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The Inclusion Project
March 30, 2019 @ 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
The Inclusion Project
Saturday March 30, 2019
Royal Roads University Quarterdeck
Grant Building, 2005 Sooke Rd
Victoria, BC
The Inclusion Project is a forum for stakeholders on critical conversations about the issues of diversity, equity and inclusiveness across public and private sectors. Through this initiative, we will cast a global lens on local issues and leverage community-based collaborative efforts to address the intersectional challenges faced by newcomers – immigrants, refugees and international students. We will develop new initiatives to support equity in policy development, post-secondary education, non-government & corporate organizations, with a focus on:
- Gender equity
- Racial inclusion
- Youth engagement
We will foster change through multi-level partnerships and establish collaborative opportunities for different stakeholders in government, post-secondary institutions, human resource managers, business leaders, civil society leaders, community leaders, settlement organizations, etc. We will also promote continuous engagement initiatives to support stakeholders through training, facilitation, strategic communication, research and consultancy.
As part of the strategies, there will be focus group discussions to capture the voices of community members and stakeholders and map out strategies for inclusiveness across sectors. We will also have formal and informal conversations to explore potential opportunities for newcomers to contribute to the socio-economic and overall development of our communities, businesses, and larger society.
Stakeholders include:
- Civil servants & policy makers
- First nations community leaders
- Business leaders, employers, entrepreneurs & HR groups
- Post-secondary institutions – faculty & administrators
- Civil society organizations – research groups, settlement agencies, etc.
Outcomes
At the end of these strategic dialogues, stakeholders will be able to:
- Identify and establish opportunities for public-private sector partnerships
- Develop strategies to attract and retain newcomer talents
- Devise approaches to address issues of diversity, equity and inclusiveness in the workplace and communities
- Identify new opportunities to collaborate across sectors and collectively address longterm issues
Report Production
At the end of the project, we will produce a final report to emphasize the key processes on developing:
- Cross-sectoral approaches to inclusiveness with economic and socio-political ramifications
- Effective and long-term partnerships and continued stakeholder engagement; and
- Opportunities to learn and build sustained agency around issues of equity, inclusiveness and diversity for newcomers and other groups
Plenary Themes
Plenary 1a: Global Trends & Local Realities (Strategic dialogue)
- Globalization and the role of communities in development
- UN Sustainable Development Goals & Global Compact for Migration
- Indigenous realities around the world
Plenary 1b: Migration: Opportunities & Challenges (Fireside chat)
- Citizenship and the politics of migration
- Socio-economic and political ramifications of migration- belonging, urban-rural engagement
- Impact of migration on communities & co-creation of local opportunities
KEYNOTE: Newcomer Engagement & Canada’s Inclusive Future
Plenary 2: Gender Equity, Youth Engagement & the Future of Work (Strategic Dialogue)
- Opportunities for women in tech and other male-dominated sectors
- Role of higher institutions in economic development and integration of youths
- Minority youth and representation in politics, business & civil society
Plenary 3: Workplace Inclusion
- Re-thinking innovation
- Inclusiveness and economic development
- Best practices for business development & newcomer experiences
Draft Agenda
8:00am-8:30am – Registration & breakfast
8:30am-8:45am – Welcome
8:45am-9:00am – Opening remarks
- Sandra Richardson (CEO, Victoria Foundation)
- Message from Honourable Melanie Mark (Minister of Advanced Education)
9:30am-10:30am – Plenary 1a: Global Trends & Local Realities
- Chris Kilford (Canadian International Council) – Host
- Paola Ardiles (Simon Fraser University)
- Charles Krusekopf (Royal Roads University)
- Sudhir Nair (University of Victoria)
10:30am-10:45am – Coffee break
10:45am-11:45am – Plenary 1b: Migration: Opportunities & Challenges;
- Catherine Holt (CEO, GV Chamber of Commerce) – Host
- Del Manak (Victoria Police Department)
- Jean McRae (Intercultural Association of GV)
- Andrea Dicks (Community Foundations of Canada) **
11:45am-12:30pm – In-group Discussions (Plenary 1a & 1b)
12:30pm-1:00pm – Keynote Presentation
- Mayor Lisa Helps (Mayor, City of Victoria)
1:00pm-2:00pm – Lunch & Networking break
2:00pm-3:30pm – Plenary 2: Gender Equity, Youth Engagement & the Future of Work
- Crystal Tremblay (UNESCO Knowledge for Change Consortium) – Host
- P.S. Mitzi Dean (Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity)
- Mark Lovick (Royal Bank of Canada)
- Veronika Bylicki (CityHive)
3:30pm-3:45pm – Documentary
3:45pm-5:00pm – Plenary 3: Workplace Inclusion
- Sangeeta Subramanian (Immigrant Employment Council of BC) – Host
- Ron Rice (Victoria Native Friendship Centre)
- George Hanson (Vancouver Island Economic Alliance)
- David Lau (Victoria Immigrant & Refugee Centre)
- Aboubakar Idriss (International Educator & Activist)
5:00pm-5:30pm – In-group discussions
5:30pm-6:00pm – Report Session
- Moussa Magassa, Fiona Bramble, Annie Djiotsa, Karima Ramji, Ruth Mojeed
6:00pm-6:30pm – Call to Action & Closing
6:30pm & on – Networking
**Yet to be confirmed