working with immigrants beyond hrm€¦ · projects funded by the nsoi beyond hrm 3. dwsi advisory...

Working with Immigrants

Beyond HRM

JUNE 2007

Funded By:

_____________________________________________________________________________ Distance Workplace Skills Initiative Final Report 1 HILC & MISA / June 2007

Halifax Immigrant Learning Centre (HILC) and the Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association

(MISA) are the largest immigrant language and settlement providers in Atlantic Canada and in

2003, in an effort to provide a more holistic and integrative approach to the delivery of settlement

services, HILC and MISA began sharing a common location. Over the past three years, the

collaborative working relationship has resulted in an integrated model of employment and

workplace language service delivery. Work in Nova Scotia (WINS) is a customized, client-

centred and menu-driven service delivery model which provides a bridging program for the

workforce integration of newcomers.

OUR MISSION

is to support the language learning goals of newcomers. In a creative and respectful environment, we strive to provide quality and effective learning opportunities to promote the active participation of newcomers in our community

OUR MISSION

The Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association (MISA) is a community-based organization which welcomes newcomers and recognizes their essential role in Canada. We provide special services to help newcomers in their efforts to participate fully in Canadian life.

Halifax Immigrant Learning Centre (HILC) 7105 Chebucto Rd. Suite 201, Halifax, NS B3L 4W8 Tel : (902) 443-2937 Fax : (902) 423-3154 [email protected] www.hilc.ns.ca

Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association (MISA) 7105 Chebucto Rd. Suite 201, Halifax, NS B3L 4W8 Tel : (902) 423-3607 Fax : (902) 423-3154 [email protected] www.misa.ns.ca


TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………………….3

BACKGROUND / CONTEXT……………………………………………………….....5

Regionalization of Immigration Immigration to Nova Scotia The Role of RDAs The Role of MISA & HILC

DISTANCE WORKPLACE SKILLS INITIATIVE…………………………………... 10

Objectives Approach Advisory groups Roundtables Workshops

PROVINCIAL FORUM ………………….……………………………………………18

A FRAMEWORK FOR DELIVERY OF SERVICES………………………………….24

REVISITING THE DWSI OBJECTIVES……………………………………………...26

ISSUES AND PRIORITIES FOR IMMIGRATION BEYOND HRM…………….....27

Local Stakeholder Challenges Community Settlement Challenges Big Picture Challenges RECOMMENDATIONS: WHERE TO FROM HERE?................................................33

Community Immigration Partners Local Communities Province as a Whole

CONCLUSIONS…………………………………………………………………….…36

APPENDICES

1. Services Delivered at Distance by HILC & MISA

2. Projects Funded by the NSOI Beyond HRM 3. DWSI Advisory Groups

ENDNOTES


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Brief description The Nova Scotia Distance Workplace Skills Initiative was a nine-month project (September 2006-May 2007) funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and delivered by Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association (MISA) and Halifax Immigrant Learning Centre (HILC). This project was intended to develop a framework for services to immigrants in Nova Scotia outside the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), in collaboration with local communities. The focus was to be on language, workplace skills, and business support. The signing of the NS Provincial Nominee Agreement in 2002 and the launch of the province’s immigration strategy in 2005, have both aimed at and contributed to an increase in the number of immigrants to smaller centres in the province. While the number of immigrants in Nova Scotia outside HRM is not large, it has been growing steadily as a proportion of the total number of newcomers to the province each year. Origin of the project MISA and HILC have taken the lead in researching, developing and delivering services to immigrants beyond HRM. The New Beginnings Online program, the English for Work and Business Videoconferencing class and English in the Workplace have been ground-breaking distance delivery offerings. They have been complemented by two studies: The Enhanced Language Training Extension/Outreach Project (October 2005) and the ELT Distance Delivery Feasibility Report (March 2007). Both organizations are continuing to explore the use of different technologies, as they have had very positive responses from clients about these innovations. In addition, for the past few years, both MISA and HILC have seen an increase in the number of requests for service and support from beyond the Halifax Regional Municipality, both from individual immigrants and from community groups. The DWSI was proposed to develop a coordinated response and a framework to guide continued development of services to immigrants in smaller centres in Nova Scotia. Approach The Distance Workplace Skills Initiative provided an opportunity to meet with smaller communities in Nova Scotia that want to attract, integrate and retain immigrants. Using the network of Regional Development Agencies across the province as the key contacts, seven community roundtables, three workshops and a larger province-wide discussion were held, involving a total of over 300 participants.


Results from the consultations and the provincial forum are summarized and discussed in this report. Findings The current distance delivery of immigrant support services for language and employment is well-received and effective. These services assist individual immigrants in different areas to access and keep employment. The use of technology to deliver services is proving efficient, cost-effective and well-received by clients. The best framework for the delivery of these services is a simple model of collaboration between experienced immigrant service providers in Halifax, immigrants in small centers and the local service agencies such as career resource centers. This model does not involve major expenses and is flexible enough to expand with growing need. The framework does require a supportive context, and this is discussed as another model: elements of a welcoming community. In the course of this project, it became clear that developing a welcoming community with good supports for immigrant families is still a major challenge in many areas. The specific challenges are discussed at several levels: at the level of the community stakeholder group already interested in immigration, at the level of the local community as a whole, and at the level of the whole province. The number of new immigrants is small, so supports are developing slowly and there is a delicate balance to maintain: how much time and how many resources should be allocated while the newcomers are still few and far between? Settlement logistics, lack of employer engagement, and community attitudes are key obstacles. Recommendations For service providers:

• Continue to develop distance services

• Improve communication about these services

• Continue building networks in small communities to support the service delivery at the local level

For local community leaders and stakeholders:

• Clarify the priority of immigration and engage the community

• Develop a long-term plan, to be carried out step by step

• Improve communication among and between communities

The report includes detailed recommendations for each level of stakeholder as discussed above.


