ISSofBC
2610 Victoria Drive V5N 4L2 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Hear the latest on refugees arriving to Metro Vancouver with the help of ISSofBC on this morning’s CBC Early Edition. ISSofBC Director of Settlement Services Chris Friesen discusses the challenges facing newly arrived refugees and solutions our staff provide in ensuring a safe welcome to Canada during this pandemic. https://www.cbc.ca///clip/15800487-b.c.-welcoming-refugees CBC Vancouver

Many entrepreneurs are facing numerous business challenges during the current pandemic. Join us tomorrow 10am to learn more about the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the solutions for reopening or restarting your business safely. Register for this online event - https://issbc.org//reopening-your-business-safely-during-c

Celebrations took place virtually this year for the nine recipients of ISSofBC’s bursary awards during the first online Annual General Meeting held September 17. The Bursary awards was an opportunity to highlight the valuable donor contributions and give the spotlight to recipients on how the bursaries will impact their educational and career pursuits. Congratulations to all bursary awardees and a special thank you to our bursary donors! View the full list of awardees - https://issbc.org/blog/bursary-awards-2020

Building a good credit history is important for your financial health. If you ever want to borrow money to purchase a house or car, a good credit score can mean the difference between your loan being approved or denied. Join ISSofBC online September 29 at 1pm to learn the ins and outs of credit and how to build a strong credit history in Canada. https://issbc.org/event/building-a-credit-history-in-canada

Are you a refugee or a refugee claimant looking to find meaningful employment in Canada that aligns with your previous work experience and/or educational experience? Our upcoming virtual workshop aims to provide you with tools to enhance your job search strategy and become career-ready! Join us September 23 4 to 5:30pm https://issbc.org//career-readiness-skill-building-worksho Jumpstart - Refugee Talent

Did you know that hate crimes are among the least-reported crimes in BC? This could be because most people do not recognize it, or know how to step in to help when they see it and how to report it. A video produced in seven languages to help both victims and witnesses respond to hate crimes has just been released by BC’s Multiculturalism Branch Resilience BC. Only by working together can we end racism and hate in our communities. Can we count on you? The videos developed ...in partnership with the Vancouver Asian Film Festival Society are also available on the BC Government’s YouTube Channel and may soon be available in French, Punjabi, Hindi, Farsi, Arabic and Spanish. English https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/ Mandarin https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/?lang=zh-hans Cantonese https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/?lang=zh-hant Korean https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/?lang=ko Tagalog https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/?lang=tl Vietnamese https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/?lang=vi Japanese https://hatecrimesinbc.resiliencebcnetwork.ca/?lang=ja

Join newcomer youth from across Metro Vancouver this Saturday for a knowledge-building workshop and dialogue on anti-racism, privilege and allyship with Dr. Moussa Magassa. Dr. Magassa is the Human Rights Educator at the University of Victoria where he focuses on enhancing understanding of diversity and creating a fair and inclusive work and study environment. He researches, designs and facilitates educational programs on human rights discrimination and harassment. Dr. Mous...sa will discuss what anti-racism means, drawing from personal and current events. Youth attending will gain insight into being an ally and how each individual has a role to play. Youth-led discussions include perceptions of racism, personal experiences and tools for action. Learn more and to register https://issbc.org/event/anti-racism-youth-workshop #antiracism #allyship

ISSofBC Welcome Centre couldn’t have asked for a better neighbour when it set up shop on Victoria Drive in Vancouver over four years ago. Through regular acts of thoughtful support, the next-door First Christian Reformed Church of Vancouver continues to epitomize the spirit of Creating Home Together, the theme of this year’s international Welcoming Week celebration. Through an amazing partnership with the Muslim Food Bank and Community Services, the First Christian Reformed C...hurch Vancouver has been providing welcome baskets to newcomer refugees during their temporary stay at the Welcome Centre since the Syrian refugee crisis in late 2015. Welcoming Week is an opportunity for ISSofBC to thank the First Christian Reformed Church Vancouver and the Muslim Food Bank for the help they provide. https://issbc.org//neighbours-acknowledged-for-spirit-of-g #immigrationmatters #CreatingHomeTogether #WelcomingWeek

The role of the office administrative professionals is changing from current trends impacting the way we do business to shifts in the workplace and technology. Join ISSofBC and Robert Half Professional Staffing Solutions September 23 to learn more about this new role, how to stand out to employers and tips on finding remote work during this unprecedented time. Register for this free online event today! https://issbc.org//industry-talk-a-guide-to-the-office-adm

