A Comprehensive Regional Response to Immigrant Employment

1. A ComprehensiveRegional Response to Immigrant Employment The Waterloo Region Story November, 2007 Rich Janzen www.communitybasedresearch.ca

2. Why a Response is Needed? • Promote well being of immigrants and their families (strong lives) • Contribute to a prosperous economy (strong economy) • Build healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities (strong communities)

3. Why a Comprehensive Regional Response? Why comprehensive? • Barriers are complex…solutions should be as well • Not a special interest issue—a mainstream issue • Multiple stakeholders share responsibility (immigrants, business, government, community organizations, education, non-government funders) Why regional? • Employment happens in community • Increasing recognition of local community role—work in tandem with provincial/federal partners

4. The Waterloo Region Story • Chapter I – Immigrant Skills Summit (2005) • Chapter II – Preparatory Phase (2005-2006) • Chapter III – Launch of WRIEN (2006-2009) • Chapter IV – ? (after 2009)

5. Chapter I: The Summit • Morning of April 28, 2005 – MTCU Minister Chambers as keynote. • 5 pre-Summit task groups (employer initiatives, qualification recognition/enhancement, immigrant support, attraction, Council structure) • Input and commitment to comprehensive set of action plans • Attended by over 175 people from 6 stakeholder segments at each table • Still maintain 350 person email network

6. Chapter II: Preparatory Phase • To answer the following, as of yet, unanswered questions arising from the Summit: • Who would host the immigrant employment network? • Who would provide funding for the network and its activities? • Who would staff the network? • What are the terms of reference for the Work Groups and Steering Committee? • What are the activities of the network and how would these relate with the existing work of immigrant employment agencies in the region?

7. Prep Phase – Leadership • Co-led by the Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce and CREHS • Funded by: • KW Community Foundation (Jim and Sue Hallman Fund; TD Canada Trust Merv Lahn Community Development Fund) • McDonald Green of Cambridge • Cambridge Chamber of Commerce • Communitech • Canada Technology Triangle Inc • Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce • Centre for Research and Education in Human Services

8. Prep Phase – PPAG Members Government -Sharree Mahood (HRSDC) -Mike Murray (Region of Waterloo) Education -Mitali De (WLU) -Bob McIver (Conestoga College) Nongovernment Funders -Tracey Robertson (Ontario Trillium Foundation) -Rosemary Smith (KW Community Foundation) -Jan Varner (United Way of Kitchener Waterloo and Area) Co-Facilitators -Todd Letts (Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce) -Rich Janzen (Centre for Research and Education in Human Services) Immigrant Leaders -Gebre Berihuin -Jassy Narayan Business -Helen Jowett (MacDonald Green and Cambridge Chamber) -John Keating (ComDev) -Jo Taylor (Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber) -Craig Bremner (TD Canada Trust)   -Paul Smith (Manulife)  Community Based Organizations -Marlene Kramer (New Canadian Program) -Stephanie Mancini (The Working Centre) -Ines Sousa-Batista (Cambridge YMCA Immigrant Services) -Linda Terry (Social Planning Council of Cambridge and North Dumfries)

9. Chapter III: WRIEN – Mission • To bring together cross-sectoral stakeholders for the purpose of better attracting immigrant talent and ensuring immigrants are much more visible and successful within recruitment and selection processes undertaken by employers in Waterloo Region. • Three year mandate

10. Employer Initiatives Immigrant Attraction & Welcome Qualification Recognition & Enhancement WRIEN Steering Committee Work group reps, immigrant/employers, and Network host Immigrant Support Investments WRIEN – Organizational Chart

12. WRIEN – Objectives • to strategically orient and support employers in hiring immigrants and successfully integrating them into the workplace and the broader community. (employer initiatives) • to ensure that the prior learning and credentials of immigrants are recognized and enhanced to the benefit of Waterloo Region. (qualification recognition and enhancement) • to better equip immigrants in overcoming their employment barriers. (immigrant support) • to strategically recruit and retain immigrant skills to the benefit of Waterloo Region. (immigrant attraction) • to ensure financial viability of the network’s operations by recruiting investments from all stakeholders.(investments) • to engage community leaders region-wide in strategically promoting the activities and objectives of the Network. (steering committee)

13. WRIEN – Value Added • Facilitate the development of a comprehensive overall regional strategy • Table and assist in the resolution of overlaps and gaps in service delivery • Act as a clearing-house of information on immigrant employment programs/services • Provide a framework from which priorities and strategic choices can be made • Act as a catalyst (not a bureaucracy) to encourage the efforts of existing programs • Create synergies among and integrate (not duplicate) the many community initiatives promoting immigrant employment • Facilitate partnerships among all stakeholders • Advocate on behalf of various stakeholders to ensure efficient allocation of financial resources of various funding bodies • Lever more investment from senior levels of government for regional immigrant employment initiatives • Lobby senior level governments and professional bodies to make legislative changes that facilitate more immigrant employment. • Work collaboratively with service providers to support and encourage the good work that is currently underway.

14. WRIEN – Steering Committee “A comprehensive, region-wide amplified voice” • Common communications strategy • Systemic advocacy • Information clearinghouse • Evaluation

15. WRIEN – Work Groups • Each focus on one element of the overall Network agenda • Determine their own priorities and activities, building on Summit • Seek funding as needed • Advise, inform and make requests of the Steering Committee • Open, broad–based membership • Self-select leadership

16. WRIEN – HostGreater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce • Perceived neutrality • Regional reach • Cross-sectoral appeal • Capacity for sustainability • Logistical/physical capacity to host • Agreement with governance structure as determined through preparatory phase • Ability to pursue funding from diverse sources

17. WRIEN – Funding • 7 local core funders • Regional Municipality of Waterloo • Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation • Ontario Trillium Foundation • United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo • Hallman Foundation • United Way of Cambridge & North Dumfries • Bridgeway Foundation • Additional project project funding has been received (e.g., employer engagement)

18. WRIEN – Evaluation • Process and outcomes of WRIEN • Led by the Centre for Community Based Research • Systems change evaluation…. to determine the extent to which a collaborative, multi-stakeholder and region-wide process strengthened immigrant lives, the local economy and the community-at-large.

19. Three Main Evaluation Questions

20. Proposed Evaluation Methods

21. Some Early (2006) Indicators of Engagement • Active promotion of Summit and WRIEN by partners • Keen desire to be on Advisory Group and WRIEN Steering committee • Continued active involvement on all task groups • 350 diverse people on email loop • Conflict emerged and resolved • Commitment of 7 local funders to fund WRIEN ($900,000 over 3 years) • Financial support and leadership of business community

22. Chapter IV: After 2009 • Presently beginning to talk about a future beyond WRIEN’s three year mandate www.wrien.com

23. Future Contact Rich Janzen, Research Director Centre for Community Based Research 73 King Street West, Suite 300 Kitchener, ON, Canada N2G 1A7 Phone: (519) 741-1318 Fax: (519) 741-8262 E-mail: rich@communitybasedresearch.ca Website: www.communitybasedresearch.ca