宅男社区


Nine refugee youth pose for a picture on the lawn at 宅男社区

Camosun opens doors to refugees in hospitality sector

宅男社区鈥檚 participation builds on decades of experience delivering real-world applied learning and student employment opportunities in partnership with local and regional employers.

Nine refugee youth completed hospitality management training at 宅男社区's Dunlop House this fall.

This fall, World University Services Canada (WUSC) and 宅男社区 welcomed nine refugee youth from Kenya to British Columbia, Canada through HIRES, a unique new employment-linked sponsorship pathway in collaboration with Tofino鈥檚 hospitality sector. Participants completed a two-month hospitality management education program at 宅男社区 in Victoria before joining their new workplaces and sponsorship groups in Tofino, in November 2021.

This new initiative, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, builds on WUSC's long-standing Student Refugee Program model and looks to further expand access to economic opportunities for refugee youth and enhance their economic integration into the Canadian labour market. Four sponsorship groups through champion employers in Tofino鈥擫ong Beach Lodge Resort, Tofino Resort & Marina, and Shelter/ Shed Restaurant鈥攚ill be welcoming these first nine HIRES participants. Additional workplace partners, like Surf Grove Campground and Pacific Sands Beach Resort are excited to do the same in 2022.

宅男社区鈥檚 participation builds on decades of experience delivering real-world applied learning and student employment opportunities in partnership with local and regional employers.

鈥淐olleges provide really good placement and access opportunities for refugee students,鈥 explains Geoff Wilmshurst, VP of Partnerships at 宅男社区. 鈥淭hey can benefit from the care and attention from applied, job-ready learning they receive in the college environment here at Camosun.鈥

The unique combination of applied training, Canadian employment experience and the opportunity in the future for participants to upgrade their education, aligns with the values of Camosun as an educational institution that puts the needs of students first.

鈥淚n my opinion we have a responsibility as Canadians to help people who find themselves in difficult situations through no fault of their own, and unique programs like this provide life-changing opportunities to allow refugees to get started in their new lives on a really sound footing,鈥 says Wilmshurst. 鈥淚t鈥檚 totally unique, a brilliant initiative, and it鈥檚 the natural evolution in refugee sponsorship programming in Canada.鈥

Through HIRES, Canadian workplaces and business leaders are taking action to respond to the global refugee crisis through newcomer employment and leveraging community sponsorship.

鈥淭ofino has always been forward thinking and HIRES is a perfect example of a special opportunity for participants and businesses in the area,鈥 explains Samantha Hackett, General Manager from Long Beach Lodge Resort.

Frauke Nitz, HR Manager from Tofino Resort & Marina adds, 鈥淭hrough HIRES, our community can continue advocating for equal opportunity and uphold the importance of diversity through professional empowerment for all.鈥

Immigration has long been integral to the growth of the Canadian economy and remains as important now as ever as we recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. HIRES offers a responsive approach to help rebuild our economy while also supporting Canadian employers to rebuild inclusively, by integrating diverse employment-ready talent into their workplace.

鈥淟everaging education, training and employment opportunities through employment-linked sponsorship to provide economic opportunities and durable solutions to refugees in a safe third country has great potential globally, and is an exciting way to mobilize new funds and engage new actors, including local businesses to create more opportunities to support the more than 15 million refugee youth around the world,鈥 explains Chris Eaton, Executive Director at WUSC.聽

Next year, the hospitality industry in Kelowna and Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C., are set to join Tofino in championing welcoming and diverse workplaces through HIRES.

宅男社区 WUSC: WUSC is a Canadian non-profit organization working to create a better world for all young people. We bring together a diverse network of students, volunteers, schools, governments, and businesses who share this vision. Together, we foster youth-centred solutions for education, economic opportunities, and empowerment to overcome inequality and exclusion in over 25 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Our flagship program, the Student Refugee Program, has been providing Canadian post-secondary education and resettlement opportunities to young refugees for over 40 years.

宅男社区 宅男社区: Camosun, located in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia with campuses on the Traditional Territories of the Lekwungen and W瘫S脕NE膯 peoples, is one of the largest colleges in British Columbia. 聽Established in 1971, of delivering over 160 innovative, life-changing academic and applied programs.

Contact information

Ivan Watson

Marketing & Communications Strategist

宅男社区

250 418-0700

watsoni@camosun.ca

Aliz茅e Zapparoli-Manzoni-Bodson

Manager, Strategic Communications

WUSC

613-761-3714

abodson@wusc.ca