Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project – FREE Training
Did you know that the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) - through the Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project - offers free, self-paced online courses for settlement/social-service and health providers? These courses cover topics such as the social determinants of immigrant and refugee mental health, trauma-informed care, cultural responsiveness, and supporting children and families — which are all relevant to our CNC work. It's a great opportunity for anyone looking to deepen your knowledge, get practical tools and resources, and connect with other providers across Canada.
Manitoba Métis Federation Child Care Centres Hire 25 Ukrainian Refugees
The Manitoba Métis Federation says it has struck a deal to train and hire 25 displaced Ukrainians to work at its child-care centres. People hired through the program will have their education subsidized and be guaranteed a full-time job after they're trained, Chartrand said at a news conference that featured performances from Métis and Ukrainian cultures.
Safe Spaces: Youth with Refugee Experience and Their Parents Harnessing Resilience
In a recent study, ten workshops were organized for Arabic-speaking refugee youth and their parents. Facilitated by the Syrian Canadian Foundation and psychiatrist Dr. Omar Reda, the workshops aimed to provide a safe space for refugee families to build better inter-family understanding and integrate trauma stories to build resilience.
Here's what parents and youth had to say, illustrated in a simple infographic.
11 Children’s Books About the Refugee Experience
Looking for new books for your program? Here's a list of 11 books for children of different ages that
focus on the refugee experience.
Former Syrian refugee helps create new Sesame Street for displaced children
Mohammad Aljamous, a Syrian refugee now living in Whistler, B.C., used his own experience of displacement when he worked as a consultant for a new version of Sesame Street aimed at helping children fleeing conflict in the Middle East.
CBC recently spoke with Aljamous about how he helped behind the scenes to create the special Arabic-language show that is intended to give kids skills to cope with trauma and is set to air in February 2020.
For Syrian Refugee Children, Kindergarten Is A Safe Haven
Positive experiences in the early years shape and connect a child's growing brain. Research shows that exposure to toxic stress can irreparably change the brains of young children. Investing in quality early education for young refugees — and for all children — can have enormous impacts for generations to come. Early years programs are
places to heal and grow strong for children who have experienced trauma.
CNC in Action: A Small Gesture Makes a Big Impact on Newcomers
When Syrian refugees arrived in our nation’s capital a few years ago, Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) was a first stop for many families. At the centre’s CNC program, a special welcome was waiting for the children in the form of a beautiful wordless book. The award-winning Sidewalk Flowers, by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith, pays tribute to the importance of small things, small people, and small gestures.
And, this small gesture has made a big impact on the newcomers—both young and old.
Free Teachers’ Toolkit: Including Refugees in the Classroom
Teachers are facing new challenges in making sense of forced displacement and its complexities. Teaching newcomers often comes with specific needs relating to language acquisition and adaptation to a new culture and environment. Some refugee children may suffer from stress or trauma preventing them from participating fully in school activities, and requiring specific support. To help, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has released a free
Teachers’ Toolkit, professional development and guidance to help teachers understand the needs of refugee children, as well as a collection of
adaptable teaching materials on refugees, asylum, migration and statelessness.
CMAS in Action: CNC Serves as a Model for Supporting Refugee Children Abroad
As Syrian refugee families find homes in countries across the globe, an international perspective on settlement strategies is valuable. Canadian initiatives are part of that conversation, with
Europe taking notice of CNC support for refugee children.
Webinar – Young Children in Refugee Families and Early Childhood Programs: Ways to Mitigate the Effects of Trauma
Young children in refugee families often endure significant direct or indirect trauma from their experiences during conflict, flight, or resettlement. The issue of trauma has gained increasing visibility across the early childhood field, yet relatively little research has explored the specific traumatic experiences and needs of young refugee children or strategies to address them. High-quality early childhood programs can have enormous benefits, particularly for the children of immigrants and refugees. Join this
webinar where experts will discuss the effects of trauma on the development of young refugee children, and practical strategies that child-care providers in Canada are using to support the resiliency of refugee children and families.
