Nothing to do this Friday night? -TONIGHT

Here's something worth taking in and it is free - powerful stuff happening

 War, Women and the Human Spirit Presented by The University of Winnipeg Global College and the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG), co-sponsored by Institute for International Women’s Rights – Manitoba(IIWR) 


 Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Boulevard 


 7:00 p.m. 


 The evening features poet-performer and award-winning peace scholar-activist Dr. Rama Mani from the University of Oxford & World Future Council. Following the performance there will be an informal conversation among Dr.Mani and two local participants, Marilou McPhedran and Regine King. 


 Admission is free (donations welcome). 


 Info: https://www.facebook.com/ InstituteInternationalWomensRightsManitoba 

Please join us for a remarkable evening on Friday, June 6, 7:00 pm at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The University of Winnipeg Global College and the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) presents an evening of poetic performances of women's voices from conflict zones around the globe entitled War, Women, and the Human Spirit. The evening features poet-performer and award-winning peace scholar-activist Dr. Rama Mani from the University of Oxford & World Future Council. Admission is free (donations welcome).

Following the performance there will be an informal conversation among Mani and two local participants: Marilou McPhedran, Director of the Institute for International Women's Rights, UWinnipeg; and Regine King, Professor of Social Work, University of Manitoba.  King is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide and focuses her research on forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing after atrocity.

Poster and further information attached.

Dean Peachey

Executive Director, Global College

Coordinator, Human Rights & Global Studies

Chair, Joint MA in Peace & Conflict Studies

University of Winnipeg

(204) 988-7106

Office: 520 Portage Avenue

Mailing address: 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9 Canada

Job Vacancy

Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc.

JOB OPPORTUNITY N.E.E.D.S. Inc. is pleased to invite applications for the following position: Position: Evening Administrative Assistant/Receptionist Department: Administration Full-time: 35 hours/week, Monday–Thursday: 2:00–9:00pm, Friday: 11:00am–6:00pm Position summary: 
Reports to and in consultation with the Volunteer Program Facilitator/Administrator  Is responsible for providing personal and telephone reception to the public, clients and volunteers and often serves as the first contact for the Agency
 Is responsible for creating a comfortable and welcoming environment
 Assists Program Coordinators with data entry and performs clerical duties of a general nature in accordance with established procedures, guidelines and schedules
 Works closely and cooperatively with all staff and volunteers
 Performs other duties as assigned
Position requirements: 
High School diploma  Ability to work in a cross-cultural setting
 Strong interpersonal communication skills
 Strong organizational skills
 Strong computer skills and knowledgeable in computer applications (e.g. MS Office)
 Ability to perform data entry with accuracy

Must undergo Criminal Record Check and Child Abuse Registry Check  Experience in administration an asset
 Additional language an asset APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, October 31st, 2013 at 4:00 pm Please submit your resume and a cover letter explaining your interest and related experience, including language ability to: Fechie De Guzman, Volunteer Program Facilitator/Administrator
251-A Notre Dame Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1N8
Email to needsinc@mts.net
Regretfully, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted

No refuge for the poor

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/one-last-chance-221898921.html

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - Immigrant/Refugee Support

The mission of the Family Centre is to bring programs, partnerships and resources together to empower and strengthen families and communities. We are seeking a qualified NEWCOMER SUPPORT/CASE COORDINATOR The Coordinator will provide case management and service coordination for refugees facing multiple barriers in their resettlement. RESPONSIBILITIES: To provide comprehensive assessment, service plan development, facilitated referrals, advocacy, linkages to community resources, coordination of services, and follow up for high-needs refugee families and individuals. QUALIFICATIONS: • Exceptional cross cultural competence and experience working with refugees is required • Degree in a Human Services field • Minimum of 2 years experience in direct client services, preferably in a service coordination and case management role • Equivalent combination of the above • Additional relevant languages an asset • Clear criminal record and child abuse registry check Term position extended until March 31, 2014 Please submit resumes by September 3rd, 2013 to: Millie Braun, Program Director Family Dynamics Inc. 401-393 Portage Avenue (Portage Place Offices) Winnipeg, MB R3B 3H6 or email: mbraun@familydynamics.ca We are an equal opportunity employer. POSTED: August 17, 2013

Rita Chahal new Executive Director of Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council

June 3, 2013

Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (MIIC) board chair Rev Peter Flynn is pleased to announce that Rita Chahal has been appointed Executive Director of MIIC / Welcome Place.

With recent policy and funding changes to Canada's commitment to immigrants and refugees at the Provincial and Federal levels, Flynn said that “MIIC is delighted to take advantage of Rita’s combined not-for-profit and business leadership experience to help us reach the next level of MIIC’s growth and sustainability”.

Prior to her current appointment and for the past four and a half years, Rita has served in the elite position as General Manager of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce where she worked closely with the business community across Manitoba. Earlier in her career, Rita was the Executive Director of the Women in Media Foundation and Executive Director of Employment Projects of Winnipeg, where she got first hand understanding and insight into the issues, opportunities and challenges that refugees and new immigrants face when they arrive in Manitoba. Her community service includes taking a leadership position on a number of boards and advisory committees over her career. She currently serves on the board of a crown corporation, Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation.

