ENHANCING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY FOR INCLUSIVITY

On December 19th, 2024, our director, Roxana Fazli, received an award letter from the Office of Public Engagement at Memorial University of Newfoundland to lead a project titled “Volunteer Engagement for Increased Inclusiveness of Services” in collaboration with the Collective Interchange Cooperative. The Inclusive Horizons Centre served as the project’s delivery partner.

The primary goal of this project is to facilitate employment opportunities for marginalized groups through a structured program consisting of short-term, customized training followed by four months of mentorship and hands-on work experience in a Canadian work environment. A significant systemic issue affecting immigrants’ access to employment is difficulties in securing jobs without Canadian work experience or degrees, despite often being highly educated and skilled in their respective fields. This challenge results in the overrepresentation of immigrant women in precarious employment.

This project aims to address these challenges by helping immigrants establish meaningful connections in the workforce, providing them with valuable Canadian work experience, and offering references and referrals to other organizations. Additionally, the project seeks to improve system navigation, which is a barrier for immigrant communities in accessing resources. All volunteers and interns involved in this project act as ambassadors within their communities, connecting them with services provided by community partner organizations. Furthermore, these interns and volunteers will bring diverse perspectives to the creation of social media content, enhancing the project’s outreach and impact.