Along
with my friends and family, I felt helpless as I watched events unfold in Syria
and neighbouring countries. In the past I would have made a donation through a
charitable organization and hoped it would be well used.
This time was
different.
I knew that my family and community could make a tangible difference
in the life of a family forced to flee Syria for a refugee camp. Having worked
for several years in a community health centre, I had the opportunity to get
know many new Canadians and the struggles they face, both with the immigration
process and upon arrival in Canada. With our pooled resources and broad
collection of skills, I knew we would be able to welcome and support a family
as they made a new life in Canada.
I sent a "putting out feelers"
email to my friends and family and was immediately rewarded with dozens of
replies from people who were looking for a way to make a difference. Some
offered generous financial support while others offered time, specific skills,
donations of furniture and clothing as well as help with settlement in the
community. Those who offered help included friends who were immigrants
themselves or adult children of refugees fleeing earlier conflicts.
After
researching the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) site, I thought of
completing a "group of five" application. In the meantime, I
contacted the Ottawa United Way for any information or assistance they could
offer. Fortunately, I connected with Joan Highet who suggested we also consider
working with an existing Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH).
My next fortunate
connection was with Donald Smith, the chair of the refugee working group with
the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, a sponsorship agreement holder. Donald welcomed
our group as a constituent group of the SAH. He provided us with huge amounts
of information about the sponsorship process and agreed to meet with our group
for an evening. Following that meeting, we knew that this was the particular
path to sponsorship that we would take.
Next, we contacted the sponsorship
support group at the University of Ottawa for pro bono legal assistance;
however, the sponsoring process is much more streamlined working through a SAH
and little was needed in this area.
We have organized ourselves based on the
information provided by the Diocese as well as that on the CIC site and have
come up with a detailed settlement plan for when the family arrives. These
details include arranging housing and medical care, registering in schools and English
as a second language programs, helping with OHIP, SIN and bus pass
applications, helping with a job search and even details such as stocking a
pantry. An even larger responsibility will be the social and psychological
support we will need to provide for the family upon arrival. Many refugees have
been victims of, or exposed to, violence and torture. Experiencing these
horrors and also being uprooted from your home is difficult to imagine. Members
of our group have offered to welcome the family into their homes in the early
days after arrival as well as to orient them to the community and available
services.
We are now at the point of being matched to a blended visa office
refugee (BVOR) family. As soon as we are matched and have an approximate
arrival date, it will be time to put our plans in action. We realize that the
ground work we have done is just the tip of the iceberg in the sponsorship
process and anticipate many challenges to come. We have also come to realize
how many refugees from other countries are in camps and on waiting lists for
Canadian sponsorship. Our hope is that their applications will not take a back
seat to the Syrian crisis. While our official responsibility as sponsors will
end at 12 months, we foresee a long lasting relationship with the sponsored
family members in the years to follow. As Don Smith of the Anglican Diocese put
it: "Refugee sponsorship is a life changing event." and we feel privileged
to be a part of it.
by Susan Whitley
Co-ordinator, Manotick Refugee Sponsorship Group
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