BACKGROUND / CONTEXT

THE REGIONALIZATION OF IMMIGRATION The regionalization of immigration, or the dispersal of immigrants beyond the large urban centres, has been of interest to the federal government since the late 1990s. In 2001, Citizenship and Immigration Canada released a study entitled “Towards a More Balanced Geographic Distribution of Immigrants”1, which identified two key themes: regional economic development, and settlement and mobility patterns among newcomers. These two themes run through much of the subsequent work done in this area. Work in this area has included policy, research and service initiatives across the country, using both national and local perspectives. There have been several new provincial policy initiatives, research studies under the Metropolis Project, and new programs developed by service providers. One of the most practical contributions to this area has been the publication (2005) of the Tool Box of Ideas for Smaller Centres, developed by a national working group made up of federal and provincial government staff and service providers. The approach used in the Tool Box has informed this project in many aspects. At the provincial level, there has been perhaps even greater activity in regionalization. It is at this level that the impact of rural de-population is obvious, and the concern with regional economic development has long been a priority. Nationally, the focus has been on how to encourage immigrants to go to places other than Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Provincially, the same ideas are applied to encourage immigrants to settle in small cities, towns and rural areas. Since the development of Provincial Nominee Programs, more provinces now have their own immigration strategies and policy tools to help make the connections between immigration and economic growth. In the Atlantic region, the promise of regionalization is seen at both levels: in attracting more immigrants to the region as a whole, and within the region in attracting and retaining immigrants outside the cities. The potential benefits of regionalization are clear for Canada and its provinces: they are the benefits of immigration, equally distributed across the country, primarily:

• Economic benefits such as an increase in the consumers and tax base which will stimulate the economy and support the social system as our population continues to age and birth rates decline

• Additional skilled workers, who will help meet the labour shortages


• Increased cultural diversity, which brings with it new perspectives, global links and an entrepreneurial spirit

This leads to the second important theme. A key question to be addressed is: are there equally compelling arguments for the benefits of regionalization to immigrants themselves? That is, can immigrants be attracted and retained in smaller centres, and more specifically, what are the conditions that will make this “match” successful?

IMMIGRATION TO NOVA SCOTIA

In the early 1990s Nova Scotia was successful in attracting many immigrants, mostly in the federal entrepreneur category. However, retention was not so successful. Calculations based on 2001 census figures indicated that approximately 60% of the immigrants who came to Nova Scotia in the 1990s had left by the time of the census. In addition, the numbers coming in had dropped significantly. With the signing of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (PNP) in 2002, numbers began to increase again and there was a new focus on immigration outside Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). The Regional Development Authorities (RDAs) were given the responsibility for being the contacts for immigration outside the HRM. These regional offices began to consider the potential connections between economic development and immigration. Immigration attraction numbers began to increase once again, as the new NSNP became known. Immigration to Nova Scotia outside HRM is not large, but it has been growing steadily in number as well as in proportion to the number of newcomers to the HRM each year. IMMIGRATION TO NOVA SCOTIA BY REGION - numbers

IMMIGRATION TO NOVA SCOTIA BY REGION - percentages

Source: Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Facts & Figures 2006 / MISA & HILC

I

Region 1996 2000 2005 2006 HRM 2908 1333 1488 1888 Beyond HRM 316 277 441 692 NS 3,224 1,610 1,929 2,580

Region 1996 2000 2005 2006 HRM 90% 83% 77% 73% Beyond HRM 10% 17% 23% 27%


In 2005, the Nova Scotia office of Immigration (NSOI) was established and the provincial immigration strategy was released. The government has clearly stated, “First and foremost, our goal is to improve the retention of immigrants.”2 It is still difficult to determine how many newcomers stay in the smaller centres or even in the province as a whole.

THE ROLE OF RDAs The provincial strategy also strengthened the focus on immigration outside HRM. One of its guiding principles is a “community-based, Nova Scotia approach: Each community has different needs and methods for addressing its needs. Government will work with an approved community development policy to encourage communities to take the lead in developing their own immigration objectives.”3 In this process, the government has confirmed the role of the Regional Development Authorities (RDAs) as the lead partners in implementing the immigration strategy in communities. The 13 RDAs are linked through the Nova Scotia Association of RDAs (NSARDA)4

Select a county from the map:

Nova Scotia Counties

•18 Counties•13 RDAs•6 immigration initiatives (funded by NSOI)


As well, with the federal and provincial commitments to promote francophone immigration, la Fédération Acadienne de la Nouvelle Ecosse (FANE) has been identified as a key partner in immigration in Nova Scotia. With the direction and support of the NSOI, several RDAs and FANE have developed immigration projects in their regions. The projects that have been funded to date are:5 COMMUNITY IMMIGRATION PROJECTS

Colchester Regional Development Agency

Community Capacity Building and Evaluation Futureworx-Employment and Skills Development Fair

Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association

Settlement and Integration Teams for Cumberland County

Pictou County Regional Development Corporation

The Rural Resource Tool Kit

South West Shore Development Authority

Immigration Information Navigator

Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency

Cape Breton Newcomers Network: A Pilot Project to Support New Immigrants on Cape Breton Island

Valley Community Learning Association

Valley ESL Project

FANE

Développement des capacités de promotion, de recrutement, d’accueil et d’intégration

Source: NS Office of Immigration website


THE ROLE OF MISA & HILC

As key immigrant-serving agencies in Nova Scotia, MISA and HILC have taken the lead in developing approaches for the extension of services to immigrants outside HRM.6 The provincial government’s strategy has expanded the interest in and awareness of immigration in Nova Scotia. Requests for service and support from other parts of the province have increased. HILC and MISA have developed several channels to anticipate and respond to those needs. In March 2005, MISA began to develop an on-line version of its highly successful New Beginnings pre-employment workshops, with support from the federal Office of Learning Technologies. The first delivery took place a year later. Also in 2005, HILC and MISA researched the feasibility of distance delivery of the Enhanced Language Training Program. They followed this with the pilot of the first ESL videoconferencing class in Canada, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Community College and then with English in the Workplace delivered at distance. The Work in Nova Scotia (WINS) program, developed and delivered by HILC & MISA, is a bridging program comprising various elements which newcomers can customize to their own needs to help them reach their employment goals. This model is very effective on-site in Halifax and is now being extended through distance services throughout the province. Both organizations continue to explore the use of various technologies and to develop partnerships with community groups in order to expand the supports available to immigrants beyond HRM. In addition, there has been unexpected uptake from clients within the HRM who are unable to access on-site services because of work or family commitments. The use of these technologies has been surprisingly effective and popular with newcomers, and has grown more rapidly than anticipated. A report on these distance services completed in March 2007 states: “Through a careful study of the existing programs and technology, this report determines that distance delivery of ELT in Nova Scotia is feasible and cost-effective. Many of the required supports are already in place, and the staff has the capacity to build knowledge and deliver Mentoring, Work Placements and Videoconferencing Classes through MISA and HILC.”7


DISTANCE WORKPLACE SKILLS INITIATIVE The Distance Workplace Skills Initiative was proposed to examine the bigger picture and to develop a coordinated framework for these distance services, in collaboration with local communities. This project, funded by Human Resource and Service Development Canada, had as its focus the needs of immigrants as related to workforce attachment: language skills, employment and business development.

OBJECTIVES

Short term:

• Identify specific workplace skills and business support gaps for immigrants living outside of the HRM

• Develop an integrated framework for implementation of a distance support initiative that will ensure a coordinated and cost-effective approach

• Strengthen existing and establish new partnerships for implementation of a distance workplace skills and business support initiative

Long term:

• Increase the capacity for communities outside of the HRM to attract and retain immigrants

• Provide a base for further distance delivery of workplace skills development and other settlement supports for immigrants.

