but there are many details to consider beyond the form. Discuss your case among your group, and make your settlement plan. Be prepared to have someone report back to the group. Give the groups at least 45 minutes time to develop a budget and a settlement plan. If you are short of time, encourage the participants to estimate a budget, and concentrate on the settlement planning details. Circulate among the groups as they work to answer questions, and help participants make assumptions that allow them to move forward. Participants should not become so frustrated about the lack of detail provided that they have difficulty completing the exercise. Debriefing It is important to leave sufficient time to allow each group to report back briefly. Instruct those reporting back to focus on the questions asked at the top of the case study, rather than reading out their complete budget details, or their settlement plan answers. Commiserate with individuals or groups that feel they were not able to finish on time, and congratulate them for the progress they did make! Case-specific debriefing questions have been listed at the bottom of each case below. Use these questions to prompt participants to consider certain aspects of settlement planning, including budgeting and fundraising, group membership and preparation, and access to services. If you have time, allow participants to pose questions to other groups, or follow up on specific points. Reinforce the overall message that while it is important to prepare for the arrival of the newcomers, there are many details that cannot be anticipated. The sponsoring group must be prepared to adapt their plans!



Case Study A Budgeting and Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:

Do you have the resources in place to take on the sponsorship? If not, what other resources do you require? How will you get them? What settlement services will you seek out for the newcomer family? What other services might the

family require? What other information do you require to complete your settlement plan?

Refugee Applicant A and her 2 girls (3,5) are refugees from Sierra Leone. A’s husband has been killed. A has completed elementary school, and has worked running a market stall. She understands basic English. Relatives in Canada A’s brother and his wife have been in Canada for 5 years and are hoping to have children soon. Both work during the day, and have a small house where A and her children can also live. They estimate that they have approximately $200/month to contribute to the sponsorship beyond the costs of their mortgage and utilities. They want your sponsoring group’s assistance to bring A and her children, but they think that they can look after most of the financial costs. They live within commuting distance of the city. Your Group You have agreed to partner with the couple to sponsor A and her children. Your group consists of six committed individuals, and you have raised $2,000 towards the sponsorship. You have only one member available during daytime hours during the week. You have been told that A was raped in front of her children and her husband before he was killed last year. Debriefing Thoughts Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. If they have not touched on these points, ask them: With the support of the family, is the $2000 you have raised enough? If not, how much more do you need? What other goods do you need? What is your back-up plan if the family cannot all live under the same roof? Do you have enough group members? (Only one member is available during the day) Have you considered:

employment programs, prospects daycare, kindergarten registration transportation counselling (family counselling, trauma counselling)




Case Study B Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:

Do you have the resources in place to take on the sponsorship? If not, what other resources do you require? How will you get them? What settlement services will you seek out for the newcomer family? What other services

might the family require? What other information do you require to complete your settlement plan?

Refugee Applicant B, his wife and their 3 children (5, 6, 7) are refugees from Iraq that have been referred to you by a partner organization overseas concerned about B’s safety in asylum. B is trained as a bookkeeper. Due to a leg injury, he walks with some difficulty. Neither B nor his wife speak English. Both are willing to work. Your Group Your group has raised $8,000 towards sponsoring a refugee family, and you have gathered donated household furnishings. You feel confident that you can raise more as required, although your partner organization overseas tells you that both B and his wife are anxious to find employment shortly after arrival. Most of the members of your group are over 55, and some of you are free during daytime hours. Debriefing Thoughts: Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. (There are no “correct” answers.) If they have not touched on these points, ask them: How long will the $8,000 you have raised last? How much more money might you need? What other goods do you need? Do you have enough group members? Have you considered:

need for interpreters language training employment programs and prospects (for both adults?) transportation school registration, child care counselling medical needs (including treatment or orthopedic care for B)


Case Study C Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant C is a refugee from Sierra Leone in his late-50s. While he and his family were once relatively well-off in Sierra Leone, where C worked in the mining sector, he is now alone and destitute in asylum. Relatives in Canada C’s son came to Canada as a government-assisted last year. He is supporting himself, but does not have permanent work. He shares an apartment in town with another single young refugee. Your Group You have agreed to partner with C’s son to sponsor his father. Your plan is to find housing for the two together so that they can support each other. The active members of your group are 5 women. Your group believes that they can raise approximately $6,000 without difficulty. You are concerned for the long term. Debriefing Thoughts: Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. If they have not touched on these points, ask them: Will the $6000 you believe you can raise be enough? If not, how much more do you need? What other goods do you need? Do you have enough group members? (Any concerns about the fact that all the group members are women?) Have you considered:

employment programs, prospects medical treatment required counselling (family counselling, trauma counselling) back-up plan if the father and son cannot live under the same roof



