building an inclusive community lasi local agencies serving immigrants
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BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY LASI Local Agencies Serving Immigrants. Local Agencies Serving Immigrants LASI. LASI is a coalition of immigrant service agencies serving the Ottawa community LASI works together as a dynamic partnership - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
BUILDINGBUILDINGAN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITYAN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
LASILASILocal Agencies Serving ImmigrantsLocal Agencies Serving Immigrants
Local Agencies Serving Immigrants LASI
• LASI is a coalition of immigrant service agencies serving the Ottawa community
• LASI works together as a dynamic partnership
• As a forum to share information between agencies
LASI VISION
Mission of the LASI coalition:
• Advancing the social and economic integration of
immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers• Ensuring co-operation and collaboration among
partner agencies• Influencing community to adapt to newcomers
Agency Participation
• LASI is comprised of independent settlement agencies
• Each agency has their own offering of services• The agencies freely come together in partnership• The coalition partners represent a wide cross-section
of the immigrant community• All are involved in delivering front-line services to
Newcomers • They come in daily contact with the grassroots, as
well as influencing broader sector issues
LASI Partners
LASI World Skills (employment services)
Catholic Immigration Centre
Immigrant Women Services of Ottawa
Ottawa Chinese CommunityService Centre
Ottawa Community ImmigrantServices Organization (OCISO)
Lebanese and Arab SocialServices Agency
Jewish Family Services
Common Goals of LASI
• To enhance the social and economic integration of immigrants, refugees and other newcomers
• To collaborate amongst partner agencies• To influence community-at-large to adapt to
Newcomers• To voice concerns• To advocate in the community for immigrant issues• To plan strategically for the future
Achieving Our Goals
These goals will be achieved through:
LASI coalition efforts in
• Employment and employment-related initiatives• Research• Public education• Settlement • Integration services
Guiding Principles
• Negotiate with trust, good will and respect
• Agencies support one another
• Strive not to duplicate efforts
• Share resources, expertise and knowledge
Shared Governance Model
• The LASI coalition utilizes a shared governance model• This reflects the spirit of the partnership• There is a monthly meeting of all executive directors from
the partner agencies• These individuals comprise the membership of the LASI
Coalition Board of Directors• There is an Executive Director of the LASI Coalition
who attends each monthly meeting• There is a rotating chairperson each month, a
responsibility which is shared equally among the agencies
LASI Initiatives
• LASI initiatives enhance and compliment the efforts of the partner agencies
• Decisions are made by concensus
***If a partner agency determines that participating in the concensus decision-making process is not in the interest of their agency they may opt out
LASI Activities
Involvement in the following areas:
• Public awareness• Advocacy• Relationship-building• Outreach• Project development
In keeping with coalition mission/goals
Recent LASI Activities
• Ottawa police to Newcomers issues• Hosting presentation by Ontario Citizenship minister
Mike Colle on Fair Access to Professions and Trades—Bill 124
• Organizing Enhanced Language Training conference• Addressing cultural competencies with
in the Children’s Aid Society• Playing a leadership role in the United Way Impact
council• Participation in Hire Immigrants Ottawa Project
Creation of LASI World Skills
• In 1997, the LASI coalition formed a separate agency called LASI World Skills
• It is a non-profit, charitable organization
• It was created to assist in meeting the employment needs of new Canadians residing in the Ottawa region
• LASI World Skills is able to respond to Newcomer needs through a number of programs that are funded through different levels of government
LASI World Skills and the Coalition
• The LASI World Skills Executive Director attends and reports at all LASI Coalition meetings
• At meetings, decisions and follow-up actions are decided by all partners, equally
• When an employment initiative/activity may constitute a conflict of interest, partner agencies consult and collaborate to determine:
• Should it be a World Skills initiative/activity?• How will it be implemented?• Should a lead agency be designated?
LASI World Skills and the Community
• LASI World Skills is well connected to the Newcomer community
• The vast majority of immigrants in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario will use our services at some point in their search for employment
• World Skills staff is made up of predominantly foreign-born professionals
• As a result, many immigrants have been involved in designing our many programs and services
LASI World Skills Programs and Services
World Skills
CAN- Career Access for Newcomers
JSW Job Search Workshop
OWEEP – Ontario Works Enhance
Employment Program
Job Placement Resource Centre
EAITP - Employment Alternatives for Internationally Trained Physicians
ITT - Internationally Trained Teachers – Teach in Ontario
Workplace Training for Professionals (engineers,
teachers, medical specialists)
Career Access for Newcomers (CAN)
• A project designed to help Newcomers access employment that is appropriate to their experience and education
• Provides the tools, information and skills needed to conduct an effective job search
• Prepare for, obtain and maintain employment
• Explore career alternatives
Job Search Workshop (JSW)
• The workshop runs for three consecutive days
• The JSW offers job search training that is designed specifically for Newcomers in Canada less than 5 years who are landed immigrants or convention refugees
Examples of workshop areas:• Effective resume/cover letter writing• Successful interview techniques• Techniques for contacting employers
Workplace Language Training for InternationallyTrained Professionals
The program consists of 3 courses:• Workplace Communication and Culture for Newcomers• Writing for Professional Purposes• Oral Communication Skills for Professionals
• Volunteering or Job-shadowing opportunity
Enhanced Language Training (ELT)
• This project is designed for internationally-trained teachers who want to bring their education and experience into Ontario classrooms
• Teach in Ontario provides the support you need to become a certified teacher and find a job in education
• All the information needed to understand and navigate the certification process
Teach in Ontario
• World Skills has partnered with Algonquin College to select and prepare candidates for the Algonquin College Mentorship Program
• The first 15 clients from the CAN Project have already been coached and streamlined towards COMP
Mentorship Program
New Opportunity
Community RecognitionCommunity Recognition
• In 2004 LASI and World Skills In 2004 LASI and World Skills received Outstanding Community received Outstanding Community Building Partnership of the year Building Partnership of the year AwardAward
Serving Newcomers Together
Building A Welcoming Community
&
Thank You!