Report on Interaction between Immigration Partnership Winnipeg IPW

Report on Interaction between Immigration Partnership Winnipeg (IPW) and Ethno. Cultural communities (ECCs) Sept. 9, 2017 Univ. of Winnipeg

Presented by: 1. Manika Pradhan, President, Nepali Cultural Society of Manitoba 2. Elizabeth Daiz, Secretary, Columbian Association of Manitoba Document Prepared by Dylan Chyz. Lund, University of Winnipeg

Ethno-Cultural Communities (ECCs) Population landscape changing Manitoba ~ 15000/250000 immigrants ~ 168 ECCs in Manitoba How are we, the ECCs, connected to IPW? Bridge between ECCs and SPOs

Question # 1 “Identify five pressing needs which you think will enhance your role in assisting newcomers in your community and rank these needs in the order of priority. ”

ANSWERS (1) • Funding (ideally sustained and consistent) For ECC programs and activities, for physical space on a stable basis, for all clients • Centralized resources and information Improved access to government information, a database so that ECCs and government can better share information, a contact person tasked with outreach

ANSWERS (1)contd. • Access to key services Including English language training, relevant training for volunteers, transportation, counseling, and employment services • Physical space Stable access to community event space and office space • Collaborative Opportunities Workshops with other ECCs and a stronger relationship with IPW and MANSO

Question # 2 “ How would you describe the relationship between ECCs and federally-funded settlement service providers, and what steps can we take to make this relationship more effective and collaborative? ”

ANSWERS (2) • The work carried out by ECCs should be formalized ECCs conduct informal/voluntary work without much outside support, and formalization/compensation would aid ECCs work • Relationship between ECCs and SPOs is currently underdeveloped and sometimes ambiguous SPOs do not reach out to ECCs enough, or have consistent enough communication

ANSWERS (2)contd. • Relationship between ECCs and SPOs needs to be enhanced More direct communication, more reaching out to ECCs, increased presence of SPOs in communities • Need for a centralized database/knowledge sharing infrastructure Would facilitate a better understanding of available resources, and how to access them • Not enough federally funded services for newcomers without refugee status ECCs sometimes refer newcomers to a service, but the newcomer is often not eligible, such as with international students

ANSWERS (2)contd. • Not enough federally funded services for newcomers without refugee status ECCs sometimes refer newcomers to a service, but the newcomer is often not eligible, such as with international students THANK YOU