Evidence of meeting #37 for Status of Women in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was youth.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin
Yes, the committee can always submit questions to the clerk in writing after a committee meeting. The clerk will then take care of corresponding with the witness.
Conservative
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
So, Ms. Mo will prepare the details and send them to the clerk, for all the committee members. Is that right?
NDP
NDP
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Thank you very much.
It's very nice to have both of you here. Thank you for the good work you do in both your organizations.
Ms. Julian, what is one concrete idea or specific thing this committee can do to help youth and women in your organization?
Member, Youth Council, Assembly of First Nations
A concrete area under the three that were addressed here would most likely be employment in terms of helping young women to achieve economically in today's society--specifically in employment, types of funding that promote more aboriginal skills, employment training strategies that are geared to program development.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
We're trying to work to achieve the goal of economic help for young women.
Member, Youth Council, Assembly of First Nations
Yes, and the Assembly of First Nations has further information besides the three we have here. We have such a substantial number of requests from 633 first nations communities that we can provide direct links to answer your question, to follow up. Would you like that?
Member, Youth Council, Assembly of First Nations
Our funding comes from the federal government, and the partnerships that we develop are to focus on the education, employment, and safety and security of young girls.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Ms. Mo, I have the same question for you. What concrete idea or specific thing can you suggest we do to help youth and women within the context of the immigrant community?
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
Fund more research on how the educational system is working with newcomers. For example, in Ottawa only three schools offer classes for English literacy development and English as a second language, so youth have to travel across town for an hour and a half every morning to attend school. That doesn't work. We need more ELD and ESL classes.
Another thing that I feel is absolutely necessary is that educational training needs to be improved. I'm a bit shocked that our teachers aren't better versed in globalization trends, immigration and refugee issues. OCISO, my program, does professional development for teachers. It's something extra that we do, and nobody pays for it.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Ms. Mo, what percentage of immigrants versus refugees come to your organization?
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
About 25% are refugees.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
The remaining 75% come to your organization for what particular kind of help?
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
Employment for internationally trained professionals and other adult immigrants is very, very sad. If they do work, immigrant women work part-time, and they're very, very menial jobs. Many of them don't work. Where they come into counselling is after they've been underemployed or unemployed. If you're a newcomer, even for six months, by the end of year one you're depressed. Many of them come in that way.
As I said, our career mentoring program for internationally trained professionals is one of our most positive programs, and it's growing.
There are also other issues: violence, housing, difficulties with adolescent children who are not doing well at school, and cultural confidence. The demographic profile of our school administrators and teachers is not changing in comparison to the new population of Ottawa, so there are a lot of language and cultural issues with parents trying to communicate with school administration.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
If a family is coming for counselling, generally how long do they have to wait for an appointment at OCISO?
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
It depends on the language. It's five weeks to two months, depending on the language.
Liberal
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
Ten, but most of them work part-time. We have 5.5 FTEs. As I said, the counselling program gets no money from the federal government. We get City of Ottawa, United Way, and some foundation funding, and it's all because that's deemed as health, which is provincial.
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
It's 5.5 full-time equivalents.
Manager, Counselling Program, Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
Meaning that most of the team works part-time.