Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program - Immigrant Input Meeting

Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program - Immigrant Input Meeting

Thursday, April 2, 3:00 p.m.

BR Whalen - Coordinator

Meeting led by Pam Doyle - Volunteer ESL Tutor for ESLSAP

Attended by: Karilyn Kempton, Mary Kline, Danielle Grault, Annie Breton, Gerrie Alsemgeesk, BR Whalen, Nina Telpoukhovskaia, Wendy Jin, Wendy Stock, Lois Smith, Yunnie Lee, Ping Pratico, Kevin Feng, Anu, Yang Yang, Paul Wu, Pam Doyle, Yuko Tanako

WICWP is trying to figure out what services Revelstoke does not have that would make the community more welcoming and inclusive for people who have moved here from other places. BR recognizes that English is a second language for many attendees of the meeting.

Four areas are identified to focus on for immigrants:

1. English as a second language education (ESLSAP)

2. Jobs and job opportunities for ESL speakers

3. Have immigrants felt welcomed in Revelstoke?

4. Health and Safety - do you feel as though your health needs can be met? Do you feel safe in Revelstoke?

Two questions are identified to work through at the meeting:

i) What services would you like to see in Revelstoke?

ii) How can Revelstoke be a more welcoming community?

We must first define what "welcoming" means:

-friendly

-availability of services - housing/healthcare/schools/etc

-recognizing (accepting and celebrating) diversity and different culture

-being invited to join

Attendees were divided into several large groups to discuss specific topics from the WICWP Survey. Results are as follows:

Language Skills

-Attendees suggested more class times be available, as individuals who work in the daytime cannot attend. The suggestion was to hold the same class at different times (e.g. Beginner class in both mornings and evenings).

-Classes could be more writing and grammar intensive.

-More tutors available for students.

-Buddy system - sharing immigration experience between brand new immigrants and more long-standing immigrants

-Different class levels should be available. Classes with a wide range of proficiency should be divided into more levels to meet needs. Advanced students often feel like classes do not meet their needs.

-ESL cafe and book club supplement classroom activities, but they must be advertised more. Many students claimed to not know about them at all.

-Important to make your own opportunities to improve your language skills (e.g. using the Community Directory to join clubs, sport teams, etc)

-Attendees admitted that it is often difficult for newcomers to take the first step. It can feel frightening. How is the best way to solve this 'first step' issue?

-complete the information on the Revelstoke website

-one-stop-shop or bridging program

-create better awareness in the community of existing services (e.g. ESLSAP at Okanagan College).

-put information into the Welcome Wagon package

-match newcomers with other immigrants

-daycare services to parents can join classes

Translation Services

-Some translation services are available already - victims services, the hospital, Parks Canada, the court system.

-Where do we want more translation?

-Driving services, drivers licensing (e.g. in Vancouver, driving test can be done in Chinese)

-Some participants showed interest in offering their volunteer translation services.

-Group consensus was that you could often make connections with those already settled that speak your first language

Hosting & Bridging Service, and One Stop Shop

-A bridging service is the first step to integration, and all information should therefore be included. Bridging volunteers act almost like a sponsor, offering help to newcomers

-Consensus was that bridging services should be available for at least six months.

-Consensus was that a one-stop shop could be a very good idea.

-Information should be posted in highly visible places like Coopers, the post office, Community Centre.

-Newcomers often don't know what they need when they arrive, so there should be information on what newcomers need to know. One Stop Shops also allow newcomers to share information on laws, regulations and rights.

-In cities like Vancouver, locals and newcomers are often paired. One-stop-shops in Vancouver often offer activities that bring people together, like international potlucks.

-Daycare is cost prohibitive, so a One Stop Shop could offer information on inexpensive child care or financial assistance

-Where could it be?

-Community centre, city hall, information centre

*Wendy Jin attended a FAM program - familiarization program for tourism and cultural activities and areas, hosted by the tourism bureau. It was offered to people in the hospitality industry, but would be helpful to newcomers to either offer ideas of available activities, or provide some business inspiration. Wendy also attended a program on the history of Revelstoke, which offered her an idea of why the city is what it is. This was suggested as a potential ESL field trip.

Health

-Often share the same concerns with all Canadians; concerns about family doctors - many do not have a family doctor, and others experience long waits for family doctors.

-The system is often very different in different countries (e.g. in Korea there is much more emphasis on immediate medicine, etc).

-People often have to leave town to a larger centre to get the physical exam needed to immigrate

-bus service to Kamloops on Tuesday, and to Vernon and Kelowna on Wednesdays

-There is often uncertainty about how to get a care card

-There is a need to share information on mammograms. Some women may not know that these services are available. Revelstoke only has a mobile mammography unit, which is often inconvenient.

-Newcomers need to learn how to get a family doctor

-There was group agreement that the services Revelstoke does have are quite adequate (e.g. the walk-in clinic).

Danielle asked a very good question: we've been asking what we expect of Revelstoke, but we also must ask what Revelstoke expects of us.

-what kind of citizens does Revelstoke want and what are the expectations? (e.g. about the environment, development, community involvement, etc.)

Another question raised was how exactly does the city know about newcomers?

-There is no definite answer to this question.

Several issues were left for the next meeting, after the group decided it would be worthwhile to meet again in order to spend more time on each issue. Further issues include Social Opportunities, Access to Information, Housing, Jobs, and 'Other.'