Case Study D Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant D (19) and his brother (17) are refugees from the Sudan. They fled together, and have been separated from their family members for many years. During the last 10 years, they have attended classes only for the last two years in the refugee camp. Both are very eager to continue their studies, and both are working on their English. Family in Canada The eldest sister of the family has been in Canada for 3 years, sponsored by your group under the Women at Risk Program with her 3 children (ages 5, 7,and 8). She lives in a suburb. While she is working part-time, she is still receiving some social assistance support. She is hoping to live together with her brothers, but is currently renting a small two-bedroom apartment. Your Group After the sponsorship of the sister, your group is very committed to reuniting her with her two remaining brothers. You have gathered clothing, furniture and household effects for the two brothers. You have a steady income of roughly $400 a month through givings, and have also received a donation of $3,000. You plan to find a larger apartment so that the entire family can live together. Your group has 4 active members, and others that can be called upon to help. Debriefing Thoughts: Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. If they have not touched on these points, ask them: Do you have enough funds with the $400/month, and the extra $3000 you have raised? If not, how much more do you need? What other goods do you need? Do you have enough group members? Have you considered:

employment prospects education upgrading needs, language upgrading counselling (family counselling, trauma counselling) youth support programs

Do you think it is realistic to have the brothers live with their sister? Do you foresee any tension between the need to become self-supporting and the desire to catch up on the missed years of education? How will you cope with this?



Case Study E- JAS Case Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant(s) E is an Afghan woman with 4 children, 3 boys and a girl, ages 11, 9, 8, 6. She is also accompanied by her 58 year old mother, who has some hearing problems. E does not speak English, but is fluent in Dari and Pashtu, and has learned some Urdu. E completed several years of secondary school, and had been an elementary school teacher’s assistant before the death of her husband. E has been very vulnerable since her husband’s death. The family will come to Canada under a Joint Assistance Sponsorship. Your Group You are members of a sponsoring group organized through a church. Your church is generally supportive of the issues, but you have in the past had difficulties raising funds for sponsorship. Some of your more active members are still closely involved with the settlement of the family you sponsored 20 months ago, but the group has decided they can take on this JAS case. You have 4 core members, 2 women and two men. Two of your group members have some time during the day as they only work part time. You have identified an apartment that would be convenient. Debrief Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. If they have not touched on these points, ask them: Do you have enough group members? (How many do you need? How will you organize?) Have you taken cultural and gender relations into account when deciding who will be E’s primary contact? (It should be a woman.) Have you considered:

housing considerations orientation given by RAP service provider, and your involvement language classes (for both women?), need for interpreters employment prospects school registration, youth programs counselling (family counselling, trauma counselling) medical treatment (including a hearing aid for mother)



Case Study F Budgeting and Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant F is a 48 year old man with a wife and 4 boys, aged 9, 15, 17, and 18. F and his family will come to Canada with $5,000 that they can contribute to their settlement. Both he and his wife speak good English, and expect to find work quickly. The children speak some English. F is an electrician. Sponsoring Group You are friends of F, and would like to sponsor him and his family. You can contribute about $200 a month for the first few months, and you will help with the initial orientation. You expect to find an apartment for the family. Debriefing Thoughts: Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. If they have not touched on these points, ask them: Is the $5,000 the family will contribute and the extra $200/month you have enough? If not, how much more do you need? What other goods do you need? Who else will help you settle the family? Have you considered:

employment programs, prospects, including for the eldest children school registration rental costs, furniture, etc. counselling (family counselling, trauma counselling)




Case Study G – Family-Linked Case Budgeting and Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a family group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of refugee family members. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant G is a widow with 4 children aged 12-17. Her oldest son has an eye condition which could be treated in Canada. G does not have work experience, and speaks almost no English. She is very anxious about coming to Canada. Relatives in Canada/ Sponsoring Group You are G’s younger sister, and you and your husband would like to sponsor her and her children. You hope that the family can live with you in your 3-bedroom townhouse, at least for the first months. You don’t have any savings you can put towards the sponsorship, but expect to gather extra furniture, and cover the family’s food costs. Your two brothers are also in Canada and say that they will send you money to help with the sponsorship. Your own children are grown up and married. They could also help. Debriefing Thoughts: Encourage the group to present their answers to the questions posed above. If they have not touched on these points, ask them: How much money do you need from your brothers and your children? What other goods do you need? Who else will help you settle the family? Have you considered:

employment prospects? school registration language training counselling (family counselling, trauma counselling) medical treatment for the eldest son

What is your back-up plan if you cannot all live under the same roof?