• Improve the success rate of immigrants accessing employment or working in their fields

• Increase the overall retention rate of newcomers to Nova Scotia by providing timely interventions and services

APPROACH The project plan has three key deliverables:

1. Up to 9 stakeholder round tables across the province 2. Meeting to present framework to partners and stakeholders 3. Final Report including

a. best practices for delivering distance bridge to work programs b. needs of immigrants and employers in communities outside the

HRM c. implementation plan for distance workplace skills and bridging

program d. communications plan e. potential impact of the distance bridge to work program


The main activity was the series of consultations/community roundtables across the province, to get the local perspective on the needs of immigrants and on the resources currently available to them. The RDAs were asked to organize the meetings in their communities, develop invitation lists, and generally act as the liaison for the project coordinator. Funding was available through the project to cover the costs of coordination and delivery of the roundtable sessions. The final meeting on May 10 was the project wrap-up: a province-wide roundtable, to report back on the findings. The timeline for the project was initially September 2006-March 2007. The project coordinator was hired and began in September to contact the RDAs and other community groups. However, it soon became apparent that not all communities were prepared to hold roundtables in the fall of 2006, and an extension was requested and granted, to continue the project through May 2007. A flexible approach was key, in keeping with the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration’s principle that immigration must be community-based. Seven roundtables were held, and some communities decided it was not time for such meetings, so smaller consultations were organized with RDA staff and/or volunteers. Two groups requested training workshops for their staff and volunteers, and these were delivered with the support of other MISA staff members.

ADVISORY GROUPS

The project was supported by two advisory groups, one made up of MIISA and HILC staff currently involved in distance delivery, and one of key partners. 8 The internal advisory group, consisting of staff working in various programs, were able to describe and communicate their work to each other. Four meetings were held, and two internal documents produced as a result:

• Internal chart of staff roles related to distance delivery of services, which has facilitated the internal referral process

• Chart of MISA/HILC contacts within the Nova Scotia Community College, to facilitate referrals and partnership links with the NSCC, which is a key partner in distance services

The external advisory group also met four times, providing direction and feedback to the coordinator as the project progressed. At the suggestion of members of the external group, two activities were added to the project:

• The project coordinator participated in a meeting of the national working group on the Tool Box for Small Centres

• A workshop on developing welcoming communities was organized for community stakeholders in conjunction with the final roundtable


ROUNDTABLES

Format of Roundtables The roundtables generally had a half-day agenda:

• Introductions

• Presentation on immigration to Nova Scotia and distance services

• Small group discussions

• Report back and wrap-up

Guysborough / February 7, 2007 Pictou / February 6, 2007

Participants at the roundtables were generally members of local community organizations, including:

• Economic development organizations: RDA, CBDC

• Educational institutions : NSCC, universities

• Community organizations: learning associations, career resource centres

• Government: elected municipal leaders & staff

• Immigrants

• Employers, business groups The particular combination of stakeholders varied with the location. In general, RDAs, other economic development groups and community organizations were the best represented. One roundtable included several elected officials from all three levels of government. All groups included some immigrants, who participated actively and provided some “reality checks”, in articulating challenges which they have faced. The participation of employers was generally limited. The following chart summarizes participation at the roundtables and other activities held as part of the project.


DWSI Activities by County

ROUNDTABLES

County Date Participants Notes

Lunenburg-Queens

October 23 25 Minister of NSOI attended

RDA taking lead, draft of immigration strategy done

Annapolis-Kings

December 13 40 Roundtable coordinated by Valley Community Learning Association, Hants RDA to follow up

VANSDA offering employment services to immigrants

Pictou February 6 30 Coordinated by RDA

Guysborough February 7 20 Coordinated by RDA Immigrants who were unable to attend requested second meeting

Colchester February 27 25 Coordinated by RDA

Guysborough April 17 20 Coordinated by RDA

Follow up - about 14 new participants

Antigonish April 18 35 Coordinated by St. FX Enterprise Centre

OTHER ACTIVITIES

County Date Participants

South West Region

November 27

December 5

Meeting with immigration committee [Community had had its own roundtable session earlier in the year]

MISA-HILC staff provided orientation for newly-hired navigator

Cumberland

May 2

15

Meeting with RDA staff Began volunteer settlement teams, Feb (NSOI funded) Workshop for settlement teams

FANE December 1

December 7

20

10

Cross-cultural orientation workshop for francophone community leaders

Focus group with francophone MISA clients


Discussion at Roundtables While the original plan of the DWSI project was to focus on workplace attachment, most of the roundtable discussions focused on more basic issues, reflecting the priorities of the communities and their current stage of readiness for immigration. In many areas, the distance services described were relevant to some newcomers, but roundtable participants were more interested in general issues around immigration. Small group discussion was consequently organized around four questions to be answered for each local community:

• What are the benefits of immigration to your community?

• What benefits can your community offer immigrants?

• What challenges would/do immigrants face in your community?

• What challenges does your community face re: immigration?

The focus of each discussion varied depending on the participants in that group, and there were recurring themes. The most frequent answers are as follows: What are the benefits of immigration to your community?

• Need more population • Potential new businesses leading to employment • Increased tax base • Education of community – learning to appreciate diversity • Bring skilled labour

What benefits can your community offer immigrants?

• Rural county life – slow down – relaxed • Safety – low crime • Land available and inexpensive • Cost of living

• Educational opportunities What challenges would/do immigrants face in your community?

• Finding employment opportunities

• Lack of network, family support • Cultural differences • Resistance to change, subtle racism and discrimination • Size of communities and social network

What challenges does your community face re: immigration? • Misinformation re: immigration issues • Need to improve inter-agency connection • Do we really want immigrants? • Not always comfortable making initial contact • Retaining immigrants


The discussions at the roundtables, as well as consultations with RDA staff, changed the agenda for the DWSI. It was clear that communities are interested in immigration, but many are at the early stages of understanding and considering the implications for their communities. Some are not sure if they were ready to develop and work on specific strategies for increasing immigration, and most did not have a clear champion or leader for the issue of immigration in their community. In most communities, workplace attachment for immigrants is not yet a concern. There was one exception, when employers commented that they are having difficulty filling labour shortages, and they find the immigration system too cumbersome to be useful to them. The fact that this was an isolated comment made it more interesting and noteworthy. This comment is heard more often in HRM, when companies need larger numbers of employees to fill immediate gaps.

Distance Services

All the participants in the roundtables were interested and encouraged to know about the availability of distance services, however many felt that these are not yet needed in their communities. The immigrants who are already living in these regions generally have employment and businesses, for the most part, are not looking for more employees. Those who have identified openings seemed to be managing to fill them on their own, and where needed, to access some supports. Community organizations were not generally involved. A few points to be noted about the distance services:

• An internet-based program works best with high-speed connections, not yet available across the province

• Intermediate and advanced language training can work via technology, and beginners need face-to-face instruction.

