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HALTON MULTICULTURAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2017

ANNUAL

REPORT

2016-2017

OCTOBER 2017

ONE COMMUNITY FOR ALL

Newcomers are growing Halton Statistics Canada has released the 2016 Census results for language, and not only is Halton growing significantly but our newcomer populations are driving that growth. For HMC that means the number of our clients is increasing and sometimes that means the complexity of the needs of newcomers is also on the rise. A big thank you to all HMC staff – you are out connecting us to the community, advocating for newcomers, and going above and beyond in making sure that people have the resources and knowledge they need to settle, find work, and enjoy our peaceful and safe community. It is a privilege to work with you. Congratulations on a great year!

Kim Jenkinson Ross Bragdon Executive Director President

HALTON MULTICULTURAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT | 2017 2

Income Statement 2016/17 2015/16

Revenue 4,093,392 3,644,749 Expenditures Salaries and Benefits 2,722,454 2,535,835 Other Operating Expenses 1,185,851 1,035,695 Amortization 95,849 93,987

Net Operating surplus (deficit) $89,238 -$20,768

Balance Sheet

2016/17 2015/16

Current Assets 544,875 467,779 Capital Assets 986,395 983,791

Total Assets 1,531,270 1,451,570

Current Liabilities 223,984 132,931 Deferred Grants 643,505 734,079 Long-Term Liabilities 109,052 119,069 Fund Balances 554,729 465,491

Total Liabilities & Fund Balances 1,531,270 1,451,570

Financial Report

Community Connections 225

Active

Volunteers

With the support and commitment of HMC volunteers, our program ran numerous group activities throughout the year. Our activities aim to support newcomers to the region in their settlement process in a variety of ways, from helping them to learn about available services in the community, connecting them with their peers, providing networking opportunities, to enhancing their English language skills. HMC works in partnership with service providers, community centers, libraries, local places of worship, etc. to make these activities possible.

Would you like to volunteer for HMC? Here are some of the top areas where we need volunteers today.

Adult and/or youth peer mentors – one on one support with language and getting to know the community – 40 hour minimum commitment

Drivers – needed to support newcomers with no access to a car for medical or other appointments – a 2nd language is helpful

Board members – the Board of Directors is looking for someone with a strong financial background to be our Treasurer

Hours

volunteered

at HMC

3090


Working in Schools – Youth Settlement

The Youth Settlement Team along with Community Youth

HMC's new Burlington office opened in May 2017

Partnering with Halton District School Board and Halton Catholic District School Board, Youth Settlement provides settlement services at schools to facilitate the newcomer families’ successful transition to the school and the community.

Youth Settlement Specialists deliver needs assessments, information, orientation and referrals through both individual and group session formats to increase newcomers’ knowledge on Canadian education system and other social resources. To school professionals, YSSs organize PD sessions to enhance their awareness on newcomers’ experience and challenges in order that a more supportive and welcoming environment can be built.

Top 10 Youth Settlement languages

English Arabic Mandarin Spanish Hindi Urdu Tagalog Korean Punjabi

Accomplishment Highlights for the 2016-2017 fiscal year:

94 information sessions and workshops

attended by 1443 newcomers with topics

covering education system, health, parenting,

government services and community resources

Supported numerous school events such as

Kindergarten Orientation, Newcomer Student

Orientation Day, Parent Engagement, School

Open House, Cultural Fairs and School Club

Fairs.

Community events including Asian Heritage

Month, New Year around the World, ESINC day

Worked with school staffs providing intense

settlement supports to refugees.

Partnered with School Boards and Reach out

Centre for Kids (ROCK), Our Kids Network

(OKN) and conducted EVEN START program in

the summer preparing newcomer preschool

children’s social and literacy skills to

Kindergarten.

Engagement, School Open House, Cultural Fairs

and School Club Fairs.


Youth Programs – what are we trying to do?

Increase student engagement in school and/ or community

Reduce youth isolation and promote successful positive experiences

Increase developmental assets, relationships and empower youth to make positive decisions

Maximize student success through mentorships and peer mentorships

Increase youth knowledge for making informed decisions

Facilitate relationships inside school/ community by providing age appropriate programs

Support language acquisition and learning of Canadian culture

Working with Youth


Working with Youth

Community Connections Youth provides a variety of opportunities for youth to grow, learn and connect to their community. Some programs include:

Y-SLAM (formerly known as Newcomer Youth Leadership Program) partnered with YMCA is a 10

week program where the youth get the opportunity to learn what it takes to be a leader and learn

about our community. Sessions on how to create their professional resume and mock interviews are

popular. On completion youth receive a 3 month free membership to YMCA.

