Responding to the world refugee crisis one family at a time

Saturday, April 14, 2018 8:30 am - 3:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

A boy and his father smiling
Attend this important one day conference to learn more about how we can respond to the current refugee crisis through the Blended Visa Office Referred Refugee Sponsorship program.

Keynote speaker Ann Voskamp, noted blogger and passionate refugee sponsorship advocate, will share her refugee sponsorship experience. Named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today, Ann knows unspoken brokenness and big country skies and an intimacy with God that touches wounded places. Millions do life with her at her daily photographic online journal, one of the Top 10 most widely read Christian sites: annvoskamp.com

Other presenters include Barbara Treviranus, former field worker for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, representatives from Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada, Brian Dyck, MCC National Migration and Resettlement Program Coordinator, Moses Moini, MCC Ontario Refugee Program Coordinator, and Kaylee Perez, MCC Ontario Refugee Resettlement Associate.

Workshops

Sponsoring Refugees: A Global Perspective

Join Barabara Treviranus, an experienced former field worker for UNHCR for a first-hand account of how the refugee program referral to Canada works.

BVOR 101: From Matching to Landing

Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) is the agency responsible for the training of private refugee sponsors and the management of the BVOR program in Canada. Parastoo Aznavehzadeh Refugee Resettlement Project Worker will speak to the process and the support provided by RSTP to both MCCO and its Constituent Groups.

Joys and Challenges of Sponsorship

MCC National Migration and Resettlement Program Coordinator Brian Dyck and MCC Ontario Refugee Program Coordinator Moses Moini will facilitate an open and honest conversation about the joys and challenges of sponsorship.

The W5 of Settlement Services

Learn about some of the settlement supports available to constituent groups and ways to collaborate well in support of the sponsored newcomers. Representatives from local agencies will be on hand to answer questions and provide insights.

Space is limited so register today to confirm your choice of workshops.

With thanks to our sponsors, there is no cost to register for the event. There will be a free-will offering to help offset the cost of lunch.

Presented in partnership with the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement.

To attend this event, please register here.