• The Teaching Immigrants English (TIE) program, an outreach initiative of the Metro Region Immigrant Language Services, does have basic level ESL instructors in many communities, and their classes are meeting this need.


Results of the Roundtables Organizing the community roundtables led to several outcomes:

• Individual referrals were made to MISA and HILC as a result of the increased awareness in communities about the distance services.

• Local service providers (e.g. career resource centres) expressed a clear

interest in partnering with MISA & HILC to serve immigrant clients, and in receiving some training.

• For some communities the meeting was a catalyst to getting organized and beginning to work on immigration issues.

• For some participants interested in immigration, it provided an overview

and introduction to immigration as a whole, and also to their local community issues.

• For some immigrants, the roundtable provided a forum to talk about their

expectations, experiences and frustrations

• For the continuation of the project, it became clear that most communities are at early stages of immigrant integration, with relatively few newcomers. At this point, these communities need more information and communication among themselves to help them build support for future immigrants.

WORKSHOPS

Three workshops were organized and delivered as part of the DWSI. Each one was developed in response to a request or suggestion from partners. The workshops involved people who are, or will be involved in their communities’ immigration projects. Each workshop was customized to the group involved, and delivered by the DWSI coordinator with colleagues from HILC & MISA. FANE – December 1, 2006 This workshop was the first part of a two-day session on immigration held by la Federation Acadienne de la Nouvelle Ecosse. The francophone community faces some unique challenges and is developing a unique approach to attracting and welcoming newcomers. The purpose of the workshop was to help FANE members from across the province to better understand the experience of immigration. Four MISA staff members developed and facilitated this workshop in French. The activities included cross-cultural awareness exercises and then the discussion of immigration scenarios.


Cumberland County – May 2, 2007 This workshop was for the county’s volunteer immigrant settlement teams, and followed the general format of the roundtables, with more time given to discussion and consideration of the local situation.

Truro / May 9, 2007

Community Representatives – May 9, 2007 This workshop was designed to take advantage of the opportunity of having many people gathering for the final project wrap-up. This was held in Truro, on the site of the May 10 event, and brought together 15 people, from 9 counties – 13 RDA staff and 2 ESL instructors. This session also included cross-cultural awareness exercises and immigration scenarios. The workshops were appreciated by all the participants and feedback suggests that there is a need for more small and interactive sessions such as these, to help stakeholders understand and prepare to welcome newcomers. Once again, it was apparent that the focus in communities is more on the general issues related to preparing for immigrants, such as public education and cross-cultural awareness, rather than the specifics related to workforce attachment.


PROVINCIAL FORUM

On Thursday May 10, 2007, a province-wide event was held in Truro to bring together stakeholders from all regions, to report back on the findings of the project and continue discussions together. Eighty people participated, almost equally representing five groups:

• RDAs

• Immigrant-serving agencies from Halifax

• Educational institutions

• Government agencies

• Local community service providers

Two notable groups were under-represented: employers and recent immigrants. Invitations had been sent out through the RDAs as with the roundtables, and about a quarter of the participants had previously taken part in local roundtable sessions.

The agenda for the final event was as follows:

• Presentation on the findings of DWSI

• Best practices: brief snapshots of ten successful NS immigration programs

• Small group discussion on community readiness

• Small group discussion on top about retaining immigrants beyond HRM


The components of the forum follow in the next few pages. Presentation on the findings of the DWSI The information covered in the presentation is all contained in this report. Best practices At many of the local roundtables, people were very interested in knowing about other immigration initiatives across the province. This part of the agenda was designed to provide that information. The table on the following page outlines the programs that were highlighted. The elements of welcoming communities Participants were asked to gather in regional groups and to consider a chart outlining the dimensions of community readiness for immigration. The groups did not report back formally, but several participants compared discussions and commented on the wide variety in the discussion from group to group. Top five ideas and suggestions about retaining immigrants beyond HRM People were then re-grouped randomly and asked to come up with five priorities for immigration to Nova Scotia, and then report back to the larger group. The full list of recommendations (eliminating duplication) follows below. The recommendations may be easily grouped into seven categories, although they were not discussed in the context of categories:

• Leadership

• Services for Newcomers

• Public Education

• Economic Opportunities

• Government Support

• Immigrant Attraction

• Stakeholder Involvement It is interesting to note that these areas are all elements of a welcoming community, and as such they were used to describe the model of welcoming community that follows on page 21.


BEST PRACTICES FROM ACROSS NS

Activity Organization Description

Teaching Immigrants English

[email protected]

Metro Region Immigrant Language Services

Language assessment, ESL tutor training and individual or small group ESL instruction in 11 communities beyond HRM (Guysborough, Antigonish, Sydney, Truro, Pictou, Windsor, Kentville, Amherst, Bridgewater, Yarmouth, and Shelburne)

English for Work & Business Video-conferencing [email protected]

HILC Workplace language skills for internationally educated professionals from diverse employment backgrounds. Currently available at NSCC campuses in Truro, Kentville, Bridgewater and Halifax / Tues and Thurs evenings

English in the Workplace

[email protected]

HILC Language training program delivered by distance at the workplace and customized to the needs of the employee and the workplace. Can be delivered one-to-one or with groups for immigrants and new citizens.

New Beginnings Online Program [email protected]

MISA Online workshops designed to build job search skills and assist newcomers overcome the barriers related to accessing employment opportunities in Nova Scotia. The three interactive workshops are: Job Search, Interview Skills and Working in Canada.

supperNOVA [email protected]

MISA Quarterly potluck supper organized with churches and community partners, including mingling activities, music and kids’ activities

Francophone Immigration [email protected]

FANE To attract more francophone newcomers in NS to French community / Develop capacity to welcome newcomers / Try to recruit immigrants needed by local employers

YMCA School Settlement [email protected]

YMCA Liaison staff within schools for immigrant children and families

Immigration Navigator [email protected]

SW Region RDA & Libraries

Organizing social events, newcomer clubs, trainings, multicultural event / recruiting volunteers

Rural Resource Toolkit [email protected]

PRDC Web-based resource with everything you need to know prior to moving to Nova Scotia, when you arrive and living in Nova Scotia - will also be available in hard copy

Welcoming Communities

[email protected]

CORDA Hands-on support for immigrants – helping them make contacts & manage settlement


Community Readiness-

Elements of a Welcoming Community

ATTRACTING

IMMIGRANTS

GOVERNMENT

SUPPORT

ECONOMIC

OPPORTUNITIES

POSITIVE

PUBLICMESSAGES

DISTANCE

SERVICES

LEADERSHIP

WELCOMINGCOMMUNITY

This diagram represents the key elements of a welcoming community: a combination of engaged stakeholders and adequate supports for the three key groups- the newcomers, the local partners and the community as a whole. The elements of this welcoming community correspond to the list of priorities identified by participants at the forum. Different communities build this network of support in different ways, and the steps may not always be in the same order. The different elements also contribute to each other. For the purpose of this project, the role of economic opportunities was key. In most regions, the economic opportunities are being identified independently by both immigrants and employers, who take initiative through their own networks, rather than connecting with the community. This is largely a function of the limited number of opportunities to date.