New to British Columbia? Check out Arrival Advisor a free mobile app for immigrants and refugees created by Vancouver nonprofit PeaceGeeks. Arrival Advisor gives newcomers access to vital information and services to guide their settlement needs. Find out about getting a job, banking, health care, education, and more. Join a free online demo to learn more! Demos are available in English, Arabic, French, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, and Tagalog. Find the full schedule here to ...register: https://arrivaladvisor.ca/demo/ The Arrival Advisor Regional Online Demo Series is delivered in partnership with AMSSA BC #ArrivalAdvisor #newcomers #newcomerstoCanada

Children’s colouring books, handmade face masks, snacks and big hearts were delivered to refugees families currently staying at ISSofBC Welcome Centre care of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism Vancouver Centre on September 4. Coinciding with the eve of International Day of Charity, this celebration and global initiative was carried out in a total of 50 different cities across the world. M.T.O volunteers were joined by Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan and ISSofBC Resettlement Assistance Program Manager Sanja Sladojevic. We greatly appreciate your donation to support newcomer families to Canada! Jenny Kwan MTO Shahmaghsoudi #internationaldayofcharity

Work at Amazon’s growing Metro Vancouver locations in helping provide products and services that spread across all other Amazon sites worldwide. ISSofBC and Amazon are partnering together for a virtual job fair Wednesday, September 16 to connect you to current employment opportunities at one of the leading global online retailing companies. Register today! https://issbc.org/event/amazon-job-fair

ISSofBC’s Preschool celebrated the end of another year and graduation for 11 children safely by hosting individual one-on-one celebrations for each Preschool student which included cupcakes and a bag of treats. All 24 students completed their online program on August 13, followed by the mini celebrations the next day. The ISSofBC Preschool team has worked diligently during the current pandemic to develop an online Preschool program via Zoom that is interactive, engaging and that incorporates the children's interests. Learn more about ISSofBC’s Preschool. https://issbc.org/our-services/childcare-and-preschool

From basic mobile phone skills to how to use video and communication apps such as Zoom and WhatsApp, ISSofBC continues to expand its digital literacy curriculum to support newcomers in developing critical skills for accessing our services remotely. The new resource package, designed for newcomers who only have access to mobile phones, compliments our existing digital literacy curriculum and website aimed at helping newcomers overcome digital literacy barriers especially during this unprecedented time of COVID-19. Feel free to get in touch with us via the website contact page to request access. https://digital-literacy.issbc.org/digital-literacy-suppor/

Kick start your career this September in manufacturing, administration or construction by learning what it takes to get hired from recruitment coordinators in our online Industry Talks starting September 15. Register today! Manufacturing - Sept. 15 https://issbc.org/eve/industry-talk-career-in-manufacturing Administration - Sept. 23 https://issbc.org//industry-talk-a-guide-to-the-office-adm... Construction - Sept 30 https://issbc.org//industry-talk-build-your-career-in-cons See more

Not only does the stigma around substance use issues lead to shame and isolation, it also delays people in seeking help. Today is about raising awareness of overdose and addressing the stigma associated with drug-related deaths. #EndOverdose #OverdoseAware #IOAD2020

If you are a new or existing client looking for employment services, you can soon see our staff of experts in-person starting September 14 by appointment. In order to welcome you back safely, when booking or arriving for appointments you will be expected to follow ISSofBC safety protocols including wearing face masks when entering the premises. Learn more https://issbc.org//appointment-only-employment-services-be

Choosing to pursue an education in Canada is a positive step to higher learning leading to many career opportunities. However, it can be confusing what to study, what institutions offer and how to finance your education. Learn the ins and outs of educational opportunities in Canada from ISSofBC this fall in a workshop series September 5, 12, 19 and 26. https://issbc.org//education-in-canada-online-w/2020-09-05

Connect to our many workshops and events safely and from the comfort of your own home. This week you can participate in youth drop-in sessions, practice English in our conversation circles, join our parent and children story time, learn how to write a winning resume and so much more. Check out our events calendar for more details. https://issbc.org/events

You can #doyourpart starting this Monday as it will be mandatory to wear non-medical masks or face coverings on board all public transit vehicles (bus, skytrain and seabus). This step is essential to ensuring a safer experience for everyone and to help reduce the community spread of #covid19. Don’t forget #wearingiscaring! https://new.translink.ca/rider-gui/coronavirus-precautions

There are many legal changes impacting #refugeeclaimants due to #Covid19. Join the BC Refugee Hub August 25 online along with ISSofBC and the Immigration & Refugee Legal Clinic for updates in addition to how to make a claim, access legal aid and more. http://bcrefugeehub.ca/invitation-to-register-webinar-refu/