Metropolis Conference Gatineau, Quebec - PowerPoint Presentation

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Metropolis ConferenceGatineau, QuebecMarch 13-15, 2014

Moving AheadA Vulnerable Immigrant Populations Program Burnaby and New WestminsterBritish ColumbiaMarc Larrivée, MSW, RSWSenior Manager, Specialized Programs

Moving Ahead is a successor program related to a number of pilot and demonstration projects designed to serve primarily refugees that were funded wholly or in part by the Settlement and Integration Branch of the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training.

These pilot and demonstration projects included: The Step Ahead Settlement EnhancementThe Refugee Youth Employment Project

The Early Years Refugee ProjectAll three of these provincially-funded projects were developed to serve more “vulnerable” populations of newcomers, primarily refugees.

Evaluation: Building on Success

Moving Ahead is a direct outgrowth of the success of Step Ahead and FreeRunning and combined previous staff from those projects with new staff.In the fall of 2009, a evaluation of Step Ahead began with an emphasis on the results obtained within and across a group of client families (i.e., who would

received

full services through the pilot program) and a similarly-profiled

‘control group’

(i.e., who

had

minimal contact with

staff).

‘Control group’ participants were chosen on the basis of their eligibility for services. Note, these participants were able to access other settlement

services during the course of the evaluation.

Evaluation: Building on Success

The evaluation found statistically significant differences in the breadth of responses to the questions posed in the final assessment between client and control groups, with the clientele being more likely to offer answers relative to those individuals in the control families. Likewise, the depth of understanding among client was found to be statistically significant to a much greater extent (i.e., for 85% versus 18% of the 110 response options in the assessment questionnaire). This suggested that Step Ahead had a demonstrable impact on the knowledge and understanding of refugee and immigrant families in areas that influence their success in settlement and quality of life within communities of Metro Vancouver.

Beginning in October 1, 2012 VIPP began in the following regions in BC:

Burnaby and New Westminster (MOSAIC)Surrey, North Delta, and Langley (DiverseCity)Vancouver (SUCCESS)Tri-Cities and South Delta (ISS of BC)Abbotsford (Abbotsford Community Services)

Greater Victoria (Victoria Immigrant & Refugee Centre Society)

North Vancouver (North Shore Multicultural Society)

Beginning on April 1, 2014, VIPP will be funded directly from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Moving Ahead is intended to serve individuals with multiple settlement needs.

It utilizes a case management model of service delivery whereby a comprehensive needs assessment of each client is done and an individual wraparound support plan is developed.Moving Ahead is mobile. Case Managers meet with clients not only in the MOSAIC office in Burnaby, but at their homes, in the community and with other service providers.

Arabic

AmharicDari and PashtoEnglishFrenchRussianKirundi KinyarwandaKurdish

Lingala

Nuba

Swahili

Tigrinya

MOSAIC Moving Ahead has Case Managers on staff who can communicate with clients in the following languages:

Needs Assessment: Should be comprehensive in order to gather a robust understanding and the inter-relationships of a client’s circumstances.

Planning: A Case Manager and client collaboratively determine a plan and establish priorities and goals, and the roles and responsibilities each will assume.Monitoring: Case Managers write regular case notes together with clients periodically review their plan.

Advocacy: This takes place at the level of garnering the necessary resources to meet a client’s individual goals and often involves addressing systemic barriers.

Collaboration: The approach between Case Manager and client is client-centred and provides ‘ownership’ of the process to the client.Multiple Needs: Case Management is based in the belief that clients needs are varied and complex and Case Managers will inevitably help clients address those needs by working with a diversity of service providers (wraparound support).

Approach must seek to build on clients natural

resilience and strengths. How?Promote social connections to family, ethno-cultural community and larger community.Providing clients with the information and skills to adapt to their new environment.Advocate for an environment that makes a place for this population; policy and practices that lift barriers.Recognize clients as members of our community, not victims.Helping client set realistic, achievable goals.Promote bi-culturalism.

Information and OrientationService Bridging/Cultural Brokerage

Employment-Related ServicesLife Skills and Essential Skills Development Group and One-on-OneThe service time for most client will be approximately one year.

MOSAIC sub-contracts with Burnaby Family Life in Burnaby and New Westminster.MOSAIC, from its location in Burnaby, has 9 Case Managers, 6 of whom serve adult clients with families and three focused on “youth” (16-25). The youth staff work under the banner of Moving Ahead

FreeRunning and their services are designed to be youth-friendly and focused.Note, all VIPP providers in the Lower Mainland have formed an alliance and hired a coordinator. The BC VIPP Alliance shares best practices, facilitates training, coordinates services and collectively consults with the funder.

Program eligibility is based on

both: a) immigration status and b) the complexity, multiplicity and severity of the potential client’s barriers and the challenges facing the individual.

Challenges

Hardships/Difficulties

Complex Life Situations/Past Experience

Lack of workplace

skills

and

experience relevant

to

Canadian

jobs

Interrupted

formal

education

or lack

of

education

Low Literacy skills

Little or no

English

Unfamiliar with an urbanized environment and amenities (e.g. public transit, domestic appliances

)

Culture shock or cultural

dissonance

Mental health/ chronic health

issues

Learning

and

or physical

disabilities

Gender subordination or gender role conflict

 Social isolation

Lack of financial means (i.e. chronic poverty, unemployed or under-employed

)

Experienced violence and trauma before or during migration

Loss of family due to migration

Loss of social status

 Protracted Refugee camp

experience

Experiencing crisis (

e.g.

domestic

violence or facing abuse

)

·Large

household with many young

children

(e.g. experiencing extreme housing stress or heavy family

responsibility)

BC Ministry Evaluation Questions

1.   Accessing Servicesa.      I

know how to get the services I need to settle in Canada (for example, housing information, employment counselling, tax and government benefit information, etc.).

b.      

I

know how to get the language training I need (for example, written or conversational language training, job-specific language training, etc.).

c.       

I

know how to get the services I need to pursue my career (for example, education, qualification recognition, business licence information, etc.).

2.       Social Connections and Broader Communities

a.       I have developed social connections, including meeting people and making friends, by participating in activities in my community.

b.       

I

have a strong connection with my community.

3.       Official Language Skills

a.       It is easy for me to communicate in English while doing daily activities (for example, understanding signs or instructions, performing my job or speaking with others in my community).

b.       It is easy for me to understand English media (newspapers, TVs, radio, internet).

4.       Employment/Labour Market

a.       I have the information I need to pursue my career goals.

5.      Life in Canada

a.       I know the basic laws in Canada (in other words, what is legal and what is not).

b.       I know enough about my rights and responsibilities in Canada.

c.       I am comfortable with my understanding of Canadian culture.

6.       Overall Life in Canada

a.      

I

am satisfied with my experiences living in Canada.

BC Ministry Evaluation Results

Please visit the MOSAIC website:

http://www.mosaicbc.com/settlement-services/settling-canada/moving-ahead