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Welcoming Communities and Supports for Families

Welcoming Communities and Supports for Families. Michelle P. Goldberg, PhD Metropolis Brown Bag Seminar Ottawa, Ontario May 25, 2009. Outline. Project Background Impacts Across Generations Supports to Families and Communities Academic supports Emotional and social

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Welcoming Communities and Supports for Families

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  1. Welcoming Communities and Supports for Families Michelle P. Goldberg, PhD Metropolis Brown Bag Seminar Ottawa, Ontario May 25, 2009

  2. Outline • Project Background • Impacts Across Generations • Supports to Families and Communities • Academic supports • Emotional and social • Mitigating effects of poverty • Building community social capital M. Goldberg2

  3. Project Background • Settlement reality is local • Commissioned by Region of Peel to inform its Peel Newcomer Strategy • 5 papers • Introduction (housing) • Health • Social capital • Life cycle (early childhood – seniors) • Human Capital and second generation M. Goldberg3

  4. Principles of Service Needs • Similar to rest of population • Life-course framework • Barriers exist – Some have greater needs • Not met by settlement sector alone - collaboration • Lack of integrated & comprehensive settlement policy • Available, accessible, adequate, needs-based, culturally appropriate, holistic • Ethnic match • Community Engagement M. Goldberg4

  5. Why Family Supports Migration and changes in family dynamics puts increased stress on families Pooling of labour and economic resources Success for parents translates to success for children Impact on second generation (variation) M. Goldberg5

  6. Second Generation Racial and country of origin differences Visible minorities often have the worst employment outcomes in Canada Blacks and black men in particular do not fare as well Any strategy designed to improve social inclusion must acknowledge the significant heterogeneity within the second generation M. Goldberg6

  7. Supports to Families and Communities • Academic supports • Emotional and social • Mitigating effects of poverty • Building community social capital M. Goldberg7

  8. A Focus on Schools • Easily accessible • Create welcoming society • Civic engagement • Community cohesion • Beyond traditional notion of schooling • Social service agencies • Hub of community • Parental involvement M. Goldberg8

  9. 1. Academic Supports • Parental involvement benefits parents • Learning about education in Ontario • Community & citizen engagement M. Goldberg9

  10. Strategies Start early Promote benefits of parent engagement Multilingual materials Philosophy of partnership Welcome newcomers Community agencies build capacity, engage, empower and motivate parents M. Goldberg10

  11. Promising Examples Employ bilingual and bicultural staff Multilingual materials Newcomer orientation week Peer mentors or ambassadors School board conferences Antiracism and equity policies Early Years Centres and similar services http://www.ontarioearlyyears.ca/oeyc/en/home.htm

  12. 2. Emotional and Social Supports Recreation programs Bring services together to meet immigrant needs One ministry to lead integration of services for children, youth and families Maintain competency in home language or culture M. Goldberg12

  13. Strategies and Promising Examples Funding for heritage language learning Single ministry to lead integration of services for children, youth and families Settlement services in Schools, e.g, SWISS or multicultural liaison officers Encourage, facilitate and enable the use of schools space to meet needs of community Accessible recreation M. Goldberg13

  14. 3. Mitigating the Effects of Poverty • Advocate and collaborate on regional policies and programs to ensure accessibility and adequacy of: • Income supports • Housing • Health care • Child care M. Goldberg14

  15. 4. Building Community Social Capital Close community ties Community support plan (CLBC) Neighbourhood with social supports and stability Schools as community hubs to build connections Community use of schools Settlement as empowerment and community development M. Goldberg15

  16. Strategies Policy that supports schools as community hubs Inclusive education, culturally responsive curriculum Social inclusion Funding for community groups to encourage civic engagement, community capacity and social capital M. Goldberg16

  17. Promising Examples • Australia’s Schools at the Centrehttp://www.australia2020.gov.au/submissions/viewTopic.cfm?id=7824&count=1 • Gathering under One Tree: In Conversation with Parents and Communities of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Schools • York University Faculty of Education and the York Region District School Board • Saskatchewan Community Schools • B.C. Neighbourhood Learning Project M. Goldberg17

  18. Summary • Longer term focus on inclusion • Heterogeneity within groups’ outcomes • Help those most in need • Tangible & intangible inclusion measures • Collaborative • Integrated • Whole family M. Goldberg18

  19. Future • Dialogue • Solutions designed in consultation with newcomers and service providers • Help to co-ordinate, prioritize, strategize and mobilize collaborative community action

  20. Contact Information Michelle P. Goldberg mgoldberg@oise.utoronto.ca For paper: norm.mcleod@peelregion.ca

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