DIVERSEcity's Refugee Support Fund
Donation protected
The scope and intensity of Syria’s civil war has produced one of the worst humanitarian disasters of our time. More than half the population of Syria are either refugees or internally displaced. Over 12 million refugees (half of them, children) have fled their homes to escape the violence as thousands continue to make the perilous journeys to neighbouring countries. The safe resettlement of Syrian refugees in Canada is desperately needed.
The Initiative:
In response to the Canadian government’s commitment to resettle 1,000 Syrian refugees in Surrey by the end of this year, DIVERSEcity is looking for financial contributions to assist with this ambitious resettlement plan.
The DIVERSEcity Refugee Support Fund will go towards housing assistance, medical and dental supplies, toiletries, diapers, clothing and bus tickets. Contingent upon the level of funding received through this campaign, the scope of our efforts may be expanded to include additional programming based upon the needs of refugee resettlement.
The Context:
In 2014 28 countries including Canada resettled 74,000 refugees. In 2016 the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has requested over 1.15 million refugee resettlement spaces to assist in the crisis. This need for resettlement continues to grow but countries have been slow to respond.
The government of Canada has committed to the resettlement of 25,000 Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), a significant increase from the current commitments of between 5800 and 6500 per year. This response would be the largest refugee resettlement plan since 1980 at the height of the South East Asian refugee crisis.
2800 Syrian refugees will be expected to be resettled in British Columbia, most likely, by the end of this year. As Surrey has the largest refugee population and has a successful history in the resettlement of many refugee populations, it is expected that we will receive a third of British Columbia’s intake.
Our Role:
DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society (DIVERSEcity) has played an integral role in the resettlement of refugees and immigrants in Surrey and the Fraser Valley area since its establishment in 1978. As the longest immigrant serving organization in the Fraser Valley, we have expertise in trauma counselling as well as employment services. Our clients are an even distribution of many ethnic groups and program delivery in first language is our niche. This holistic approach to service delivery has proved to ensure the successful integration of newcomers to Canada.
DIVERSEcity offers innovative and successful programs to assist refugee populations with their settlement needs including the Vulnerable Immigrant Population Program (VIPP) Moving Ahead program and the First Steps Early Years Refugee Settlement Program. VIPP provides individualized support to vulnerable immigrant and refugee newcomers (youth and adults) through an integrated, holistic and client-centered model. The First Steps Early Years Refugee Settlement Program serves both newly arrived refugee children and their caregivers. This project works to minimize the impact of trauma and the refugee experience on the growth and development of the children and their caregivers; shorten the pathway of integration and provide information on parenting in the Canadian context; help clients to navigate Canadian systems, health and wellness; and support the children to engage in such ways that prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond.
Our programs continue to expand and change to reflect the unique needs of the diverse community we serve. We have a strong commitment to raising awareness of the economic and cultural contributions refugees make to Canadian society, and to raising awareness of the value of diversity.
DIVERSEcity wants to thank-you for your help in assisting the refugees we welcome to Canada. Your contributions are truly appreciated as they will make a lasting impact in the lives of those we help.
The Initiative:
In response to the Canadian government’s commitment to resettle 1,000 Syrian refugees in Surrey by the end of this year, DIVERSEcity is looking for financial contributions to assist with this ambitious resettlement plan.
The DIVERSEcity Refugee Support Fund will go towards housing assistance, medical and dental supplies, toiletries, diapers, clothing and bus tickets. Contingent upon the level of funding received through this campaign, the scope of our efforts may be expanded to include additional programming based upon the needs of refugee resettlement.
The Context:
In 2014 28 countries including Canada resettled 74,000 refugees. In 2016 the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has requested over 1.15 million refugee resettlement spaces to assist in the crisis. This need for resettlement continues to grow but countries have been slow to respond.
The government of Canada has committed to the resettlement of 25,000 Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), a significant increase from the current commitments of between 5800 and 6500 per year. This response would be the largest refugee resettlement plan since 1980 at the height of the South East Asian refugee crisis.
2800 Syrian refugees will be expected to be resettled in British Columbia, most likely, by the end of this year. As Surrey has the largest refugee population and has a successful history in the resettlement of many refugee populations, it is expected that we will receive a third of British Columbia’s intake.
Our Role:
DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society (DIVERSEcity) has played an integral role in the resettlement of refugees and immigrants in Surrey and the Fraser Valley area since its establishment in 1978. As the longest immigrant serving organization in the Fraser Valley, we have expertise in trauma counselling as well as employment services. Our clients are an even distribution of many ethnic groups and program delivery in first language is our niche. This holistic approach to service delivery has proved to ensure the successful integration of newcomers to Canada.
DIVERSEcity offers innovative and successful programs to assist refugee populations with their settlement needs including the Vulnerable Immigrant Population Program (VIPP) Moving Ahead program and the First Steps Early Years Refugee Settlement Program. VIPP provides individualized support to vulnerable immigrant and refugee newcomers (youth and adults) through an integrated, holistic and client-centered model. The First Steps Early Years Refugee Settlement Program serves both newly arrived refugee children and their caregivers. This project works to minimize the impact of trauma and the refugee experience on the growth and development of the children and their caregivers; shorten the pathway of integration and provide information on parenting in the Canadian context; help clients to navigate Canadian systems, health and wellness; and support the children to engage in such ways that prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond.
Our programs continue to expand and change to reflect the unique needs of the diverse community we serve. We have a strong commitment to raising awareness of the economic and cultural contributions refugees make to Canadian society, and to raising awareness of the value of diversity.
DIVERSEcity wants to thank-you for your help in assisting the refugees we welcome to Canada. Your contributions are truly appreciated as they will make a lasting impact in the lives of those we help.
Organizer
Laura Mannix
Organizer
Surrey, BC
