The Welcoming Community Project
A community-support strategy aimed at recruiting, integrating and retaining bilingual health professionals in minority settings.
Based on the national strategic orientation set forth by la Société Santé en Français for 2014-2018 and the 16 French-language health networks.
Respond to two of the recommendations from the Evaluation of the Official languages Health Contribution Program 2008-2012.
Support strategies for:
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Support identification of students registered in health programs who have a Francophone or bilingual secondary school graduation diploma.
Contribute to the trainee placement and community engagement efforts of health programs for Francophone and Francophile students in the four regions.
HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS
Encourage health service providers to approach postsecondary institutions and inform them of their requirements with regard to bilingual and Francophone trainees.
FRANCOPHONE COMMUNITIES
Help the regions promote the importance of supporting Francophone and bilingual trainees as a long-term method
of meeting the challenge of recruiting and retaining bilingual human resources
Establish reception services at the four host agencies and market them to Francophone and bilingual students in college and university level health programs in order to promote and facilitate trainee placements in the four regions.
TARGETED CAREERS
The welcoming community project targets the following professions where there is an urgent need of French professionals according to Health Canada’s survey.
Nursing
Social work
Physicians
Psychology
Speech therapy
WELCOMING COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO
Region 1: Erie St. Clair / South-West region
Centre communautaire régional de London
Founded in 1990 the CCRL is a dynamic, inclusive and unavoidable center and francophone hub.
www.ccrlondon.on.ca
Contact: Adeline Le Roy, Coordinator, [email protected] , 519 673-1977 poste 3858
Welcoming activities
•Support, enrich and promote French language as well as French-Canadian and Francophone culture in the heart of London area.
•Develop and offer activities and social-cultural programs in French for a real social and community development.
•Encourage consultation and community cohesion to meet the needs of Francophones and Francophiles from various cultures and backgrounds.
Foster a welcoming community and a community engagement for all Francophones and Francophiles in the region.
Region 2:Waterloo/ Wellington and Hamilton, Niagara Haldimand Brant Regions
Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara
Recognised provincially as a leader in making health services available to the French speaking population and to those wishing to have access to French services.
www.cschn.ca
Contact:Rachelle Anderson, Volunteer Resources Administrator, [email protected]
Welcoming strategies
•Establishing a central access point to meeting students, and community needs;
•Offering assistance to find housing;
•Helping with finding and accessing all services in the region;
•Coordinating educational field trips to discover the region;
•Connecting to social and professional regional networking;
•Introducing to French and bilingual organizations within the region;
•Promoting a sense of belonging through various activities.
Region 3:Greater Toronto Region
Le Regroupement des intervenants francophones en santé et en services sociaux de l’Ontario (Rifssso)
A dynamic network assisting professionals and volunteers in the health and social service fields and supporting the community in all its diversity.
Contact: Christiane Fontaine, Executive Director, [email protected] , 1 800 265-4399
Welcoming strategies
•Assembling and distributing “Welcome Kits” containing information on: existing services, active community groups and regional resources;
•Offering assistance for easier integration;
•Avoiding isolation by encouraging students participation in French activities, whether social, artistic, cultural or professional;
•Creating a matching-body system with members of the intervening staff to validate and/or evaluate the acquired academic knowledge and the work done during their internship;
Region 4: York Region and its surrounding
Association des francophones de la région de York Inc. (AFRY)
An organization with the mission of getting the French and Francophile Community to flourish by promoting a larger access to quality French services in its region.
Contact: Marie Martel, Coordinator, [email protected], 905-727-4631 extension 76550
Welcoming strategies
•Assembling and distributing community information kits
•Organize meet and greets (breakfasts, coffee, dinners)
•Offer students opportunities and venues to present their internship project or to describe their experience within the French community. Their French exposés could be presented in schools or at career fairs, etc.
