Resettlement Assistance Program names Victoria

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria is the first successful applicant under the recent call for proposals to identify new Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) providers across Canada, with more RAP providers expected to be added in the coming weeks.

The City of Victoria will now join 23 other RAP communities across Canada, outside Quebec, offering comprehensive and expanded services to refugees. The RAP supports government-assisted refugees (GARs), blended visa office-referred refugees and other eligible clients when they first arrive in Canada.

It is expected that the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria will begin to support GARs in the coming weeks. This includes providing direct financial support as well as funding immediate and essential services such as language training and job programs; finding appropriate rental housing; and, the ability to secure other specialized supports including medical care, mental health services, and education.

There are now 24 communities with IRCC-funded service provider organizations (SPOs) in place to provide the services refugees need (outside of Quebec) upon arrival.  Only currently funded settlement SPOs are invited to submit applications for RAP funding.

Organizations applying must clearly show they have capacity in their community to offer a wide range of services to refugees including:

Demonstration that longer-term support services for refugees are available in their community;

Ability to deliver broad settlement services, such as language training and job programs;

Other specialized support (e.g. specialized medical care, mental health services, education);

Suitable permanent accommodation; and, more.

More info Canada News here:
http://news.gc.ca/