Settlement Planning from the Newcomer’s Perspective Time: 30 minutes Tools:

VCR and monitor to show Starting Over: Refugee Voices

Process: Option A) 20 minute Video Presentation and 10 minute discussion Option B) Presentation from a guest speaker

Option A) Video Presentation Starting Over: Refugee Voices Produced by the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program, this 20-minute video is intended to provoke discussion and motivate participants to reflect on their role as a sponsor. It is not a how-to guide, but rather a means of providing groups with the opportunity to delve deeper into the issues of private sponsorship. Sponsorship is more than providing housing, furniture, clothing and food; it’s about relationships—both within the sponsoring group and between the sponsors and the refugee. There are no recipes for success. Every situation is different and sponsors must respond with flexibility, creativity and understanding. In this video, four newcomers share their stories revealing the mixture of emotions they experienced—joy, sadness, fear, courage and determination. Moreover, they speak candidly about what their sponsors did—or might have done—to help them settle in Canada. Introduce the video briefly by congratulating participants on their settlement planning success, and invite them to sit back and hear more about settlement planning from a newcomer’s perspective. After the video screening, facilitate a discussion within the group about the issues raised in the video. Use the accompanying study guide for sample questions. Option B) Guest presentation from a past-sponsored refugee Before the workshop, clarify with your guest speaker how long they have to speak, and what issues you would like them to address. Personal stories are a compelling addition to the workshop. Do not call for questions unless your guest speaker has previously agreed to take questions after their presentation. Local speakers can give guidance on the services available in your area, and the specific challenges faced by those integrating into your community.



Questions and Answers, Wrap-up and Evaluation Time: 10- 15 minutes Tools:

Flipchart, markers Handout: Evaluation Form

Process: Final question and answer session, wrap up, and group or individual evaluation Final Questions and Answers At this time, revisit the questions and issues raised during the introductions, and ensure that they have been covered, or that participants are advised where they can seek out the information. However, remember that groups that have sponsored previously may have “burning questions” about specific cases, and will probably understand that answers cannot be provided in the context of the workshop. Wrap-up Before moving on to evaluations, wrap-up any other local business. You may have other issues to raise with your participants, or information to convey about future meetings or workshops. There may also be logistical details about reimbursements or travel, or you may wish to call on volunteers to help you clean up the workshop space. Address all of these issues before the evaluation. Evaluation There is a sample basic evaluation form included with the handouts in the previous module. You may choose to use this, or develop your own form. If you have limited time, or think that it is unlikely that participants will complete a written evaluation, you may wish to facilitate a quick evaluation activity to draw out the information you need. For example: Clear a space the length or width of the room. Inform participants which end of the room represents strong agreement, and which strong disagreement. Instruct participants that a series of statements will be posed, and that they should position themselves physically along the range between strong agreement and strong disagreement. Some suitable statements may be:

I learned something today I met someone that I will contact again about sponsorship All of my questions were answered The session was too short The space was comfortable I would come to another workshop etc.

Finally, be sure to thank your participants for dedicating their time, and for their interest in private sponsorship!




5. Handouts- Settlement Planning Case Study A Case Study B Case Study C Case Study D Case Study E Case Study F Case Study G Budget Planning Sheet Arrival and Orientation Checklists


Case Study A Budgeting and Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a specific refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant A and her 2 girls (3,5) are refugees from Sierra Leone. A’s husband has been killed. A has completed elementary school, and has worked running a market stall. She understands basic English. Relatives in Canada A’s brother and his wife have been in Canada for 5 years and are hoping to have children soon. Both work during the day, and have a small house where A and her children can also live. They estimate that they have approximately $200/month to contribute to the sponsorship beyond the costs of their mortgage and utilities. They want your sponsoring group’s assistance to bring A and her children, but they think that they can look after most of the financial costs. They live within commuting distance of the city. Your Group You have agreed to partner with the couple to sponsor A and her children. Your group consists of six committed individuals, and you have raised $2,000 towards the sponsorship. You have only one member available during daytime hours during the week. You have been told that A was raped in front of her children and her husband before he was killed last year.



