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Overview of the student refugee program, the shine a light program, and the issues they aim to tackle
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Slide 1Education Changes the World
Promoting Awareness of Refugee Issues
WebTrain Session
Slide 2Education Changes the World
Agenda1. What is a refugee?
1. Refugee Issues: Life in a Refugee Camp
1. Refugee Issues in the Canadian Context
1. What WUSC is doing
1. Debunking Myths
1. How to Raise Awareness
1. How to Make an Impact
1. Maintaining Sensitivity
1. Resources and Links
Slide 3Education Changes the World
What is a refugee?
A refugee is a person who is forced to leave his/her home country to seek protection from harm.
• Canada applies the 1951 Refugee Convention definition:
• A refugee is a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country..."
• The 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
Slide 4Education Changes the World
Some Definitions
• Refugee vs. IDP• An Internally Displaced Person (IDP) is someone
who has been forced out of their home, but remains in their country of origin.
• The level of protection for IDPs is very low.
• Refugee vs. Immigrant• Immigrants choose to leave their country, often for
economic or family reasons, while refugees flee due to a fear of persecution. Staying in their country of origin is not a reasonable option for refugees.
Slide 5Education Changes the World
Life in a Refugee Camp
• Limited food, water, shelter, healthcare
• Reliance on aid; limited opportunities for schooling or work
• Fewer girls than boys in school• Diseases like malaria, typhoid
and cholera common
Slide 6Education Changes the World
Life in a Refugee Camp• Confined to the camp• Often crowded and
isolated
• Sense of hopelessness and helplessness
Slide 7Education Changes the World
Life in a Refugee Camp
• Community solidarity• Working together to
survive• Access to aid• Efforts to improve
access to education and healthcare in camps
Slide 8Education Changes the World
Refugee Protection in Canada
Canada provides protection to refugees in two ways:
1. Inland Claims (refugees flee to Canada and claim refugee status on Canadian soil)
1. Overseas Selection (Refugees living in a country of asylum are sponsored for resettlement in Canada)
- government-assisted refugees- privately-sponsored refugees (eg WUSC)
Slide 9Education Changes the World
Privately-Sponsored Refugee• Private sponsorship
entails a guarantee to provide financial and personal settlement support• 12 – 36 month
commitment
• Private sponsors include:• Groups of five• Community sponsors• SAHs
Slide 10Education Changes the World
Sponsorship Agreement Holders
• SAHs are organizations that have signed sponsorship agreements with the Government of Canada to help support refugees to resettle in Canada
• Are over 90 SAHs in Canada• Over 2/3 of privately-sponsored refugees are
sponsored through a SAH• Constituent groups act on behalf of a SAH
WUSC is a unique SAH
Slide 11Education Changes the World
WUSC’sStudent Refugee Program
• enables student refugees to pursue their studies at universities and colleges across Canada.• Over 1000 sponsored
students• Over $1 million raised each
year
• a tool for Canadians to deepen their understanding of refugee challenges and the connection between global and local issues.
Slide 12Education Changes the World
SRP Successes• Most sponsored
students:• vote, volunteer and get
involved in their communities• complete their post-
secondary program (97%) • find jobs or further their
education• agree that enrollment in a
college or university and the support of the WUSC sponsoring group were key factors in their successful integration
Slide 13Education Changes the World
In-Camp Strategy
• WUSC aims to:
• Enhance the availability of quality primary, secondary and post-secondary education in refugee camps
• Close the gender gap in education between refugee boys and girls.
• Priorities:
• teacher education
• schooling for girls
Slide 14Education Changes the World
WUSC in the Camps:Kenya
• Kakuma camp in the northwest• home to about 50,000 refugees in 2008• Very diverse • Challenging conditions
Slide 15Education Changes the World
WUSC in the Camps:Malawi
- Dzaleka camp• Population of
approx. 8000
• 9 nationalities
Slide 16Education Changes the World
In-Camp Strategy
Funds raised go a long way …
$20 1 school uniform
$35 1 set of Grade 5 textbooks
$80 1 solar or rechargeable light
$1000Scholarship for 1 year
of secondary school
Slide 17Education Changes the World
You can help!
• Raise funds• Sponsor a student• Raise awareness
Slide 18Education Changes the World
Common Myths
With data from Amnesty International Canadahttp://www.amnesty.ca/Refugee/myths.php
Because of its geographic isolation, Canada receives a relatively small number of refugees. By far the largest number of refugees are in developing countries.
The number of refugees Canada accepts each year is less than a tenth of 1% of the population.
Canada takes in more than its share of refugees
The majority of asylum-seekers are driven by conflict and repression.
Refugees abuse the system to come to Canada and get rich
Studies show that refugees and immigrants contribute positively to our economy. Many refugees start small businesses that employ both themselves and "native" Canadians.
Refugees are a drain on our economy and they take jobs away from Canadians.
Canada has a stringent refugee screening process.
The refugee system lets criminals and terrorists into Canada
REALITYMYTH
Slide 19Education Changes the World
The reality is that many dynamic,
industrious, intelligent
individuals are or were once refugees.
Slide 20Education Changes the World
They were once refugees…• Albert Einstein –One of the world's most
famous scientists. Fled Nazism in Germany. • \Mika – Musician. Fled from Beirut, Lebanon.• Wyclef Jean – Musician. Fled from Haiti.
Named group The Fugees (short for refugee). • M.I.A. – Musician. Part of a Tamil Sri Lankan
refugee family.• Bob Marley – Musician. Fled Jamaica to
Miami after being shot during political violence.• Michaëlle Jean –The current Governor-
General of Canada . Fled Haiti. • Sigmund Freud - Founded psychoanalysis.