Outreach Council which is also partnered with YMCA Oakville and is actually a program where youth who graduated from Y-SLAM can participate in and get the opportunity to learn what it takes to create a program and get the opportunity to create their own.

Youth Art partnered with Art House is a 6 week program where the youth get the opportunity to

express themselves through different art techniques

One-on-One Tutoring partnered with libraries in Burlington, Milton and Oakville

March Break & Summer Camp

During the youth’s time off from school, we organize activities for them to participate in that can keep them active and occupied. The camps are run in Milton, Burlington and Oakville.

During the week there are different activities for the youth to participate in (eg. Zumba, Kickboxing, Trivia Games, Soccer, etc.), as well some educational workshops (presentation from SAVIS, Art Workshops).

Youth enjoy our field trips (eg. Laser Tag, Royal Ontario Museum, Playdium, Crawford Lake). This program is mainly to get youth to try some new things, learn something new, meet some people and help develop their socialization skills as well, to overall enjoy their break out in the community.


“I am very thankful to the Halton Multicultural Council that provides this amazing opportunity for International Medical Graduates to meet and help each other, and to study together and to share knowledge and experience. I am always glad to see how our groupmates step by step are approaching their goals. I believe that our success in the exams would not be the same without meeting such nice and talented Doctors and without HMC, which kindly provided a very comfortable room with all accommodations for studying. I am very thankful to everyone, and looking forward to seeing and to studying with you.”

IMG Self-study participant

Most skilled newcomers arrive in Canada hoping to find employment in occupations in line with their education and experience prior to coming to Canada. Yet for many, this process can be challenging and disappointing. Like many other regulated professions, It has always been tough for international medical graduates to get a medical license.

Historically the Canadian health care system has relied on physicians educated in other countries, to help solve shortages in its health care system, particularly in underserviced areas. However, there are many internationally trained physicians who are working as taxi drivers, delivering pizza or working in gas stations. Like other internationally trained professionals, international medical graduates IIMG) migrated to Canada as skilled workers, many assumed it would be easy to find relevant employment. However foreign-trained doctors’ abilities are underutilized in their new country. Those IMGs experience additional problems relative to their Canadian counterparts such as loneliness, social isolation, concerns related to family members left behind in home countries, a decrease in social status and self-esteem, lack of financial resources and worries about settlement issues.

Becoming a fully-licensed physician in Canada as an IMG is a long and expensive process. HMC Connections is facilitating and coordinating a self-study group for IMGs in Oakville. The aim of the study group is to facilitate focused learning and provide a learning environment where IMGs review information and topics of the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam and Qualifying Exam, develop a network of peers, feel connected and expose them to various supports and resources that can help them achieve their goals. They meet twice a week. Over 15 IMGs have benefited from our services, and 6 have successfully passed the exams. IMGs are also supported with resume & cover letter writing as well as interview preparation.

Supporting International Professionals to

get Licensed in Canada

417 New Clients received career assessments and support with job search,

interviews and resumes.


Suzan Manaa, Kim Jenkinson, Karina Gould MP Burlington and Angela Chavez getting ready to celebrate Suzan’s citizenship award from MP Karina Gould.

The Oakville Lions giving HMC a donation to support emergency refugee needs ((with past President Bill Allison 3rd from the right).

An Amazing Inspiration

AK is Syrian Refugee. She came to Canada in December of 2015 with her husband and two sons after living three years in a refugee camp. She started learning English from level 0-1 and one year later she is already at level 6. She is now enrolled in a medical assistant program in a local college, works part time and has her driver’s License.

A.K also gives to the community and she has currently donated more than 200 volunteer hours. A.K is very independent, determined, empowered and she just has stared her journey to become a nurse.

Transitional Housing for Refugees

During this second year of the program, we are focused on a second stage of development. Families who have acquired a comfortable command of English are focusing on employment and career development.

The subsidies are decreasing on a monthly basis according to the agreement with the Region, therefore this motivate the families to become financially stronger and less dependent of our supports.

Case management and wrap around services have been the key to making this program work for people. What an amazing success!