Case Study B Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a specific refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant B, his wife and their 3 children (5, 6, 7) are refugees from Iraq that have been referred to you by a partner organization overseas concerned about B’s safety in asylum. B is trained as a bookkeeper. Due to a leg injury, he walks with some difficulty. Neither B nor his wife speak English. Both are willing to work. Your Group Your group has raised $8,000 towards sponsoring a refugee family, and you have gathered donated household furnishings. You feel confident that you can raise more as required, although your partner organization overseas tells you that both B and his wife are anxious to find employment shortly after arrival. Most of the members of your group are over 55, and some of you are free during daytime hours.



Case Study C Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a specific refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant C is a refugee from Sierra Leone in his late-50s. While he and his family were once relatively well-off in Sierra Leone, where C worked in the mining sector, he is now alone and destitute in asylum. Relatives in Canada C’s son came to Canada government sponsored last year. He is supporting himself, but does not have permanent work. He shares an apartment in with another single young refugee. Your Group You have agreed to partner with C’s son to sponsor his father. Your plan is to find housing for the two together so that they can support each other. The active members of your group are 5 women. Your group believes that they can raise approximately $6,000 without difficulty. You are concerned for the long term.



Case Study D Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a specific refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant D (19) and his brother (17) are refugees from the Sudan. They fled together, and have been separated from their family members for many years. During the last 10 years, they have attended classes only for the last two years in the refugee camp. Both are very eager to continue their studies, and both are working on their English. Family in Canada The eldest sister of the family has been in Canada for 3 years, sponsored by your group under the Women at Risk Program with her 3 children (ages 5, 7,and 8). She lives in a suburb. While she is working part-time, she is still receiving some social assistance support. She is hoping to live together with her brothers, but is currently renting a small two-bedroom apartment. Your Group After the sponsorship of the sister, your group is very committed to reuniting her with her two remaining brothers. You have gathered clothing, furniture and household effects for the two brothers. You have a steady income of roughly $400 a month through givings, and have also received a donation of $3,000. You plan to find a larger apartment so that the entire family can live together. Your group has 4 active members, and others that can be called upon to help occasionally.



Case Study E Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a refugee family. Using the information provided in the case design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant(s) E is an Afghan woman with 4 children, 3 boys and a girl, ages 11, 9, 8, 6. She is also accompanied by her 58 year old mother, who has some hearing problems. E does not speak English, but is fluent in Dari and Pashtu, and has learned some Urdu. E completed several years of secondary school, and had been an elementary school teacher’s assistant before the death of her husband. E has been very vulnerable since her husband’s death. The family will come to Canada under a Joint Assistance Sponsorship. Your Group You are members of a sponsoring group organized through a church. Your church is generally supportive of the issues, but you have in the past had difficulties raising funds for sponsorship. Some of your more active members are still closely involved with the settlement of the family you sponsored 20 months ago, but the group has decided they can take on this JAS case. You have 4 core members, 2 women and two men. Two of your group members have some time during the day as they only work part time. You have identified an apartment that would be convenient.



Case Study F Budgeting and Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of a specific refugee family. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant F is a 48 year old man with a wife and four boys, aged 9, 15, 17, and 18. F and his family will come to Canada with $5,000 that they can contribute to their settlement. Both he and his wife speak good English, and expect to find work quickly. The children speak some English. F is an electrician. Sponsoring Group You are friends of F, and would like to sponsor him and his family. You can contribute about $200 a month for the first few months, and you will help with the initial orientation. You expect to find an apartment for the family.




Case Study G Budgeting and Settlement Planning Exercise: You are a member of a family group that has decided to take on a sponsorship of refugee family members. Using the information provided in the case prepare a budget, and design your settlement plan. While designing your settlement plan, consider:



Refugee Applicant G is a widow with 4 children aged 12-17. Her oldest son has an eye condition that could be treated in Canada. G does not have work experience, and speaks almost no English. She is very anxious about coming to Canada. Relatives in Canada/ Sponsoring Group You are G’s younger sister, and you and your husband would like to sponsor her and her children. You hope that the family can live with you in your 3-bedroom townhouse, at least for the first months. You don’t have any savings you can put towards the sponsorship, but expect to gather extra furniture, and cover the family’s food costs. Your two brothers are also in Canada and say that they will send you money to help with the sponsorship. Your own children are grown up, and married. They could also help.


