Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Communities: What Will It Take?
Suggested Readings for Delegates:
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This macro study documents the results of eight roundtables the Policy Research Initiative, in partnership with key stakeholdes, conducted across Canada. The roundtables addressed two questions: how to foster diversity without divisiveness and 2) whether Canada's multiculturalism policies need review in light of today's social and geopolitical realities. In a nutshell, the paper examines the evolution and changing paradigm within which multiculturalism exists in Canada and how this reality must be reflected in policy development.
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In both Canada and Australia the provision and financing of services and programmes arising from high levels of immigration issues involve federal, state/provincial and municipal levels of government. National governments manage immigration but the impacts are expressed sub-nationally, so there is an on-going process of negotiation between national and state/provincial governments over who pays for the services and programmes needed by immigrants. At the local level, the same types of issues arise. This paper focuses on municipal services in Sydney and Vancouver and through survey research addresses the success with which local government has initiated multicultural planning in response to cultural diversity across its range of functions. We ask, how multiculturally ready are local governments in the two metropolitan areas to serve their diverse populations?
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This 2002 paper reports on a survey of multicultural policies and programs used by metropolitan Vancouver's municipal councils. The survey reports o the use of: interpreting and translation services, distribution of policies to a range of sites and organizations; consultation and participation programs; targeting of specific groups in the community; and contact with cultural advocacy groups. The results show that while these policies are more common in 'older' municipalities with high numbers of immigrants they are rarely used in municipalities at the metropolitan periphery which are likely to take large numbers of immigrants in future years. To provide a framework for the survey the paper discusses the role played by local governments in developing multicultural policy and programs.
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This toolkit was developed by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association to meet their organizational long-term strategic objectives to help foster communities that “are tolerant and caring places where citizens realize their individual potential, and form strong bonds of mutual support." The AUMA Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Toolkit is not simply about fighting racism. It is about creating communities with positive reputations, where diversity adds to the social and economic vibrancy of the community and the quality of life enjoyed by all residents.
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Attracting & Retaining Immigrants
Many communities are interested in attracting more immigrants to boost their population or fill labour force needs. However, attracting immigrants is not always easy, especially for municipalities outside major metropolitan centres. Furthermore, many immigrants who move to smaller centres end up leaving due to a lack of services and social opportunities. The National Working Group on Smaller Centres Strategies has created Attracting and Retaining Immigrants: A Toolbox of Ideas for Smaller Centres. The Toolbox provides a variety of ideas municipalities can put to use in developing a plan to recruit newcomers who will stay for the long term.
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Many program and service planners face the challenge of creating a welcoming environment for all community members. Because there are many aspects to identity and because exclusion can relate to a wide range of barriers, developing effective strategies to support full participation can be difficult and complex. The concept of “social inclusion” provides a useful framework that can help guide the development of comprehensive strategies to support the open and welcome participation of all people in community life. The Everybody’s Welcome booklet has been developed for use by people planning recreation and parks services and programs in BC. The publication is intended to support program and service planners who want to understand more about the concept of social inclusion so they can work to create community facilities, programs, and services that are open and responsive to the needs of all members of the community
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How Strangers Become Neighbours:Constructing Citizenship through Neighbourhood Comunity Development
Gathering places and public spaces are increasingly rare in our urban neighbourhoods. Places in our cities that allow you to communicate with your neighbours, share ideas and collaborate on projects. Places where people can come together. Vancouver, like other cities, was not designed with public squares, and although malls may seem to be the new public space, they do not fulfill the purpose of being free, open to all, and a connecting force. Neighbourhood Houses fill that void. The purpose of this manual is to describe how a neighbourhood institution called Collingwood Neighbourhood House approaches citizenship and community building.
