Promising Practices for Enhanced Access to Services for Newcomers in Guelph-Wellington PREPARED BY THE MANULIFE CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH RESEARCH

PRESENTED BY: GINETTE LAFRENIERE MA, MSW, PHD

Background Information•Defining “newcomer”

•Scope of report

•Research is timely

Service Delivery Models and Resources•Community hub model: offers a single point of access for the purpose of multi-service delivery and community development under a single roof

•Person-centred model: emphasizes the need to see service users as leaders in both the planning and implementation of their own services

•Formal partnership: development of formal partnerships between service agencies to meet the needs of a specific group, or to enhance access to meet a particular set of needs (e.g. Promise of Partnership)

Service Delivery Models and Resources•Multiple service programs: provision of multiple services through a single program

•Tools and resources: e.g. training modules for service providers, service web directories, newcomer needs assessments, tools for mapping community landscapes, collaborative agreement templates

•No wrong door approach: coordinate service access and delivery through a common referral system

Service for Immigrants Without Full Status•Many of the services currently offered in the Guelph-Wellington area are funded specifically to serve immigrants with full status

•What approaches have been used elsewhere to address this issue?

•Access Without Fear policies: this policy effectively provides formal sanctuary for non-status and undocumented immigrants

•Currently adopted by Toronto and Hamilton, and elsewhere in the United States and Europe

•Supported by:• Forbidding municipal staff from inquiring about immigration status• Prohibiting staff from sharing citizenship information with Citizenship and Immigration Canada where it is

known• Limiting municipal funds for the use of enforcing federal immigration laws

•Advocacy networks: instrumental in encouraging action around Access Without Fear policies

Service for Immigrants Without Full Status•Enhancing service access for migrant workers• Migrant workers experience acute vulnerability due to their precarious status in Canada• A number of service providers have developed health and social service programs specially for migrant workers, including

outreach vans, migrant worker centres and migrant worker health programs

•Enhancing service access for rural immigrants• Rural immigrants face unique challenges in accessing services due to a host of factors, including the fact that most services

and service providers are located in urban centres• Service providers have made use of online resources, coordinating services with other providers to offer flexible hours, and

hired rurally based outreach workers

•Enhancing service access for protected persons• There are few resources available to serve protected persons in Guelph-Wellington (convention refugees and refugee

claimants)• Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support (MCRS) in nearby Kitchener provides assistance with the refugee claims process,

accessing a network of settlement support, building communities of mutual support and advocating for a fair and just environment for refugees in Canada

• There is an opportunity for partnership with this agency

Methods for Outreach•Media Outreach

•Direct Outreach

•Peer Outreach/ Peer Advisory Groups

•Business Outreach

•Educational Groups/Workshops

•Learning Tours

•Faith-based Outreach

•Collaborative Provider Outreach

•Special Events/Fairs

•School/Youth Led Outreach

Gendered Differences In Service Access•Collectivist Frameworks: many cultural communities exist within a collectivist framework that is not consistent with services in Canada that are offered based on the needs of the individual

•Re-Attainment of Social Status: connections with individuals gives newcomer women a platform to express needs that they may feel uncomfortable sharing with their immediate family members

•Stigma: newcomers experiencing domestic violence can be particularly vulnerable as they may choose not to speak up about concerns for fear of stigma, dishonoring their family, shame, fear, or the threat or perceived threat of violence

•Cultural Competency: Many newcomers are more familiar with obtaining culturally applicable information from informal networks such as friends and family

RecommendationsAdopt tools that will enable service providers to deliver more accessible services

Consider the development of formal partnerships and additional multiple service programs

Pursue the implementation of an Access Without Fear policy

Develop programming for those with precarious status, as outlined earlier

Implement additional context specific outreach strategies to enhance service access

Acknowledge the gendered differences that exist for service access for newcomers

Do not be afraid to cross boarders to develop partnerships in nearby areas

Continue to encourage university-community collaboration in terms of research and training