Budget Planning Sheet Start-up Items Cost: Source: Questions to Consider Rent Deposit

Is rent at a level the newcomer will be able to afford after sponsorship ends? Budget for reasonable rent costs during the year, unless the newcomers are very close family members that will live permanently with relatives already in Canada

Furniture/ Linens Use donations and second-hand stores. Household Supplies and Staples

Gather and purchase household supplies, including dishes, cooking utensils, staple foods, and basic cleaning supplies.

Clothing

Ensure adequate winter clothing for each family member. Show newcomers how to make use of second-hand and bargain stores.

Telephone Installation

Decide whether to fund long distance calls and, if so, to what extent.

Total Start-Up

Monthly Costs:

Cost/ month

Source

Questions to Consider

Rent

Budget for reasonable rent costs during the year.

Utilities Include electricity, heat, and water. Food Take into account the newcomers’ need to have some national

foods in his / her diet. Help newcomers to comparison shop and buy in bulk.

Transport Look into bus or metro passes.

Clothes Show newcomers how to make use of second-hand and bargain stores.

Phone / Post Remember that the newcomer will need to communicate with family and friends back home. Investigate phone cards.

Supplies

Take into account laundry and cleaning supplies, as well as toiletries.

Health

Plan for special needs, and costs not covered by provincial health insurance or Interim Federal Health (IFH). Include provincial health insurance fees if applicable.

Discretionary

Pocket money, recreation.

Education

School trips, books, day care to allow parents to study English and to look for jobs.

Reserve

Allow a minimum extra of 5% for unanticipated expenses.

TOTALS:



Arrival and Orientation Checklists CHECKLIST: Immediately Before & Upon Arrival

Who will meet the newcomers? (Must be available on short notice at any time of day.) Backup, in case greeters are not available.

Provide appropriate written information in newcomers’ own language (something very brief).

If it is a Joint-Assistance Sponsorship, coordinate closely with the settlement agency contracted by CIC to provide the initial orientation. Newcomers may initially stay in a reception centre.

If appropriate, take photos at the airport.

Is interpreter needed at airport? Is interpreter available on “stand by”?

Provide a chance to go to the bathroom at the airport before piling into cars.

Provide newcomer with names and phone numbers of group members.

Take newcomers to where they are staying.

Orientation CHECKLIST

FIRST 24 HOURS

Assist Newcomers, if necessary to…

FIRST FEW DAYS

Assist Newcomers to…

Complete and submit the SIN, medical coverage, IFH application and Child Tax Credit forms you collected earlier.

Know how to use things in their house or apartment (e.g. different types of faucets, telephones, and basic household equipment can be confusing to figure out, and objects such as fire alarms may be unknown).

Understand both their and your rights and obligations regarding sponsorship.

Have a tour of the immediate neighbourhood and help them learn how to get around.

Shop for food and clothing.

Know how to contact someone at all times (this may entail learning how to use a pay phone). If their English is poor, you can develop a “warning” system, where the newcomers can call someone with a code word, and whoever receives the call will know they need help.

Receive any needed medical attention (you may want to suggest setting up an appointment for a physical examination soon after arrival).

Call their family at home. Explain whether, or to what extent, your group is willing to cover long distance calls.

Open a bank account and begin the budgeting process. Explain the sources of funds and the expectations around managing money.



Orientation CHECKLIST- First Weeks and Months

FIRST FEW WEEKS & MONTHS: Assist Newcomers, if necessary to…

Look for permanent housing.

Receive employment counselling and begin job search.

Enroll children in school.

Understand rights and obligations regarding loans, and loan repayment.

Complete a language assessment and enroll in ESL classes.

Be aware of family law, parenting obligations and finding childcare.

Become oriented to life in the community including shopping, public transport, settlement services, recreation and culture

Be aware of culture shock, family stresses, and effects of crisis.


rstp training modules · · 2014-05-14some notes on facilitating workshops _____ 2 know your...

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