| | WWOW – WORLD WIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN INC. CwR – CHRISTIANS WALKING WITH REFUGEES 25 Cultra Square Toronto, ON M1E 2C8, Canada Mailing address: 23-500 Fairway Rd. Suite 149 Kitchener, ON, N2C 1X3 Phone: 1-416-900-9681; 1-519-578-9570 Fax: 519-742-6055 E-mail: cwr.wwow@gmail.com Facebook: World Wide Opportunities for Women |
CwR – CHRISTIANS WALKING WITH REFUGEES PROJECT
Executive Summary
There are several options in Canada to initiate the resettlement of a core – or extended family member or community member. Focusing on refugees, once the venue is chosen the next step is the case assessment and file preparation. After eligibility is confirmed the work entails gathering of forms and documents and build up the file based on IRCC’s latest criteria.
After gradual changes, since 2011 it is already not reasonable to expect from an average person to comprehend the overcomplicated immigration procedure and all aspects of the ministry’s (CIC* – IRCC*) extremely strict expectations (from the types of the different refugee papers momentarily they do or do not accept; up to the correct naming of the files for submission; what type of bank papers acceptable and what not; how to comply with the file size restriction and still stay within the resolution limits at scanning , etc.)
Due to these recent obstacles at the immigration program, CwR* was established to provide pro bono consultations to community members in their efforts of helping refugees towards civil resettlement.
CwR can walk with the community members – sponsors – form A to Z throughout the resettlement process, advising how to overcome difficulties and how to correct mistakes to decrease the chance that IRCC would reject their refugee sponsorship application.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Context
Being a new immigrant in Canada without the support of those you’ve grown up with is lonely and difficult. New immigrants who seek to bring over their relatives to Canada face a stressful and difficult process. Because ‘family’ and ‘relatives’ are listed as two different categories according to Immigration Canada, the process is so much more complex and stressful. In order to allow newcomers to become contributing, active citizens to the Canadian society, they must feel welcomed, comfortable, and supported emotionally. Having a supportive base is important in order to get the best out of people. There must be a way to ease this stress and to have the challenges of being an immigrant a little less burdensome.
The IRCC website currently offers individuals with a wealth of information; however it is often difficult for community members whose first language is other than one of the officials, to locate the appropriate information and digest it. It could take individuals hours to go through all of the different immigration and settlement programs available on government websites and still they would not have an adequate understanding of the relevant options available. Community members need to be provided the opportunity to ask questions and fully understand the eligibility criteria before deciding to submit an application, under any category.
Practical implementation
CwR is a consultation opportunity where community members can ask questions in person, over the phone or by email regarding to potential refugee sponsorship cases.
The Program Manager (as a paid contract person) and trained volunteers are available for helping to clarify processing related issues.
After the initial consultation CwR might accept a case and then a file is opened and a custom made blueprint of steps is created.
Following the planned steps in case processing, CwR is assisting to cosponsors to meet all IRCC requirements to perfection of the file, until submission.
Main areas of activities
A): CwR focuses on free consultation. Interested community members can approach the Project (email, phone) with their questions and concerns. CwR provide info and referral to address refugee resettlement related issues in general and in particular situations also.
B): CwR provides pre arranged free in person consultations. If over the phone and email communication can not bring satisfactory result, then CwR staff (project manager and volunteers) schedules free in person meetings to discuss options for possible refugee sponsorship.
C): Once CwR approved an eligible case (CS* or G5*) for processing then program manager opens a file and start preparing the case for submission to Immigration Canada. Work ends by submission. Cosponsor is the client at case processing; their responsibility is to follow instructions and steps identified by CwR.
Work stages
- Consultation and info exchange
- Referral to relevant web, online and other services
- Case pre-assessment
- Eligibility, admissibility and adaptability evaluation
- Blueprint for case processing
- Implementing case preparation steps
- Checking forms and documents for completeness, accuracy and consistency
- Presenting relevant cases to WWOW and its boards
- Submitting completed CS applications
Related and additional program activities
- Cooperation with immigration and refugee lawyers, immigration consultants and settlement workers in communities ad at stakeholders (RSTP, etc.);
- Recruiting and retaining volunteers for capacity management
- Training, getting updates and networking for professional development
- Research related to country of origin and country of asylum conditions
- Approaching UNHCR and local refugee authorities for status authentication
- Gathering concerns and suggestion for program integrity and improvement
- Reaching out for potential Community Sponsors and Resettlement Groups
- Training on settlement and integration for sponsorship participants
- Managing WWOW’s Community sponsorship cases; data base
- Monitoring and assisting in CS cases under WWOW
- Managing RAF*
Uniqueness of the service
There are several programs in Canada, assisting to newcomers and other community members in integration and settlement. However there is no support provided for those who want to submit community sponsorship cases. Some settlement agencies helped in partial G5 (Group of 5) case preparations however lately due to the complexity of the recent requirements it became a liability to advise in these cases so the service are not available. CwR is open for joint program implementation with other agencies.
Abbreviations*
IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
CIC – Citizenship and Immigration Canada (predecessor of IRCC)
SAH – Sponsorship Agreement Holder
RSTP – Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (resettlement support activity)
G5 – Group of Five Sponsorship
CS – Community Sponsorship
UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
WWOW – World Wide Opportunities for Women
CwR – Christians waking with Refugees
RAF – Resettlement Assurance Fund