After several months of work, we officially become a member of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR). This result would not have been possible without the work of our volunteers who have worked towards this success.
What is the Canadian Council for Refugees?
The Canadian Council for Refugees, a non-profit organization founded in 1978, has since its inception positioned itself as a “voice for the rights of refugees and immigrants in Canada” (Source: CCR) by raising public awareness and drawing attention to key issues affecting refugees and immigrants.
The Council intervenes on a dozen themes related to the rights and integration of newcomers to Canada. Here is the list of these themes taken from the Canadian Council for Refugees website:
- Refugee Protection in Canada and Around the World
- Prolonged Separation of Refugee Families
- Integration of immigrants and refugees
- Newcomers’ access to services
- People without status
- Newcomer youth
- Children’s rights
- See the complete list here
In this context, Say Ça! focuses on two specific areas: the integration of immigrants and refugees (youth) and newcomer youth.
Why join the CCR?
An previous positive experience with the CCR Youth Network
Prior to joining the Council, our Say It! volunteers had already worked with the CCR Youth Network and several other non-governmental organizations on the development of a kit to improve the engagement of newcomer youth in Canada. This branch of the CCR was created in 2006 to give newcomer youth a voice through “online discussions, conference calls, workshops and strategy sessions“.
The success of our collaboration during the project encouraged us to take our commitment further with the Canadian Council for Refugees, by taking the steps to join the main entity and become a full member.
From the validation of our role to a vector of growth
For Say Ça! to join this Council is first and foremost an unprecedented opportunity to gain visibility among the other actors who work tirelessly to promote the integration and defence of the rights of refugees in Canada. It is also an exceptional opportunity for our active members to be able to intervene and bring their expertise to the CCR. Finally, it gives our charity additional recognition and legitimacy in our training and language learning process with our students.
The words of our executive director, Anna Calderon
«The Canadian Council for Refugees and Say Ça! share the common belief that refugees have the right to a dignified life and that settlement services are fundamental to participation in Canadian life. The work that the CCR does for refugees is remarkable, and Say Ça! is honoured to join the list of non-governmental organizations that will help achieve its mission. Together we can continue to foster welcoming communities to current and future refugees and newcomers.»
How to find our page on the CCR website?
It’s very simple, to find the page dedicated to Say Ça! you just have to :
- To go to the website of the Canadian Council for Refugees by clicking here
- Click on ”Members” in the navigation menu at the top of the screen
- Go down to the province of Quebec
- Finally, in alphabetical order, search for “Say Ça!”.
- Here is our member page!
For more information, do not hesitate to contact us through our contact form.