Mar. 2017 Events – (Online, Burnaby, Richmond, Vancouver)

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Wednesday, March 1 (11:30-12:30pm) Online Webinar: Live Demo of the Personal Planning Registry

Wednesday, March 8 (11:30-12:30pm) Online Webinar: Planning for Health and Personal Care

Wednesday, March 22 (11:30-12:30pm) Online Webinar: Planning for Financial and Legal Matters

  • March 2-April 27 (Wed & Thurs): Little Mountain Neighbourhood House at 3981 Main Street, Vancouver presents Free Income Tax Clinics

These clinics are offered to low income immigrants, students and seniors. You may be eligible if you have a simple tax situation and meet the suggested family income level. Your 2016 income was less than $30,000/individual or $40,000/couple. See poster for details. Please make appointment with Kim or Andrew by calling 604-879-7104.

Celebrate West Coast LEAF and International Women’s Day at the best event this side of noon!

Keynote speaker: Dr. Cindy Blackstock is Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and a professor in the School of Social Work at McGill University. A member of the Gitksan First Nation, Cindy has 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous children’s rights.

Get tickets online. Sales end March 7.

  • March 6-13 (Various Dates): People’s Law School 1004presents the following events in Burnaby and Vancouver:

Monday, March 6 (1:00-2:30pm) Richmond Public Library – 7700 Minoru Gate: Power of Attorney (Cantonese) – Contact 604-231-6413 or click here to register.

Monday, March 6 (7:00-8:30pm) Burnaby Public Library – 4595 Albert Street: Wills & Estates – Contact 604-299-8955 or click here to register.

Monday, March 6 (7:00-8:30pm) Burnaby Public Library – 6100 Willingdon Ave: Criminal Law – Steps Involved in a Criminal Case – Contact 604-436-5400 or click here to register.

Wednesday, March 8 (7:00-8:30pm) Burnaby Public Library – 7311 Kingsway: Bullying Between Older Adults in Social Spaces – Contact 604-522-3971 or click here to register.

Monday, March 13 (1:00-2:30pm) Richmond Public Library – 7700 Minoru Gate: Last Will and Testament (Cantonese) – Contact 604-231-6413 or click here to register.

The BC Society Act, which provides the rules for governance and incorporation of non-profits, officially proclaimed important changes on November 28, 2016. There will be a two year transition period by which time all societies in BC will have to make the switch to the new Act. This workshop will provide the information on the bylaw and policy changes necessary for your organization to effectively make the transition when the new Act is proclaimed.

Register Online. Tickets are $50.

  • Tuesday, March 21 (6:00-8:00pm): At the Downtown Vancouver Public Library (Alma VanDusen & Peter Kaye Rooms), join a public forum on Making a Plan for Justice.

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racism – Join us for a public forum about access to BC’s justice system and the importance of public legal education. Speakers include: Kasari Govender, Executive Director, West Coast LEAF / Aleem Bharmal, Executive Director, Community Legal Assistance Society / Rick Craig, Executive Director, Justice Education Society / Lynda Hydamaka, Self-Represented Litigant in Provincial Family Court / Bill Veenstra, Vice-President, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch.

Free Event. Light refreshments provided. Reserve your seats at mable.elmore.mla@leg.bc.ca or 604.775.1033.

The urgency of Canada’s Access to Justice crisis – where more than half of family litigants and around one third of civil litigants now come to court without a lawyer – is attracting growing attention with the justice system. But is A2J is an issue that the public cares deeply about? Surely, if the public were really concerned about A2J, we would hear campaigning politicians talking about it?

Drawing on data from the National Self-Represented Litigants Project, Julie Macfarlane will argue that we under-estimate the importance of A2J to growing numbers of people, and especially those both directly and indirectly affected by the self-represented litigant phenomenon. What will it take for this experience to be directly reflected in our political discourse?

Free to attend. No registration required.

Passed in 2010, Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) is developed to help Canadian individuals, businesses and organizations deal with spam and other electronic threats. CASL limits online commercial messages and prohibits unwanted downloads of programs. All Canadian organizations must comply with the Act, including nonprofits, charities, and libraries. On March 22nd, Maanit Zemel, Principal and Founder of MTZ Law (www.casllaw.ca), will walk nonprofits through the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) for Non-Profits and Charities, and the next deadline for CASL that will come into effect on July 1st, 2017.

Register Online.

Stay informed:

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Organization of the Month | February 2017

Introduction to the RSTP

The Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) supports groups interested in the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program, through which Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents can engage in the resettlement of refugees.

RSTP works with many different types of sponsoring groups: Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) and their Constituent Groups (CGs), Groups of Five, and Community Sponsors across Canada (excluding Quebec).

The increase in interest in the PSR program and involvement from the public in the resettlement of Syrian refugees that Canada has witnessed since September 2015 dramatically increased demand for RSTP services. With additional funding support, RSTP has been able to expand its staff and programs to assist sponsors across the country. For the first time, RSTP placed Trainers in Vancouver and Halifax to provide more intensive regional support.

What do we do?

RSTP addresses information and ongoing training needs of private sponsorship groups (PSGs), and the initial information needs of sponsored refugees.

RSTP provides training to sponsorship groups via:

  • Webinar presentations
  • Workshops
  • Information sessions
  • Training manuals and guides
  • Online-based training courses

RSTP keeps sponsors informed about policy updates via:

  • Information sessions
  • E-mail distribution lists
  • the RSTP Website (rstp.ca)

RSTP assists sponsors with their case-specific questions by:

RSTP in Western Canada

The RSTP Trainer in Vancouver, BC works closely with PSGs in Alberta and British Columbia. RSTP’s activities in Western Canada include:

Workshops and Training Sessions

RSTP offers trainings and workshops to ensure that PSGs understand the requirements of the program and the level of commitment needed, assist them with preparing application packages and guide them through the sponsorship process. RSTP emphasizes post-arrival issues that private sponsors may encounter and make sure that they receive the necessary assistance with providing settlement support to sponsored refugees.

Support with case-specific inquiries

RSTP responds to e-mail and telephone inquiries from sponsorship groups in Alberta and BC requesting: assistance with completing application forms, clarification of eligibility requirements, obtaining application updates, and seeking support with finding necessary settlement resources.

Updates and Information Sharing

RSTP keeps abreast of policy developments and changes, including provincial initiatives in BC and AB, and informs sponsorship groups via an e-mail distribution list.

Networking and Outreach

RSTP takes part in community events, networking meetings, roundtable discussions, and other events that focus on refugee protection and resettlement issues.

When and how can I contact RSTP?

Please do not hesitate to contact RSTP if you:

  • Are interested in learning more about Private Refugee Sponsorship program;
  • Would like assistance with completing application forms;
  • Have a case-specific question related to a refugee individual/family whom your group is sponsoring;
  • Would like to get connected to a settlement service provider organization;
  • Have questions about preparing for the long-term and ending sponsorship period; and/or
  • Would like to learn about upcoming workshops, webinars, and other training events offered to private sponsorship groups.

RSTP is funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and administered by Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS).

RSTP office in Ontario:

55 Town Centre Court, Suite 401 Toronto, ON M1P 4X4 Canada
E-mail: info@rstp.ca
Tel: 416.290.1700; Toll-free: 1.877.290.1701

RSTP Trainer in Western Canada:

Tel: 604.254.9626 ext. 517

 

 

Stay informed with RSTP:

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