Call for Proposals from Local Host Organizations
The CCR is launching a project to apply a gender-based approach to
settlement
services and policies. We are seeking organizations to host local
meetings within and beyond the settlement sector.
The objectives of the project are to:
1. Increase understanding of how gender impacts the
settlement and
integration process;
2. Assist settlement organizations in at least 5 provinces
to
develop resources for implementing and evaluating a gender-based
analysis in
their programs and services;
3. Identify the impact of government settlement and
integration
policies and programs on gender equality;
4. Begin to advocate for changes to such policies and
programs to
make them more consistent with the principles of gender equality
enshrined in
the Canadian Constitution.
Gender is created and
re-created with different meanings depending on
communities, cultures and locations. It is often expressed in our
roles,
responsibilities and behaviours.
Social and economic systems are gendered, meaning these systems affect
people
differently (giving advantage to some and imposing disadvantage on
some)
depending on their gender. Gender oppression is often experienced
in
combination or intersection with various forms of oppression and
discrimination. It is important to consider these points of
intersection
throughout the gender analysis process.
*Who
is
the head of a household and how is this concept gendered? How
does this
concept affect youth who have come to Canada without an adult guardian?
*When, to whom and how is anti-violence against women education offered
to
refugees and immigrants in Canada? Does anti-violence education
adequately consider race?
*Have you considered that the mother seeking your advice in the context
of
divorcing her husband might need to be connected with a lesbian mothers
peer
group? How can your services and space make disclosure easier for such
women?"
* Do your services include ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation
or LSQ
(Qubec Sign Language)? How can needs be met for refugees and
immigrants
of the Deaf culture who do not communicate in one of the official
languages of
Canada (French or English)?
*What does it mean to come out (or declare one's sexual orientation) as
an
immigrant in various communities?
*Why are many services relating to food security primarily focussed on
women
and mothers?
*What would you say to a young refugee woman who is questioning her
gender identity?
*How are employment programs tailored to men? How do they exclude
immigrant and refugee women?
*Why is child care not provided for the immigrant mens group that meets
every
Tuesday afternoon?
These are just a few of the questions one can ask when approaching
the
settlement sector in Canada from a gender-sensitive perspective.
While
there is no formula for answering these questions, they can initiate
discussion
and engage us in the work of improving settlement services and
policies.
If you have asked any of these questions or others like them, or if you
are
curious about the implications of these questions, the CCR invites your
participation in the Gender-based Approach to Settlement Project in
2006!
As a part of the project, local hosts will organize meetings in
several
locations across Canada to:
1. Raise awareness about gender analysis and the need for it in
the
settlement sector while gathering questions and information for
analyzing
barriers to settlement from a gender perspective. These questions
and
information will inform the development of a resource tool (booklet)
for
applying gender sensitive practices;
2. Put forward recommendations for policy change.
The CCR will provide guidelines for the organization of the meetings,
including
which sectors to invite, the format and agenda of the meetings (a
variety of
options will be offered) and $1,000 in seed money.
Local host organizations will be expected to identify the type of
participants
to be invited in their community (see list below) , send out
invitations,
provide or find appropriate space to host the meeting(s), provide
refreshments,
provide childcare as needed, plan the meeting based on agenda options
provided
by CCR, moderate the meeting(s) (either one full day meeting or two
half-day
meetings), and submit a written report to the CCR on the meeting
outcomes.
Type of participants: It is hoped that different meetings will
focus on
different types of participants to give a variety of inputs. For
example,
meetings might focus on one or more of the following:
- settlement service providers (frontline, managers, executive
directors,
English/French as Second Language teachers)
- users of settlement services (youth, seniors, more and less recently
arrived
in Canada, mens only group)
- advocacy groups
- equity-seeking groups
- disAbility groups
- womens groups (shelters, family violence, group)
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer groups
- Transgender, Transexual, Intersex, Genderqueer groups
- religious organizations (involved in settlement)
- private sponsors
- different levels of government (including Status of Women)
- Boards of education, health providers, youth protection
By way of follow up to the local meetings, the CCR will offer a
workshop at its
international conference 17-19 June 2006 in Toronto, further refine a
resource
tool for practicing a gender-based approach in refugee- and
immigrant-serving
agencies, and produce recommendations for policy change.
The CCR will use the following criteria in selecting organizations
to host
local meetings:
1. Organizational and material
capacities, in
terms of resources and facilities they can offer, including space
accessibility
(ASL interpretation, wheelchair-accessible, etc.) and experience
organizing similar events.
2. Networking capacities: knowledge of
relevant
players in the community, including refugees and immigrants, NGOs
within and
beyond the settlement sector, government, academia, etc.
3. Interest in developing and/or
commitment to
anti-oppression analysis and the ways in which racism, xenophobia,
classism,
sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism intersect.
Applicants
are encouraged to outline how they hope to learn and apply gender
analysis to
their agency after the completion of their local meeting(s).
4. Geographic location: Meetings
are to be
held in 10 communities across the country, in at least 5 provinces,
with
representation from rural, town and urban contexts.
5. Connection to the CCR: Among
otherwise
equal candidates, preference will be given to CCR member organizations,
especially those with a high degree of involvement in CCR activities.
6. Willingness on the part of the
organization to
undertake the project in partnership with the CCR, and to fully agree
on the
terms of the contract.
7. Strong facilitation resource person(s)
available. Applicants are encouraged to name the facilitator(s)
they
intend to have at their local meeting(s) and describe facilitator(s)
experience
and skills.
8. Type of participation applicants
anticipate
drawing into local meeting(s). An effort will be made to have a balance
of
diverse representation across local meetings. Hosts will also be
expected
to address issues of diversity within the groups they are inviting
(e.g. if
newly arrived immigrants, is there diversity among those immigrants
represented?)
Organizations in the same municipality are encouraged to work in
collaboration
and host a meeting jointly.
If you would like to host a local meeting, please send a comprehensive
application to Julie Mooney, Project Coordinator at