Input from Participants: Top Priorities for Immigration in NS

Leadership

1. Strong central & local leadership that is linked and recognizes the value of immigration & all it entails.

2. Look at ourselves to ensure we’re walking the walk

Services for Newcomers

3. Interactive map with services for each region

4. “MISA approach” to newcomers (considering the spectrum of newcomer needs)

5. Comprehensive access to ESL training

6. Immediate/timely connection to settlement supports

Public Education

7. Abolish the term CFA (“come from away”) and use NSBC (“Nova Scotian by choice”)

8. Public education promoting benefits of immigration

9. Tell success stories better

Economic Opportunities

10. Make sure jobs are available on arrival – link immigration & jobs

11. Credential recognition

12. Work with banks/insurance companies on issue of credit history for immigrants

13. Work with regions to establish critical mass for identified employment need in community

Government support

14. Allocation of funds from federal to provincial government for children’s services

15. Remove eligibility criteria for services

16. Resources for community initiatives needed


Immigrant Attraction

17. Rural immigration stream

18. Promote smaller centres to newcomers already here

19. Targeted marketing outside Canada for each of the regions

20. Market NS by comparison with source country

21. International student project

22. Streamline immigration application process

23. Promote rural NS to newcomers in the rest of Canada

Stakeholder involvement

24. Work with employers/industry

25. Annual summit of providers/employers, etc.

26. Use of technology to have meetings across province

27. Involve Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities

28. Cultural competency training for all


A FRAMEWORK FOR DELIVERY OF SERVICES The framework for delivery of services to immigrants in Nova Scotia beyond HRM is a simple approach. It involves the three-way partnership between the immigrant, the immigrant-serving agency and the local service provider.

Success through Diversity

The Framework

DISTANCE

PROGRAMS

& SERVICES

LOCAL

COMMUNITY

PARTNERS

NEW

IMMIGRANT

MISA and HILC have found that they can deliver services effectively and efficiently using technology at distance. However, they cannot help the newcomer to know the local community, and to feel welcome there – that linking role must be played by local service providers, to build toward retention. Given the current number of immigrants outside HRM, this is also the most cost-effective approach to support services. It allows for incremental growth, while service providers beyond HRM are developing experience in working with immigrants and building their own networks of support and resources. It allows them to draw on the lessons learned at HILC & MISA and to gradually adapt the approach to their own communities. At the beginning of this project, it was expected that the immigrants and jobs were both available, and needing to be linked. In fact, in most communities this is not yet the case. The immigrants who are there are in jobs or running businesses, and most employers are not looking for more workers. Given demographic projections and trends in other parts of the country, it is reasonable to expect that this situation will change in Nova Scotia. Communities in the province are now at a stage where they can begin to prepare for this eventuality by building connections and laying the groundwork for effective supports for immigrants.


This framework assumes the following elements:

• Cross-cultural awareness and competency must underlie and surround any work with immigrants. This may require some “train the trainer” sessions for local partners who do not have cross-cultural experience.

• Any supports for immigrants must also be considered in the context of the family. While the principal applicant may find employment, she/ he will only remain in a community so long as the whole family is settling successfully.

• Immigrant service providers and local service providers must pro-actively build connections and establish channels of regular communication, so that they are ready to refer clients to each other and to work together to develop flexible, customized action plans for individuals.

• The framework is applicable and essential for all distance services offered by HILC and MISA. The local partners, whether they are career resource staff, RDA business support staff, or the newcomer’s employer, are the ones who form the bridge to the immigrant’s daily life.


The Framework

MISA EMPLOYMENT

SPECIALIST

LOCALEMPLOYMENT

SPECIALIST

NEW IMMIGRANTSEEKING EMPLOYMENT


The Framework

IMMIGRANT

BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT

SERVICES

RDA

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

SERVICES

IMMIGRANTENTREPRENEUR

• This framework refers to workplace attachment, but it is also incomplete without the whole of the welcoming community.

“Immigration is an issue of the heart: people will come and stay only if they can provide for their families and if they can make personal contact and build supportive networks in their workplaces and communities. Welcoming immigrants has a specific, local dimension, requiring the support not only of the public, but also of the various groups and organizations that operate within a particular community.”9


REVISITING THE DWSI OBJECTIVES

In general, the Distance Workplace Skills Initiative met its short-term objectives and contributed to all of the long-term ones. The one objective which required some adjustment was the first one:

• Identify specific workplace skills and business support gaps for immigrants living outside of the HRM

As discussed throughout this report, it was clear that there are many gaps in community readiness for immigration. The issue of workplace skills and business support gaps was not a central focus for those who participated in the roundtable sessions, as they were concerned with more basic issues. It is significant that not many immigrants and even fewer employers participated in these discussions, and this no doubt provides a partial explanation for this focus. However, the fact that communities in general are not prepared for more immigrants would suggest that employers are not prepared either. Several questions remain unanswered:

• Are the immigrants who are employed working at their actual skill level, or are they underemployed? Are they integrated into their workplaces, in terms of skills and social networks?

• Are immigrant entrepreneurs isolated or have they built supportive networks?

• Do employers believe that hiring immigrants is too complicated? Are employers concerned about cultural differences and in need of cross-cultural awareness training?

Employers are key stakeholders in immigration, whether they acknowledge this or not. Immigrants must have appropriate economic opportunities if they are to settle and stay in non-urban regions. Therefore the first short-term objective of the DWSI, as stated above, is still an important one and must be addressed through other means.


ISSUES & PRIORITIES FOR IMMIGRATION BEYOND HRM Through the course of this project, several key themes have emerged. Some of these issues were among the five top priorities identified by participants in the May 10 event; others have arisen as “sidebars” to the main discussions.

These issues affect all communities and all stakeholders. For the sake of clarity, they are organized here in terms of their impact and relevance, according to whether they are primarily the concern of the local stakeholders already involved in immigration, the local communities, or the province as a whole.

LOCAL IMMIGRATION TEAM CHALLENGES

In spite of regional differences, local communities that are interested in increasing immigration share many of the same challenges. These are issues experienced mostly by the stakeholders already active in immigration, such as RDA staff. Three key points which emerged during this project are:

• Clarifying community priorities

• Developing experience and expertise in immigration issues

• Communicating with other communities

Clarifying community priorities Many communities are not sure how important immigration is for them. There are other issues competing for their attention: the exodus of youth, the closure of large firms and the job losses, how to attract new business and support local entrepreneurs, how to boost tourism…While we would argue that immigration is one strategy for dealing with these other issues, the case for immigration has not yet been made effectively in many small communities. The general public and in some cases local leaders are not yet convinced that immigration is important for them. RDAs that are committed to increasing immigration face this challenge regularly.

