In 2018, CCR member organizations and allies were asked to share their initiatives, practices and resources that connect the work they are doing with newcomers to Canada with Indigenous communities.
CCR member organizations responded with practices and initiatives that fall principally in the following categories:
- Commitment from the organization’s leadership: commitments to nurture strong Indigenous-newcomer relations in the organization’s strategic plan, for example.
- Partnerships with Indigenous Peoples: Such partnerships include working with Indigenous facilitators and Cultural Advisors to co-host conferences and other events that enable inter-cultural dialogue.
- Treaty and land acknowledgements: land acknowledgements may be spoken at events and written in email signatures, letterhead and websites.
- Staff training: Training includes workshops on inclusion, Indigenous Awareness/Bridge-Building and training in the Kairos Blanket Exercise.
- Educational materials: materials include videos, power point presentations and language-learning materials.
- Events and programs for education and dialogue: programs range from classroom activities to workshops and conferences to facilitate understanding and discussion of Indigenous Peoples’ history and current realities.
This web page is a place to find resources and practices relating to building bridges between newcomers and Indigenous peoples. If you have a resource or practice to share, or any comments or questions, contact CCR Settlement Policy Director Marisa Berry Méndez at mberrymendez@ccrweb.ca.
The IRCOM Model
Nurturing strong relations between Indigenous and newcomer communities has guided the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba's (IRCOM) strategy and programming for over a decade. Read about their practices here.