April 📣 Announcements, Campaigns & Resources!

Coming Events

Diversity & Inclusion

Did you see this recent multimedia campaign promoting the benefits of immigration in our local media at the end of March?

The campaign, developed by the Social Planning Council for the North Okanagan to remind residents of the social, economic and cultural benefits of immigration to our community, featured the voices of local immigrants and included radio, newspaper, and digital ads, and social media posts. Listen here.

The campaign directs people to socialplanning.ca/immigrationmatters, a webpage with information, video, and a downloadable PDF on the many ways immigrants contribute to our community and the need to attract immigrants to our community to meet future workforce demands. The immigration benefits campaign is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

The timing of the campaign coincided with the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which is held annually on March 21.

“Everyone and every effort can make a difference in combatting racism and creating a welcoming community for people from various backgrounds, cultures, and countries. Most people recognize the benefits of immigration and it’s important to remember the positive contribution that diversity and immigration makes in our community,” says Annette Sharkey, executive director of the Social Planning Council.

The Social Planning Council also wishes to extent thanks to Vernon Morning Star, Vernon Matters, Castanet, Infotel, Beach Radio and Pure Country Radio for their generous involvement in this campaign which helped extend the reach of the message and for their ongoing coverage of issues that contribute to a safe, caring, and inclusive community.

The 50 – 30 Challenge is an initiative co-created by the Government of Canada, civil society and the private sector that aims to attain gender parity and significant representation (at least 30%) of under-represented groups on boards and senior management positions in order to build a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant economic future for Canadians.

The goal of the program is to challenge Canadian organizations to increase the representation and inclusion of diverse groups within their workplace, while highlighting the benefits of giving all Canadians a seat at the table.

The challenge will allow a variety of organizations to participate across three separate program streams, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and non-profit organizations, and those without Boards of Directors or senior management teams.

Organizations, not-for-profits and other institutions that are interested in the 50 – 30 Challenge can sign up by filling in the 50-30 Challenge form.

Newcomer & Immigrant Resources

Holly Skelton, director of Planning for Canada, tells you all about its offerings for immigrants.

In the immigration journey of a newcomer to Canada, the phase between getting a visa and moving to the country is crucial in shaping their eventual settlement and integration experience. Pre-arrival services play a huge role here. But what are these services ? How can one sign up? Are the sessions free?

In this video, find out all about Planning for Canada, one of the few and unique pre-arrival services funded by the Government of Canada to help immigrants learn about life in the Great North. Director Holly Skelton shares how these globally-accessible services help immigrants prepare for their move, settlement and employment in Canada right from when they are still in their home countries. Their online and on-location teams understand each immigrant’s specific concerns, provide answers and resources, connect them to local agencies and give them a glimpse of the Canadian culture. Watch this interview to find out more.

Community News & Resources

New bachelor’s degree of Nsyilxcn language fluency.

In partnership with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) and the En’owkin Centre in Penticton, UBC Okanagan (UBCO) will offer a new bachelor’s degree of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (BNLF) beginning this fall.

This will be the first bachelor’s degree of its kind in British Columbia. It will boost the number of fluent Nsyilxcn speakers at a time when Indigenous languages in B.C. are critically endangered.

The degree is intended to sustain and revitalize Nsyilxcn language traditions, restore language competence and protect the knowledge of Indigenous communities.

“The idea that there’s only knowledge in English or French is absolutely not true,” says Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at UBC Okanagan and academic lead on the BNLF. “Language is identity. Indigenous knowledge systems and an Indigenous paradigm—how we view the world and how we interact—is deeply rooted in language.”

The first cohort of students will graduate from NVIT with an Nsyilxcn language diploma in July 2021. UBC Okanagan will then welcome the first incoming class of the BNLF in September 2021.

Learn more at UBC Okanagan to offer Canada’s first bachelor’s degree of Indigenous language fluency and Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (ubc.ca)

The Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network has launched a new website https://www.resiliencebc.ca/

The Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network provides leadership, knowledge, support and action towards a decolonized, anti-racist, equitable and just society. The Network operates in over 50 communities across the province.

The new website is designed to connect people with their local network members through an interactive map. The website also offers information for people who are victims of racism and hate including how to report an incident and a list of services available at a provincial level. The site also provides the resources to support understanding concepts of race and racism :The Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network is funded by the Province of British Columbia.

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