Fled from Nazism in Austria.• Victor Hugo - Author of Les Misérables and
The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Due to his political beliefs, he was forced to flee France several times.
Slide 21Education Changes the World
• Social isolation (particularly in the first weeks/months)
• Loneliness and homesickness• Limited employment
opportunities• Negative host culture
attitudes and assumptions• Lack of access to essential
services• Adjustment to new culture,
rules, customs, language, weather
• Barriers to resettlement
Issues Faced Upon Arrival
Slide 22Education Changes the World
“Just imagine, suddenly, you lose everything you have worked for all your life – all the people and things you cherish and love. The experience reduces you to a child and the response of others intensifies it. All of a sudden you are having to learn the basics of life again: how to speak, behave, how to interact with people, find a job, learn a skill as if your past education was a slate wiped clean. Whatever you have learned before, all your previous achievements are worth nothing in the country of refuge.”
- Haideh Moghissi, Queen’s University, Kingston
“Resettlement is like trying to walk again only you are a lot heavier.”
- Resettled refugee
Slide 23Education Changes the World
Raising Awareness:Why?
• More awareness = more understanding of the unique issues that refugees face
• Raise awareness and funding to support student sponsorship or WUSC’s refugee camp education support
• Get more students involved with WUSC!
Slide 24Education Changes the World
Raising Awareness:How?
• Hold a movie night to explore the refugee experience.
• Invite a former refugee to give a talk about his/her experience.
• Hold a speakers’ panel composed of former refugees, settlement workers, and/or academics.
• Present myths and facts about refugees at an info booth on your campus.
• Write an article for your campus or local newspaper about the SRP on your campus.
Slide 25Education Changes the World
Raising Awareness:How?
• Organize a “feast-or-famine” dinner to raise money for a refugee-related cause.
• Set up a mock refugee camp in a high-traffic area to generate discussion. (You might include a typical camp meal, information and pictures on current refugee crises etc)
• Organize a community event to celebrate the benefits of cultural diversity (e.g. a potluck dinner, a cultural evening etc)
Slide 26Education Changes the World
Raising Awareness:When?
• You can hold an SRP Awareness Day or event anytime!
• Recommended days:• SRP Awareness Day – January
31st • Refugee Rights Day – April 4th • World Refugee Day – June 20th • Other
Slide 27Education Changes the World
Making an Impact: Attracting Attention on Campus
Coordinate with other campus organizations. Ask group reps to tell their membership about the
event Cross-promote or work together where feasible (eg
during a campus-wide International Development Week)
Promote your event in different ways. Posters Class presentations Email Facebook/Twitter etc Campus media Local media
Slide 28Education Changes the World
Making an Impact: Publicity
Engage the media! Ask campus or local media to promote and attend
your event, or to publish an article written by someone from your group.
For bigger events, distribute a press release.
Engage the community! Invite local politicians and other prominent
community members to attend awareness events. This can help you gain exposure, while informing
decision-makers about the issues.
Slide 29Education Changes the World
Making an Impact: Building a strong team
Outline specific roles, tasks and deadlines Commitment will be stronger if each team member
feels that they have a specific and important role. Deadlines help keep everyone on track.
Set communications norms Weekly meetings; email updates etc List of contact information for all team members Make use of WUSC’s “My Committee” resource
Slide 30Education Changes the World
Maintaining Sensitivity
• Use of the word “refugee”• Recall that individuals who have re-settled in
Canada (including those students who arrive through the SRP) are no longer refugees – they are Permanent Residents in Canada.
• A diversity of experiences• The experience of each refugee and former
refugee is unique. Generalizations about “the refugee experience” or “the integration process” should be sensitive to the fact that they might not apply to all.
Slide 31Education Changes the World
Resources
WUSC’s Guide for Sponsoring Groups
• advice on fundraising, event planning, engaging the community etc
Slide 32Education Changes the World
Resources• The WUSC Website has:
• Film database• SRP promotional materials
• posters, buttons, t-shirt templates, a fact sheet etc
• Profiles of former sponsored students
• And much more!
WUSC’s Campus Engagement Team is always available to help!
Slide 33Education Changes the World
Resources• Passages to Canada (
www.passagestocanada.com)• locate a great speaker in your area
• UNHCR Refugee Day Toolkit (http://unhcr.ca/wrd/documents/WRD_Toolkit.pdf)• an exceptional resource for
planning an awareness event
• Integration Net (http://www.integration-net.ca/)• connect with like-minded organizations
in your community
Slide 34Education Changes the World
Resources• CBC’s interactive “Anatomy of a Refugee
Camp” (http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/refugeecamp/)• Useful for planning a Mock Refugee Camp
• Against All Odds (http://www.playagainstallodds.com/ )• This online simulation game allows you to experience the obstacles,
terror, and choices people are compelled to make when they are forced to leave their homes against their will.
Slide 35Education Changes the World
Where to Learn More• UNHCR (www.unhcr.org)
• The UN Refugee Agency's website is a great resource for the latest news, stats and information on refugees around the world.
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp)
• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/Eng/Pages/index.aspx)
• Canadian Council for Refugees (www.ccrweb.ca) • CCR is a non-profit umbrella organization committed to the rights and protection
of refugees in Canada and around the world and to the settlement of refugees and immigrants in Canada.
• Centre for Refugee Studies (http://www.yorku.ca/crs/)• The Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) is an organized research unit of York
University. This site provides information on events, publications and resources relevant to refugees.
Slide 36Education Changes the World
Thank You and Good Luck!
Slide 37Education Changes the World
1404 Scott, Ottawa, ON, K1Y 4M8, Canada
613.798.7477 / 1.800.267.8699 613.798.0990