Vision

“Greater Victoria is a community where old neighbours and newcomers alike can build trusting relationships through respectful curiosity and openness to learning about themselves and others. It is a place with transparent local governance processes and public services that dignify all members, and support their efforts to make valuable contributions in our community.”

Goals

The overall purpose of this initiative is to develop the Capital Region’s capacity to more effectively attract, welcome and integrate newcomers into our community, workplaces, organizations and institutions.

The following goals have been identified:

To raise awareness among community leaders and business managers of the need to create more welcoming and inclusive communities and workplaces in the Greater Victoria region.

• Help people to recognize and understand that ‘inclusion’ is their concern.
• Reach out and build pods of advocates within organizations and across sectors.

Strengthen the collective knowledge and skill-set of partnering organizations.

• Develop an ongoing professional learning network and learning opportunities.

Seek and apply solutions to known barriers to inclusion.

• Ask leaders, employers, service and learning agents, policy/program decision makers, front-line staff and others what types of organizational and educational needs will enable them to facilitate immigrant integration.
• Facilitate opportunities, provide useful tools and establish new relationships.

“As a member of the Community Partnership Network I have gained a better understanding of how important a welcoming and inclusive community can be to a new arrival to our city. It takes many stakeholders around the table, and a commitment to the task, but we are building awareness and focus on these issues and are making a difference for the future of our Victoria citizens.” Bruce Andrews, Canadian Red Cross, Coastal Region