Developing experience and expertise in immigration issues Many aspects of the immigration system are complex, and cross-cultural competency requires skill and experience. For community organizations such as RDAs, it means an investment in staff training and a commitment to keeping people at work in this area. While the Executive Directors of the RDAs have been dealing with immigration issues for several years, projects dealing with immigration are limited in time and the file is often given to a junior development officer. These staff members often move on quickly to other responsibilities and the experience they have gained and networks they have developed must be re-learned by someone else.


Communicating with other communities Through the NSRDA, the NSOI communicates regularly with the partners beyond HRM on matters pertaining mostly to the Provincial Nominee Program. RDA staff who are working on immigration issues are very interested in learning what is happening in other regions, to get ideas and understand best practices. At this point there is no regular means of sharing such information. Many commented that the presentations at the roundtables have provided useful and interesting background information for them.

COMMUNITY SETTLEMENT CHALLENGES For communities thinking to attract larger numbers of newcomers, there are major “chicken-and-egg” issues to address, regarding the nature and functioning of their communities:

• Regional diversity / readiness to welcome immigrants

• Lack of ethnic diversity, critical mass of immigrants • Community attitudes

• Inadequate infrastructure

Regional Diversity/Readiness

It is clear that even in a province as small as Nova Scotia, there is a great diversity from region to region and community to community, when it comes to immigration. The relevant dimensions of this diversity include: The current circumstances related to immigration:

• The number of recent immigrants

• Countries of origin of recent immigrants

• Engagement of recent immigrants in the community

• Economic opportunities for recent immigrants

Readiness of the community to welcome and integrate newcomers:

• Community awareness and perceptions re: immigration

• Community groups that can, or are interested in supporting immigration

• Infrastructure that can support new families

• Identification of a champion, or leader in the area of immigration This diversity among communities makes the case for local approaches to immigration a strong one. There will be no one approach that works in each location. The differences may also be seen primarily as stages in a continuum of readiness.


Lack of diversity/critical mass of immigrants

It is understandable that immigrants generally seek out communities with some other immigrants already established, preferably from their own ethnic background. This is one major reason there are so few immigrants in small communities to begin with. This issue requires careful targeting when attracting newcomers. Some groups or individuals are more willing to live in areas without large ethnic groups, but some diversity is usually desired.

Community attitudes

Lack of diversity is often tied to community attitudes – long-time residents are not used to dealing with others of different backgrounds. People in small centres are close-knit and sometimes unused to welcoming newcomers. Public education, leadership and creative approaches are essential. Anecdotes collected during this project show that many immigrants experience Nova Scotians as friendly at first, but not truly welcoming. This issue is not unique to this province, but may be more related to smaller, established

communities.

Inadequate infrastructure

Many Canadians are moving away from rural areas, looking for centers with greater economic opportunities and amenities. This is an issue for most newcomers as well. At the most basic level, Immigrants generally begin to settle with temporary arrangements and then move to more permanent conditions. In smaller communities, the availability of temporary housing for newcomers may be an issue, as well as the lack of public transportation. It may be too much for a newcomer to have to buy a house and a car upon arrival in a new community. Other aspects of infrastructure must also be considered alongside the attempt to increase immigration.

BIG PICTURE CHALLENGES: Several other challenges remain which are not limited to smaller communities, but perhaps felt more acutely there. These issues are relevant for the whole province, and may be best addressed collectively at the same time as locally:

• Where are the immigrants?

• Economic opportunities

• Engaging employers

• Planting acorns

• Delivery Distance Services


Where Are The Immigrants?

It was clear early on in the project that we would not be able to answer this question satisfactorily. There are several weaknesses in each potential data set that “counts” immigrants. All are limited by privacy legislation, but work is being done both nationally and provincially to get more accurate statistics on immigration. Statistics most commonly used are the “intended destination” numbers provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada; however, these do not reflect accurately the number of people who have arrived and stayed in a region. Local communities are also asking this question. Newcomers are not always “visible” or “audible” minorities, and some do not identify themselves to community groups. Service providers do not know where and how to find the immigrants in their communities. There is also some confusion about which newcomers are immigrants, as in some cases there are international students, temporary foreign workers, or long-term visitors, all temporary residents whose status differs from that of landed immigrants or permanent residents. For the purposes of this project, which had a relatively short timeline, it was decided not to try to answer this question, but to get a sense of what communities know about immigrants among them. It is clear that most communities outside HRM have relatively few immigrants so far. This is definitely a major challenge for communities. The fact that there is not a significant number of newcomers, with clear needs and requests, makes the issue of immigration one that is more likely to be shuffled about in the daily demands of other priorities. It is a real challenge for even the most enthusiastic community to continue to develop and sustain supports for potential newcomers

Economic Opportunities

While many smaller communities look to immigration as a potential stimulus to economic growth, this expectation must be re-assessed. For immigrants to choose a region initially there must be some sort of economic opportunity available to them. “Immigrants can be the fuel for economic growth, but they cannot be the engine”.10 “Many years ago, the availability of natural resources was a main engine of economic growth but in these times, cities are the engines of economic growth, so the importance of the availability of economic opportunities for new immigrants cannot be over-


emphasised. To attract more immigrants, smaller communities must crank up levels of economic development.”11

Discussions with immigrants and RDA staff confirmed that most immigrants outside HRM settled there because at least one member of the family has a job, or they are entrepreneurs. This is borne out by research done in Atlantic Canada as well: “Immigrants will also choose to settle in smaller areas of the region if they are able to secure employment and the area has an existing immigrant population.”12

Immigration and economic development must be considered together.

Engaging employers

The low participation rate of employers in the roundtables reflects the reality that most employers beyond HRM have not yet experienced skill shortages that would lead them to actively supporting immigration. Those who did attend were primarily those who already employ newcomers, notably in Lunenburg-Queens Counties, Pictou County, and Colchester County. Another factor which must be kept in mind is that Nova Scotia’s economy is based on many small companies. Approximately 75% of Nova Scotian companies employ fewer than five people and 97% employ fewer than 50 people. The small and medium-sized businesses in this province are smaller than those in most other regions of Canada, and thus have less capacity for up-dated and pro-active human resource practices. In the areas beyond HRM, they are also members of generally conservative communities that have not yet understood the benefits of immigration. Engaging employers beyond HRM will require customized and innovative approaches, and must be given a high priority. The NS Office of Immigration has recognized this in organizing CEO forums on immigration across the province, and the preliminary results of these meetings provide some interesting perspective. In the first round of forums, CEOs identified several key issues:

• Employers need more information about immigration

• Employers want workers with very good English language skills

• Employers have difficulty assessing international qualifications • Employers need to learn how to manage a diverse workforce

• Employers in smaller centres face unique challenges with increased urbanization and lack of infrastructure


These points provide an excellent starting point for engaging and supporting

employers.

