Links and Documents

Author:

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

Originally released in 2005, this is the second edition of the Smaller Centre toolkit.

This tool box is intended to help communities that wish to attract and retain newcomers. Within its pages, you will find ideas and illustrations designed to stimulate discussion about the benefits of incorporating immigrants and refugees into your community's overall population strategy. Resources and best practices from across the country provide additional inspiration and insight. Not all will be useful to your community but it is hoped that the ideas will stimulate your own thinking and help you to develop strategies that will work for you.

In addition, the tool box offers critical tools that can be used to assess your community's state of readiness. Upon reflection, you may find that immigration is not the best option for your community at this time. Or, you may decide to put more infrastructures in place first. Whatever you decide, it is important to assess the situation thoroughly and gain widespread support for an immigration strategy before you proceed.

Topics covered in the Tool Box include:

  • Canada's population picture
  • the importance of community consensus and how to build it
  • Canada's immigration laws
  • getting organized
  • important key factors like family ties, employment and housing
  • attracting people whether immigrants or others
  • and the many attributes of a welcoming community and how to develop them.

The Tool Box contains many practical examples, check lists, and reference sources. It is accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation.

Documents below are in PDF format unless otherwise noted:

Tool Box (88 pages, 3.1 MB)

Introduction to the Tool Box - PPT format

Immigration Statistics - PPT format

Resource Handouts:

  1. 20 Ways to Welcome a Newcomer to Your Community
  2. Dimensions of Culture
  3. Differences - Cultural Norms & Values
  4. Glossary of Terms Used in Understanding Diversity
  5. Guidelines for Multicultural Collaboration
  6. Our Learned Cultural Bias and Prejudice
  7. Diversity Awareness Continuum
  8. What am I Doing to Welcome Diversity?… Quiz
  9. Suggestions for Improving Cross-Cultural Communication
  10. Tips for Organizing a Multicultural - Diversity Event

This page last updated:
Thursday, August 13, 2009