This past year was very successful for the Transitional Housing Program, especially for the family’s development towards professional employment. One of the main advantages of this program is to remove the pressure of high cost rent and other household expenses such as utilities or furniture. Once this barrier is removed, families can focus in attending employment support programs that can lead them to find meaningful employment while making use of their background and professional skills.

During this 2016-2017 year, we served 17 families and every one of them had at least one University professional in the family with transferable skills to the Canadian labour market.

With the support of HMC staff and the referral to proper resources, 11 of this families found professional employment in their careers with salaries ranging between $45 and $85 K per year. The other 7 families obtained employment with salaries that move them out of Ontario Works and gave them enough financial stability to afford market rent after termination of the Transitional Housing program.

Out of this 17 families, 4 were able to buy their own home, 2 single mothers victims of abuse were accepted into the Regional Subsidized Housing Program (HATCH) and the remaining 5 stayed in Halton Region paying market rent.

Helping with Housing


Finding Employment – Employment Supports

Skilled immigrants arrive in Canada with high levels of education and work experience. Lack of Canadian work experience and recognition of foreign credentials are stumbling blocks for many newcomer job seekers.

HMC Connections Employment Supports is bridging gaps, offering new Canadians the support to find work in their fields. We incorporate one-on-one counselling and group sessions to assist newcomers in preparing for the Canadian workplace. This program provides comprehensive instruction and information for newcomer jobseekers regarding:

developing career action plans,

preparing targeted resumes and cover letters,

enhancing job search strategies,

developing skills and techniques for various types of interviews

current labour market conditions, and

learning about workplace culture and health and safety.

HMC opens doors for internationally trained professionals by making connections and focusing on building relations with employers.

We are proud to collaborate with RBC and Scotiabank to help newcomer job seekers to better prepare for Canadian job market and to land a job in Canada's financial services sector.

RBC’s career mentorship and Scotiabank’s Career information session has been providing insight into what the banks look for in candidates, the hiring process, develop an understanding of the Canadian workplace culture, build networks and develop strategies for employment maintenance and advancement within the Canadian workplace.

It is indeed a pleasure for me to inform you that l am on job in Burlington from July on my first interview in Canada. I must mention here main reason behind my success was because of very good management, planning and guidance of HMC Burlington office . The interview skill practice, job search and perfect guidance of your office that I could get my first job on very first interview . Thank you very much for the training and guidance I will always come back to your office for guidance when needed and also refer others to contact your office . Please convey my thanks to everyone in your office . Thanks SA


Community Settlement

New families come to our region from different places of the world all year round. Learning about the new country and adapting to the new culture is not an easy task. As families come with different needs, our Community Settlement Specialists work one on one with them, to help them create a plan for their settlement and adaptation process in their new environment.

With the support of multiple partners in the community, the Community Settlement program helps newcomers to learn about different services, processes and topics important for all new Canadians to become active members of their new country and new region. Last year, our program run 158 information sessions, attended by 1709 clients. These sessions were delivered in our 4 offices throughout Halton region, or in different itinerant locations, provided by our community partners.

Our group sessions are offered free of charge to attendees and we strive to provide information to those newcomers in the community, over a range of topics. In an informal environment, attendees are encouraged to ask questions and connect with the experts in those topics, either community guest speakers or our agency staff. After attending the sessions, clients can make an appointment with their settlement specialist, if they need to learn more about a topic or be connected with resources in the community that can support them further on their learning path or provide the required services.

For those who want to learn more about ongoing Information sessions, the best way is to sign up to receive our weekly HMC Newsletter by visiting our website www.hmcconnections.com and clicking on “subscribe to HMC News”.

Our sessions are run free of charge to attendees and the strive to provide information to those newcomers in the community, over a range of topics needed to succeed with the family in Canada:

Housing options,

Parenting and Education,

Financial Literacy,

First Aid and CPR,

Food Handling Certification,

Avoiding identity theft,

Opening a small business,

Waste management and recycling,

Winter driving,

Sponsoring your Family to Canada,

Parents and Grandparents Super visa,

Immigration updates, etc.

Preparing for the Citizenship test

I want to thank you for your continuous support and help for me and family as well. Please consider the following as a confirmation of my deep and honest thanks to you and your team, I wish you the best.