Very excited about her new role, Rita said that "I am humbled and privileged to be part of one of the most effective and influential Canadian agencies that help refugees arriving in Manitoba. And, I am honored to be a part of the Canadian and global commitment to serve those who have been oppressed and lost all hope in the face of war and political unrest"

MIIC/Welcome Place is a federally funded not for profit organization based in Winnipeg. MIIC promotes and supports the protection and resettlement of refugees from many countries and offers a range of services that welcome and assist refugee newcomers in their settlement and integration into Canadian society. MIIC strives to enable independence and full participation of these newcomers in our community. Refugee newcomers contribute to the strength of our community, our economy, and our diversity. MIIC has a well established history and success in serving refugees in Manitoba.

For more information about MIIC's programs and services please contact Rita or Ms Emily Shane at 204 977 1000. Rita can be reached directly by email at ritac@miic.ca or by phone at 204 285 3384.

For immediate distribution – October 23, 2012
NEWS RELEASE The effects of precarious legal status on
immigrants’ economic outcomes are long lasting Montreal – Immigrants with precarious legal status – for example, temporary foreign workers – often end up in precarious work situations that undermine their economic prospects. Moreover, according to Luin Goldring and Patricia Landolt, the authors of a new study published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP), these effects are long lasting, even for those who subsequently become permanent residents. Given recent major changes in Canada’s immigration system, such as large increases in the number of temporary foreign workers and new pathways to permanent residence, this finding has important implications. In
The Impact of Precarious Legal Status on Immigrants’ Economic Outcomes, the authors define precarious work as employment that is insecure and of lower quality. They point out that immigrants with these types of jobs are often exposed to labour practices that "erode, violate or evade employment standards." This is especially of concern in a context where "a growing number of newcomers spend time navigating various forms of temporary and probationary legal status before they can apply for permanent residence," while others remain in a temporary category or stay in Canada without work or residence authorization. The authors’ quantitative and qualitative analyses are based on original data from a sample of 300 Latin American and Caribbean immigrant workers in the Greater Toronto Area. A key finding is that exposure to precarious work during the initial period in Canada had a lasting negative impact on these workers. As they put it, the effects of living with precarious legal status can be "sticky"; the transition to secure status "does not put people on par with those who entered with secure status."
In light of this, Goldring and Landolt identify a number of ways to mitigate the effects of precarious status on immigrant economic outcomes, including faster transitions to secure legal status and permanent residence, open work permits for temporary migrant workers, improvements in workplace equity and broader access to settlement services.
The Impact of Precarious Legal Status on Immigrants’ Economic Outcomes, by Luin Goldri

Criminals with only landed immigrant gets deported after serving time in Canadian jails.

Many immigrants and refugees believe that once they land in Canada with their landed immigrant visas they are home free, safe and sound.  All this is true once you life a live free of crime. If however, one succumbs to the  lure of easy street where money flows easily and under the cloak of secrecy and darkness from the hands of criminals such as drug dealers and other types of traffickers and one is caught while not a Canadian citizen, one can be tried sent to jail and after jail deported back to where they come from.
   Many Winnipeg refugees and immigrants dreams of a new life in a new and prosperous country vanished in this way. And it s seems that no among of crying and promising to be better have worked in the past.
    Immigrants and refugees ought to think 100 times before deciding to give in to the temptations of joining a gang or doing anything illegal because chances are you will be caught and you will be sure to be deported as soon as you have served your time in Canada.
   Andrew Bawa, community worker for Project Oasis that focus of immigrant/refugee youths, says that gang recruiters even show up at the airport to scout potential prospects for their despicable trade. The gang offers immediate cash which makes going to school less attractive.
   This is a serious problem for refugee youths, not only in Winnipeg but in most major cities in Canada and is a problem that remains to be effectively tackled. Perhaps youths ought to be warned about the dangers of gang life even before they leave refugee camps to let them know that a better life may await them but they must abide by the law.

Immigrant Women's Services in Jeopardy

Popular sexual-health program geared to immigrant women in jeopardy

JOE FRIESEN

Last updated Wednesday, Jan. 04, 2012 2:55AM EST

Cam Tran, right, a counsellor at the Immigrant Women's Health Centre in Toronto translates for client Guangqun Xia, left, during an exam with Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe, physician and medical director at the clinic Jan. 3, 2011. (Moe Doiron/The Globe and Mail)

Winnebago is a sexual health service that operates out of a mobile home. It provides services such as translation, medical and other support services for women who are poor, lack health coverage and having trouble accessing proper medical care. This service has been around for 20 plus years.  This service is supported by City of Toronto which recently proposed a $200,000 cut to Winnebago's budget.. The proposed cut amounts to roughly 25 per cent of the Immigrant Women’s Health Centre’s city funding which amounts to almost 25% of Winnebago's budget. This comes in the face of growing demands for the service. The organisation will be left with some tough choices if this goes through.
Politicians such as city councillor Mike Layton are rallying support in an effort to spare the Immigrant Women’s Health Centre from the axe.
The agency currently provides outreach, counselling and translation in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Portuguese, Farsi, Urdu, Hindi, Italian and Vietnamese. “We see a lot of women who have faced abuse, who come from countries where rape is not uncommon. To be able to provide culturally sensitive care in that situation, it’s a vital service for that reason.”
   I hope the City of Toronto realises that this is a small price to pay for what they could pay if these women are not treated. They could end up in the hospitals, psychiatric wards and in other institutions where it would be much more costly to maintain them.
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/popular-sexual-health-program-geared-to-immigrant-women-in-jeopardy/article2290712/?service=mobile