JIAS CANADA HELPS LEAD THE WAY TO PROFESSIONALIZATION OF SETTLEMENT WORKERS

The Canadian Council for Refugees’ Taskforce on Professionalization of Settlement Workers (Co-Chaired by Mila Voihanski of JIAS Canada and Diane Fisher of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society) is working to achieve Professionalization and Accreditation in the sector. 

Professionalization has been a concern and aspiration of the sector for a number of years.  It has been addressed and developed at a number of key forums and, at the professional level, there has been some strong and fruitful work completed in both British Columbia and Alberta.  However the Taskforce will address the subject as a pan-Canadian issue.  They are looking for agreed definitions, pan-Canada settlement competencies, the implementation of appropriate training for settlement workers, a system for formal accreditation and the establishment of appropriate salary scales.  The Co-Chairs of the Taskforce are working closely with Deborah Spurr, Director of Integration Branch of Citizenship and Immigration Canada to this end.

The Group has made a decision to put forward a proposal to the Integration Branch of the CIC for a 2 year grant towards the five year project.