Invite for Newcomer Youth from Across Canada

2015 Youth Action Gathering Conference – Vancouver. B.C. – Oct. 3 & 4

The Canadian Council for Refugees, in partnership with Vancouver Foundation’s Fresh Voices Initiative and MOSAIC, invite newcomer youth from across Canada to participate in the 2015 Youth Action Gathering Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The gathering brings together young immigrant and refugee leaders to learn, share, network and collaborate on actions towards common challenges and experiences of newcomer youth communities.

It is also an engaging weekend of leadership and skills building, developing peer relationships and FUN!

WHO Should Participate?

Everyone is welcome to apply; however, space is limited and priority will be given to:

  • Racialized* immigrant and refugee youth
  • Those who can make a commitment to attend the full event
  • Immigrant & refugee youth from across Canada, aged 16 to 25 years
  • Youth settlement workers and allies

*We recognize that race is a social construct, people as “racialized immigrant person” or “racialized people” are immigrants who also belong to a “racial minority”, “visible minority”, or are seen as “people of colour” or “non-White” (adjusted from OHRC).

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Refugee Hearing Preparation: A Guide for Refugee Claimants

kinbrace-refugeehearingpreparationKinbrace is a community-based organization that provides refugees with housing and support. They’ve recently updated their guide, Refugee Hearing Preparation: A Guide for Refugee Claimants. This resource is now available in 4 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified) and Arabic.

“I went through the Guide again and again before my refugee hearing. The step-by-step instructions, timeline, and recommendations were so useful for me. It’s friendly and relieved my stress.”
— Ioann, Convention Refugee in Canada

The guide can be used to:

  • learn key refugee legal issues
  • track your refugee claim on the right timeline
  • learn strategies to help prepare for your refugee hearing
  • complete the hearing preparation checklist
  • get answers to frequently asked questions
  • find legal and community resources in Metro Vancouver

The guide, updated in 2014, now includes more detail. Fran from Kinbrace describes it as “…interactive. Claimants can track the fast paced timelines that are in place under the new refugee claim process with their own due dates, take note of the evidence that they have on each issue and use the checklists for submitting the refugee application form and for submitting evidence to the Immigration and Refugee Board.”

This guide and other resources for refugees in BC can be found through the Clicklaw website.