Priorities & Projects
#2 Access to Community Information & Services
Goals:
- Community stakeholders are aware of barriers newcomers experience in their settlement journey & are engaged to support newcomers’ needs.
- Community stakeholders are aware of settlement services in the Tri-Cities and are able to refer newcomers to access these immigration services.
Annual Forums
Since 2015, TCLIP has organized an annual forum that invites community stakeholders to learn about immigrant settlement and integration and to identify opportunities for collaboration. TCLIP plays a key role in strengthening the community’s capacity to foster welcoming and inclusive communities through knowledge sharing, connection and collaboration.
Path Forward: Transforming Priorities into Action
January 13th, 2021 | 1:00- 3:30pm
Our upcoming forum will present the research findings on community needs and priorities with immigrant integration and inclusion. Register today here.
Below are descriptions of past forums:
Welcoming Neighbourhoods
On November 14th, 2018, the Tri-Cities Local Immigration Partnership and Tri-Cities Organizing against Racism & Hate Network (now known as Tri-Cities Together) hosted Welcoming Neighbourhoods. As our communities grow, there is a rising concern around the lack of social connection amongst residents. The lack of social connection can lead to social isolation, depression, anxiety, and the feeling of not belonging to one’s own community. Welcoming Neighbourhoods is an opportunity to connect with others, to hear of ways in which others have connected with their neighbours and to learn more about the importance of social connections.
The event welcomed 125 diverse attendees who were established residents, newcomers and community representatives.
Census Forum: Using Evidence to Enhance Collaborative Partnerships in the Tri-Cities
On January 22, 2018, TCLIP invited community stakeholders to learn about the 2016 Census data specific to the Tri-Cities, consider the effect of the data on their organizations’ activities for newcomers, and to enhance partnership opportunities and collaboration with other community stakeholders. Statistics Canada and Dr. Daniel Hiebert were invited to share how 2016 Census data can be used to enhance partnership opportunities and collaboration amongst community organizations.
TCLIP Community Forum
At the TCLIP Community Forum in early 2017, research findings on feasibility of various service coordination models in the context of Tri-Cities were shared with the community. The Input and feedback gathered from the community at the Forum served to inform the development of the TCLIP Action Plan.
TCLIP Refugee Support Forum
On November 2, 2016, TCLIP organized its first Refugee Support Forum, bringing together service providers whose services are directly or indirectly related to refugees. The objective of the Refugee Forum was to provide an opportunity for agencies to work together to enhance service supports for refugees. Over 100 participants representing the Tri-Cities service provider organizations (TC SPOs) actively dialogued to identify strengths, challenges and opportunities in providing services to refugees. Input on strengths, gaps, and opportunities were obtained from forum participants. The inputs were presented to the TCLIP Council and were addressed in the TCLIP Implementation Plan on the TCLIP priority area of increasing newcomers’ access to community information and immigration services.
Tri-Cities Community Forum
During a community forum held on March 24, 2015, participants were presented with the findings from the TCLIP Civic Engagement research. Attendees were asked to provide their input and perspectives on the findings with regard to addressing civic engagement needs of Tri-Cities newcomers. Input and feedback collected from participants at the forum informed the development of the TCLIP Strategic Plans’ strategic priorities, goals and objectives.
