The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, today launched a call for proposals for projects to deliver settlement services for newcomers in communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Improving settlement and integration increases quality of life and satisfaction for newcomers, helping them to settle permanently and leading them to encourage friends and family members to view the province as an immigration destination of choice.

Projects will be accepted under two categories:

• Economic integration: to promote economic advancement for newcomers (e.g. improving labour market access, foreign credential recognition and workplace-based English language training); and
• Settlement services and supports: to help newcomers build fulfilling lives (e.g. pre-arrival programming, getting established in rural communities, building welcoming communities and intercultural competency training).

All registered community-based organizations, including municipalities and cultural groups are eligible to submit a proposal. The application deadline is August 11 and full details, including funding guidelines, can be found here.

The Provincial Government recognizes that cultural groups have an innate understanding of the settlement supports newcomers require and are well-suited to deliver programs directly. As an example, last year the Tombolo Multicultural Festival received funding to engage newcomers and residents with music and cultural events. Tombolo’s events, which partner with a wide-variety of cultural communities, included a Canadian Multiculturalism Day international variety show and concert, a weekly multicultural trade show at the St. John’s Farmer’s Market, and a traveling multicultural expo that visited Corner Brook, Gander, Brigus and Cupids.

Quotes
“Immigration is growing in Newfoundland and Labrador, and who better to help settle newcomers than those who share their culture and language. We’ve seen great results when cultural groups work together to deliver services directly to newcomers, and due to historic levels of immigration, groups are maturing to the point where they can administer their own initiatives. This is another milestone toward our goal to lead the nation on immigration settlement and retention.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

“Our province is growing and becoming more diverse, which is an exciting prospect for the multicultural showcase that is the Tombolo Multicultural Festival. Through partnerships with our many friends we’ve been able harness the power of arts and business to break down barriers and promote intercultural understanding for everyone who calls Newfoundland and Labrador home.”
Dr. Zainab Jerrett
Executive Director, Tombolo Multicultural Festival Newfoundland and Labrador

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