Newcomer Settlement Program Partnership Program with D.O.O.R.S.
For the Period April 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006.

The successful partnership between D.O.O.R.S. Refugee Centre and Thunder Bay Multicultural Association continued  during the funding year of April 1, 2005, to March 31, 2006.  During this time, the settlement worker and volunteers for the agency provided five hundred and seventy-six (576) one-on-one client services, and one thousand four hundred and twenty-nine (1429) telephone services. Our client base consisted of eighty-one (81) first-time clients and one hundred (100) previous clients. Our clients came from thirty-seven (37) different countries and spoke twenty-nine (29) different languages. During this time, nine (9) refugee claimants were assisted during the different stages of the refugee determination process. Three (3) different sponsorship groups received settlement assistance with eleven (11) different sponsorships.

In May 2006, an Addictions Counseling student from the CDI College of Business, Technology & Health Care did a six-week placement with our agency.  During this time, she gave five (5) group service presentations to the ESL students at the Balmoral Adult Education Centre. A total of one hundred and one (101) students attended these group presentations.

On February 18, 2006, a Newcomer Networking session was held at the Columbus Centre which allowed newcomers to Canada to meet others who were also new to the country.  A total of forty-nine (49) newcomers attended this session.

In the area of outreach, the settlement worker met with representatives of four (4) different Thunder Bay agencies to explain services provided by D.O.O.R.S. and to provide information regarding working with refugees.

Funding was received for a part-time settlement worker for a one-year period from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006.

The Settlement Worker’s professional development included:

• A two-day workshop on Settlement Information and Referral in May, 2005.
• A one-day front-line staff training project presented by METRAC (Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children) of Toronto in November, 2005.