Planting Acorns

“Immigration is not like harvesting spring wheat, it is like planting acorns”13 Developing a diverse community will not happen quickly, but rather requires a sustained long-term vision. The usual frame of reference for government-funded initiatives is shorter-term and this is also related to the challenge of maintaining momentum described above.

Distance Delivery of Services

Distance delivery of language and employment services is working well for newcomers, as stated earlier. Clients of MISA & HILC are satisfied and pleased with the programs and the technology used to deliver them. The initial challenges presented by new approaches have now been worked out and the programs run smoothly. This also means that there is potential for development of distance delivery of more services. This model of distance delivery is valuable in that it is meeting the current needs and will probably be able to sustain growth without adding a significant amount of infrastructure. As well as removing barriers of distance, these new services remove the barriers of time. Newcomers who have jobs where they are under-employed can still access programs and move ahead in their careers. Those who are working, but have some specific higher level language challenges, can improve their skills on the job. The flexibility afforded by distance delivery is a great advantage for all the stakeholders involved, and it is in everyone’s interest to ensure that these services continue to develop.


RECOMMENDATIONS

COMMUNITY IMMMIGRATION PARTNERS: Find a champion, form a team

Recommendation Suggested Strategies

Access more training re: immigration

Both formal and informal training are useful. Some aspects to consider:

Cross-cultural training

Introduction to immigration

Customized training in response to recognized needs

Establish more communication with others re: immigration

Share experiences with other groups in the community – look for connections

Ask other communities about their immigration strategies – build networks across regions

Engage municipal leaders

• Municipal leaders need to be engaged in a consistent way - many of them recognize the importance of the issue.

• Groups such as the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities can play an important role in leadership.

• Municipal boundaries are not always the relevant units for considering immigration – “clusters of communities which share appeal” may be more appropriate.14

Engage employers

• Start with those who are immigrants and those who have hired immigrants

• Groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters can also identify key people and work with other immigration stakeholders

Continue to expand active stakeholder group

Engage immigrants who are here – retention leads to attraction

• Make sure that whole families are receiving adequate support

• These are experts on-site: ask about their experiences, ask them for suggestions


LOCAL COMMUNITIES: Make a plan

Give immigration its place in community development, as one tool

Put immigration on the agenda with economic development

Assess your readiness to welcome immigrants

The Tool Box for Small Centres is a valuable resource in this process- a workshop is being developed to orient communities to using this resource.

The Tool Box is currently being revised and a second edition will be available later this fall (2007).

The current edition can be found at http://integration-net.ca/inet/english/prof/tbo/index.htm

• Smaller centres in Nova Scotia will not appeal to all immigrants. It is important to provide potential newcomers with accurate information about communities before they decide to come

• Targeted marketing is an efficient use of resources

Plan attraction of immigrants with retention in mind.

The new streams of the NSNP provide opportunities for small centres to take initiative in attracting immigrants

• The Family Business stream allows immigrant entrepreneurs to sponsor family members to work in their businesses

• The International Graduate stream allows companies to hire recently graduated international students

More information may be found on the provincial government website at : http://www.novascotiaimmigration.com/


PROVINCE AS A WHOLE: Continue to implement the strategy

Develop public education

• Messages need to be consistent, specific and repeated by recognized leaders.

• Many misconceptions about immigration are common throughout Nova Scotia. The introduction to the NS Immigration Strategy provides a very useful one-page summary on the benefits of immigration.

• Stakeholders need to be prepared to respond to the difficult questions: “Why bring in immigrants when our kids are leaving?” “Why bring in immigrants when we are unemployed?”

• They also need to counter with questions to help people think – How will we support our communities without more people? How can people stay here if no one includes them? How can we grow if we do not change?

Improve communication An annual provincial “immigration summit” would provide the opportunity for training, information sharing, promoting best practices and encouraging local stakeholders

Continue support for delivery and development of distance services

The current model of distance delivery is effective and cost-efficient. The customized approach is ideal for the slow growth situation currently in NS.


CONCLUSIONS

The Distance Workplace Skills Initiative began as a project to develop a framework for services to increase workforce attachment for immigrants in Nova Scotia outside the HRM. The plan was to consult with communities through a series of roundtables across the province to determine the needs and the resources available to immigrants. What has emerged was not what was expected:

• In spite of large numbers of newcomers who said they were coming to settle in smaller centers, most communities are not aware of many immigrants

• Most of the immigrants identified as having recently arrived in the smaller communities are already employed, or in business, and/or receiving support through distance services offered by Halifax settlement agencies

• The need expressed by communities is for more understanding of immigration processes and issues, so that realistic plans can be developed to attract and integrate more newcomers

• Each community has a unique situation and needs to develop its own plan for immigration

While the emphasis on local approaches is key to immigration outside major centres, the fact remains that many small communities share similar challenges and can certainly benefit from better communication to learn from each other’s experiences. The principles of leadership, teamwork and communication are important at every level: local, provincial and federal. The government of British Columbia sponsored eight regional immigration projects in that province in 2004-05. In summing up the findings of those projects, BC presents a list of key points that resonate clearly with the situation in Nova Scotia: A review of the final reports from each of the communities reveal:

∂ There is no single (“cookie cutter”) approach to the development of regional immigration strategies across BC communities;

∂ Many communities require additional supports to build the internal capacity and local leadership required to move their regionalization strategies forward;


∂ Communities require on-going resources to sustain immigration initiatives;

∂ Actively encouraging immigration is not always the best fit for every community;

∂ Communities require resources beyond an immigration context to create a framework for sustainable growth through immigration (ie: housing, transportation and infrastructure, access to healthcare, education, etc)

∂ Communities identified a need for sustained public messaging and dialogue on the benefits of immigration and government-administered programs that may be available to assist with attracting, recruiting and retaining newcomers. 15

This summary could have been written about Nova Scotian communities. It should come as an encouragement that though the small centers in this province have more work to do to prepare for immigration, they are not alone. As well, on the key issue of dealing with community attitudes, several new initiatives on the federal level indicate that this is a concern across the country. In the third phase of the Canadian Metropolis project, “Welcoming Communities” has been recently identified as a new research domain. Citizenship and Immigration Canada also has a Welcoming Communities Strategy. “This multi-departmental initiative builds on activities undertaken by CIC in 2004 and early 2005 under the Welcoming Communities Strategy. Aimed at creating a true sense of belonging and shared citizenship for immigrants, this strategy focuses on working with NGOs and provincial partners to foster a welcoming environment in communities for newcomers.” The DWSI project discussions support the view that in Nova Scotia, collaboration by all stakeholders in a long-term, step-by-step approach to immigration beyond HRM is the most effective way to address the challenges. The principles and priorities outlined in the NS Immigration Strategy continue to be relevant and important guidelines in this process.


