Lauren Young, Program Officer at Rainbow Railroad, writes:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people continue to live in fear for their freedom, their safety and their lives in many areas of the world. They often have nowhere to turn because their government and police not only tolerate but also encourage this brutality.

In the spirit of, and with homage to, the Underground Railroad, the mission of Rainbow Railroad is to help LGBTQI people as they seek safe haven from state-enabled violence, murder or persecution. We provide support and information, and help to arrange safe transportation for LGBTQI people to a place where they can live their lives in freedom.

We have three programs to assist LGBTQI people to safety: Emergency Travel Support (ETS), Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) and Blended Visa Office Referrals (BVOR).

Emergency Travel Support – This program accepts self-referrals and agency referrals. To be eligible to access this program, the person for whom assistance is requested must:
· Identify as LGBTQI+, and be a citizen/habitual resident of a country that sponsors or enables anti-LGBTQI+ persecution.
· Be in a country that does not protect the rights and lives of LGBTQI+ individuals and communities.
· Have a well-founded fear of anti-LGBTQI+ persecution.
· Want to relocate in order to seek protection in another location.

Private Sponsorship of Refugees – This program was developed in an attempt to create pathways to safety in Canada for case individuals globally who are not able to relocate through the Emergency Travel Support and are outside of their home country.

Blended Visa Office Referral – This is a specific stream within the Canadian government’s PSR program. A sponsor will support the resettlement of applicants, as identified by the Government of Canada in collaboration with UNHCR, throughout their first year in Canada. Sponsored refugees receive six months of income support through the government’s Resettlement Assistance Program. The remaining six months of settlement support is covered by the sponsor.

In addition to these programs, Rainbow Railroad works to address the mental health of its clients.  Staff and volunteers are carefully recruited who are knowledgeable about issues affecting LGBTQI newcomers – most of which have specialized training. Staff and volunteers often also work in the community or social work field, and/or have lived experience as an asylum seeker or refugee.

Also, we provide referrals to our partnering settlement services organizations, who support us in providing mental health care to our clients. Our primary community partner organization in Toronto is The 519. Through The 519, newcomers have access to many programs and services, including: counselling support, housing support, translation/interpretation services, and volunteering and social groups. These programs aid newcomers who are struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, social isolation, anxiety and depression, stemming from their traumatic experiences, to transition into their new country.

As a program officer, my role entails being the first person of contact for clients, verifying and assigning case files and providing emotional support and validation. As an asylum seeker myself, the work I do now has brought me full circle – I am forever grateful to be sitting in this position at Rainbow Railroad, helping LGBTQI individuals across the world.

For more information about these programs and the support offered at Rainbow Railroad, you can email Rainbow Railroad at info@rainbowrailroad.ca.

Special feature: 

With: Vince Pietropaolo, general manager, COSTI Family and Mental Health Services.

When: October 30^th, 2019: 12:00-1:00pm Eastern Time.