SPEAKER: Anna Belanger, RAP Program Manager; LINC/ESL Coordinator
Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre (NFAMC)
TOPIC: Refugee Assistance Program (RAP)
In light of Lincoln Rotary's recent outreach to NFAMC to build its 2022-23 District Grant Project Proposal, Anna's presentation featured the Centre's leadership with the Afghan Refugee RAP in Niagara.
NFAMC, as a Service Provider Organization (SPO), delivers on behalf of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), various settlement and orientation services to Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) in their transition to Canada.
The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) assists GARs when they first arrive in Canada by providing settlement support for up to one year. Through collaborative partnerships with other organizations, RAP provides GARs with immediate and essential services generally within four to six weeks of arrival in Canada. NFAMC was selected by Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to operate as the first Refugee Reception Centre in Niagara for the resettlement of Afghan refugees.
For an overview of A Refugee’s Resettlement Journey to Canada- https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Currently, NFAMC has welcomed 4 Afghan refugee families to Niagara with another 21 families expected in the coming months. To meet the humanitarian needs of these families destined for Niagara from their Port Of Entry in Canada, they are met by the NFAMC RAP team at the Reception Hotel located in Niagara, where they will stay for up to 6 weeks until they find permanent housing. NFAMC offers the following immediate services upon the clients’ arrival at the Reception Hotel:
- Assistance with food and accommodations and basic household needs
- Holistic in depth Needs Assessment and Settlement Plan for each client
- Life Skills Orientation, Registration for school (both child and parent), provision of supplies/resources, including food nutrition and dietary restrictions/allergen awareness
- Assessment of language, education and health needs
- Information and Orientation Session
- Introduction to service providers in the community
- Assistance with interpretation and transportation
- Providing a daily monetary allowance
- Ongoing Settlement Services and support through RAP, is continued for up to one year after the clients’ departure from the Reception Hotel.
Finding affordable permanent housing is a major challenge for refugee families. Two of the Afghan families have found homes in Niagara while the other two have moved on - one to Mississauga and the other to London because they were successful in finding employment and housing in these communities.
Anna concluded her presentation by thanking Lincoln Rotary for reaching out to determine how the club could best invest in Afghan refugee support through a DISTRICT GRANT PROJECT. She applauded the club's plan to equip at least FIVE Afghan families each with a new laptop computer loaded with Microsoft Office Software, etc.