APPENDIX 1

Services delivered at distance by HILC and MISA

Most services offered by Immigrant Services are currently delivered at our Halifax

location in Chebucto Place. All landed immigrants to Nova Scotia may access our

services, and some delivery can be done at distance, as outlined below. It is our

intention to develop strong partnerships with communities outside HRM, so that

immigrants living in smaller centres can find support where they live, and integrate more

quickly into their local communities.

EMPLOYMENT

• Employment counselling

To assist with job searching, professional staff advise and coach newcomers in person or

by phone and through email

Contact: Jan Sheppard Kutcher 423-3607

• Mentoring

Program matches newcomers with mentors from a similar profession to help newcomers

build professional skills and strategies

Contact: Denise AuCoin 423-3607

• New Beginnings On Line

Three interactive workshops - Job Search, Interview Skills and Working in Canada – are

available in an online format

Contact: Mark Larson 423-3607

• Work Placement Program

A 6 week “on the job” experience in their field provides newcomers with local references

and contacts, and the host employer with the opportunity to assess their qualifications

Contact: Shemma Adlain 423-3607


LANGUAGE

• English for Work and Business via videoconference

Workplace language skills for internationally educated professionals from diverse

employment backgrounds. Currently available at NSCC campuses in Truro, Kentville and

Halifax Tuesday and Thursday evenings

Contact: Carol Derby 443-2937

• English in the Workplace

Language training program delivered on site at the workplace and customized to the

needs of the employee and the workplace.

Contact: Donna McLean 443-2937 BUSINESS

• Information and Referral

Staff provide individual information and referral services, in person or by phone or email,

on a variety of issues, including business start-up and business management

Contact: Ljiljana Connellan 423-3607

• Immigrant Business Web Directory

Province-wide listing of businesses owned and operated by individuals born outside

Canada. www.directory.misa.ns.ca

Contact: Ljiljana Connellan 423-3607

• Connections: An immigrant’s guide to starting a business in Nova Scotia

With comments from immigrants in business and current local links to resources.

http://www.cbsc.org/ns/images/connections.pdf


APPENDIX 2

Projects funded by the NSOI beyond HRM


Community Capacity Building and Evaluation This program will develop community capacity to be able to provide settlement and integration supports (based on the MISA model) to newcomers through the development of volunteer networks and the coordination of already existing community organizations who have an interest in supporting immigration.


Futureworx-Employment and Skills Development Fair By facilitating the participation of newly arrived immigrants at this career fair, immigrants who are seeking employment will be able to present their resumes and meet employers seeking to fill vacancies.

Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association

Settlement and Integration Teams for Cumberland County Working closely with communities throughout Cumberland County, Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association will establish sustainable settlement teams to improve efforts to attract, assist and retain newcomers to the region.

Pictou County Regional Development Corporation

The Rural Resource Tool Kit “A Settlement Guide For New Immigrants to Rural Nova Scotia.” The Nova Scotia Association of RDAs and other RDAs are being invited to partner in this project, so the kit can be available and relevant to all RDAs.

South West Shore Development Authority

Immigration Information Navigator The main duties of the Immigration Information Navigator will be to guide immigrants in their search for settlement and integration services in the South West region. This community has a wealth of services available but these services are often hard to find or identify. Additional duties will include, but not be limited to, the compilation of a resource directory and the creation of a welcome package.

Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency

Cape Breton Newcomers Network: A Pilot Project to Support New Immigrants on Cape Breton Island This program represents a partnership among Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency, Victoria County and Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority. The two regional development authorities and Victoria County, will establish a network of community organizations, business groups, resources and services to better serve immigrants on Cape Breton Island.

Valley Community Learning Association

Valley ESL Project The Valley Community Learning Association will offer ESL classes in Kings and Annapolis Counties.

Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse

Développement des capacités de promotion, de recrutement, d’accueil et d’intégration This program will build capacity to promote, recruit, welcome, and integrate new French-speaking immigrants in the Acadian and Francophone regions of Nova Scotia.

Source: NS Office of Immigration


APPENDIX 3

DWSI Advisory Groups

HILC/MISA Internal Advisors Evelyn Jones Settlement Outreach Coordinator MISA

Kathy Burnett Labour Market Language Manager HILC

Carol Derby Videoconferencing ESL Instructor HILC

Gerry Mills Executive Director HILC

Claudette Legault Executive Director MISA

Jan Sheppard Kutcher Employment Services Manager MISA

Donna Maclean English in the Workplace Manager HILC

Nabiha Atallah DWSI Coordinator HILC & MISA

Mark Larson New Beginnings Online Manager MISA

Denise AuCoin Mentor Coordinator MISA

Ljiljana Connellan Immigrant Business Devel. Acting Manager MISA

External Partner Advisors

Holly Boston Executive Director NS Association of RDAs

Carmelle D’Entremont Director of Programs NS Office of Immigration

Lori Thorburn NS Program Consultant Service Canada

Claudette Legault Executive Director MISA

Paroo MacKinnon Settlement officer NS Office of Immigration

Gerry Mills Executive Director HILC

Martin Paquet Immigration Coordinator FANE

Pam Reid VP Academic NS Community College

Colin Sun ACOA

Sue Thomas Regional Program Advisor Citizenship & Immigration Canada

Nabiha Atallah DWSI Coordinator HILC & MISA


ENDNOTES 1 Towards a more balanced geographic distribution of immigrants”, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, May 2001 2 Nova Scotia’s Immigration Strategy, January 2005 3 Ibid, p. 6 4 For more information on the RDAs, see the association website, www.nsarda.ca 5 See appendix for more detailed descriptions of the projects 6 See appendix 1 for the complete list of current distance services 7 ELT Distance Delivery Feasibility Report, HILC & MISA, March 31, 2007 8 See appendix for advisory group lists 9 Nova Scotia’s Immigration Strategy, January 2005, p. 8

10 Louis Rene Gagnon, NS Immigration Conference April 2003 11 “Regionalization of Immigration” Metropolis Conversation Series 9, Ottawa, February 2003 12 Ather Akbari and Colin Sun, “Immigrant Attraction & Retention: What can work and what is being done in Atlantic Canada?” presented at the International Metropolis Conference, October 2005 13 Louis Rene Gagnon, NS Immigration Conference April 2003 14 “Regionalization of Immigration” Metropolis Conversation Series 9, Ottawa, February 2003 15 Overview of Regionalization Initiatives, Province of British Columbia, March 2007

working with immigrants beyond hrm€¦ · projects funded by the nsoi beyond hrm 3. dwsi advisory...

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