"The best person is the one who benefits all human beings" AJ

http://www.hmcconnections.com/


Multiculturalism Day 2017

June 2017 – MC Day was celebrated by over 2,500 people taking part to enjoy dance,

music and food and Neyagawa and Dundas in front of the Sixteen Mile Creek Sports

Complex..

SPECIAL EVENTS

Annual Gala 2017

March 2017- Our gala theme of “Mapping the Immigrant Journey” provided the opportunity to celebrate multicultural dance, art and food.

Over 350 people enjoyed the amazing entertainment from the Phillipines including

beautiful dancing, a piano concerto, and a soon to be famous brilliant opera singer.

Thank you to our MC and host for the evening!

New Year’s Around the World

February 2017 – A celebration of cultures from around the world featuring cultural displays, entertainment and food along

with a volunteer appreciation ceremony.

Please join us for our Events in 2018!

Interpretation, Translation and Training

HMC Connections is the main provider of interpretation and translation services in Halton Region. The program grows significantly every year with n customers.

Connections increased the pool of interpreters and translators as an ongoing process of continuing hiring skilled newcomers with reference to their credential background and education. This year Connections established a greater line of training for Language Interpreters which will enhance their specialized skills within medical sector. Many of our Interpreters were successful with obtaining a full/part time jobs within this transitional period of their career and many of them has chosen to pursue the career of language interpreters and official translators.

This year Connections dispatched 3,259 of interpretation hours for various service providers with the regions of Halton, Hamilton, Peel and Guelph, beside the completion of translating more than 80,000 words in different formats.


The Language Program at HMC Connections has successfully completed a 3-year training and implementation of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) project undertaken by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada).

PBLA is an assessment approach that is comprehensive, systematic, authentic, and collaborative where teachers and learners work together to identify the learners' language needs, set up the language-learning goals and compile evidence of learning throughout the instructional/learning cycle. Teachers create real-world tasks, administer/analyze data collected, reflect on learners' progress, and modify instruction accordingly while learners are trained to become autonomous, engaged and responsible for their own learning.

The knowledge and skills developed in the course of the learning path are transferable to other aspects of the learners' lives which is an irreplaceable help for their integration and settlement process. Learners accumulate artefacts of their learning in the four skill areas of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing as well as maintain their portfolios in their Language Companion binders to support their learning, settlement and facilitation of PBLA. At key intervals over the term, teachers and learners meet to discuss the progress made towards their learning goals, ongoing or emerging challenges, and strategies to overcome them. Learners' promotion to the next CLB levels will be made when learners attain the required number of artefacts as evidence of their learning.

Learning English - Language

“Another semester, full of your professional and patient constructions, is coming to a close. And we get to like learning English language just because of the past sessions you gave us, full of attractions and vividness. The subjects you prepared for us every month were so useful and practical that we have become confident in shopping, banking and communicating in our everyday lives in Canada, and the ways of spelling and pronouncing you taught to us were so helpful and effective that we have been able not only to read but also to speak and write. Besides English language, we have learned a lot from you, the zeal for job, the devotion to profession, the tolerance to our errors and the encouragement to achievements. Thank you, our dear teacher, the remarkable progresses we have made so far are associated tightly with your hard and consistent work. This interesting and fruitful semester with you will end soon, but it begins a broad and bright way of living for us at the same time and we are looking forward to gathering around you for further studies in the near future.” -- All students from CLB 2-3 afternoon class

HMC Language Team


Halton Multicultural Council

2016-17 Annual Report

Special thanks to our funders and major donors for their continuing support:

Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada

Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration

Region of Halton

United Way Halton/Hamilton

Ontario Trillium Foundation

Maple Lodge Farms

RBC - Royal Bank of Canada

Oakville Community Foundation Thank you also to our community donors, supporters and volunteers who have shared their generosity and time!

Mission – HMC helps newcomers settle and integrate into a community that is welcoming and inclusive.

Vision – One Community for All

Values

Fostering mutual respect and understanding of each other.

Building awareness and understanding regarding cultural communications and differences.

Supporting the community to be inclusive, diverse, supportive and respectful.

Empowering newcomers to live, work and belong while helping to preserve their own culture and uniqueness.

Advocating for newcomers’ rights and services.

Establishing strong accountability to all of our stakeholders

HMC Connections STRATEGIC PLAN

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HALTON MULTICULTURAL COUNCIL?

To receive updates and highlights of HMC Connections programs and events please visit our website and join our weekly newsletter or email [email protected]

One Community for All

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