NEWS RELEASE COMMUNIQUÉ

 

 

For Immediate Release 2009ALMD0003-000100 July 15, 2009

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport

 

$780,000 EXPANDS SERVICES FOR OLDER IMMIGRANTS

 

VICTORIA – The Province is investing an additional $782,000 for eight community-led projects that will help immigrant seniors improve their English language skills, increase their access to services and increase their knowledge of life in Canada, announced Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport.

 

“We’re proudly committed to providing new immigrants with the tools and support they need to thrive in B.C.,” said Stilwell. “Immigrant seniors will truly benefit from these projects, which will help them to better access the information and services they need to participate in their communities in a meaningful way.”

 

Expanded services will include modified English language and computer skills training; information and support services, referral resources, community outreach, peer support and mentorship programs, as well as skills development and training to enhance access to volunteer opportunities. The projects are targeted especially to include immigrant seniors who are isolated from the broader community, to help increase their awareness of community and government resources.

 

Through a provincewide public procurement process, agencies in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and the Interior were selected to provide a range of services that will create a sense of belonging and well-being among older immigrants and refugees. The projects will focus on immigrant seniors over the age of 55 with priority given to permanent residents who are recent arrivals.

 

The agencies will also partner with established seniors’ and health service networks to support their ability to provide responsive services to immigrant seniors from increasingly diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds.

 

“As B.C. faces an unprecedented demographic shift in the years ahead, government continues to build the best system of support for older adults,” said Chong, who is also Minister responsible for seniors. “With a growing number of older immigrants across the province, investments in community-based projects at the grassroots level support better access to services as well as age-friendly communities.”

 

Thirty-nine per cent of all seniors in British Columbia are immigrants, and it is expected that the number of seniors of culturally diverse backgrounds will dramatically increase by 2017. These demonstration projects support the goals outlined in Seniors in British Columbia: A Healthy Living Framework, the B.C. government’s action plan to support the aging population, including immigrant seniors. More information on the plan can be found at www.hls.gov.bc.ca/seniors.

 

The Province is establishing these projects through WelcomeBC, which provides services to immigrants and refugees to support their integration into their new communities and builds on the province’s history of welcoming newcomers and creating inclusive communities. More information can be found at www.WelcomeBC.ca.

WelcomeBC is supported through the Agreement for Canada-B.C. Co-operation on Immigration, which provides funding through the transfer of approximately $120 million per year from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to the B.C. government, which is responsible for administering settlement services for new immigrants.

 

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BACKGROUNDER

Demonstration Projects for Immigrant Seniors

 

A description of each new project and funding amount follows: 

 

Lower Mainland – $288,578

• Vancouver, $187,987: S.U.C.C.E.S.S. will work with MOSAIC to provide outreach and referrals to new and existing services to immigrant seniors through a specialized multilingual seniors’ settlement worker team.

• Vancouver, $37,678: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House will use peer and volunteer support to provide outreach and interactive combined ESL and settlement services to isolated immigrant seniors.

• Vancouver, $62,913: Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House will provide outreach to immigrant seniors and offer combined ESL and social and recreational activities that support their inclusion in the community.

 

Fraser Valley - $258,500

• Surrey, $200,000: DIVERSEcity will provide cultural educational services to immigrant seniors to support their inclusion in community activities and the building of supportive senior networks.

• Chilliwack, $58,500: Chilliwack Community Services will provide immigrant seniors with blended ESL and settlement services to enhance immigrant senior participation in the community.

 

 

Vancouver Island- $110,000

• Victoria, $70,000: Intercultural Association of Victoria will provide weekly group recreational and educational activities for immigrant seniors within existing senior-serving organizations with a focus on developing leadership and skill development to support their inclusion in services and enhance community participation.
• Nanaimo, $40,000: Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Association will provide targeted outreach and support to immigrant seniors to encourage their participation in the broader community and in services that target seniors.

 

Interior - $125,000

• Penticton, $125,000: Penticton and District Multicultural Society will provide ESL and community connection opportunities to immigrant seniors in a culturally sensitive and age appropriate manner.

 

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Contact:

Craig MacBride Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development 250 356-7882 250 213-1649 (cell)

 

 

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