Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership (COLIP)

Purpose

The purpose of the Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership (COLIP) is to bring about community collaboration related to newcomer settlement and integration through:

Engaging local service providers and other institutions in newcomers’ integration process

Supporting community-level research and strategic planning

Improving the coordination of effective services that facilitate immigrant settlement and integration

Background

In April 2014, KCR made the transition from their Welcoming Communities Program, pioneered by WelcomeBC, to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) funded Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) initiative to foster welcoming and inclusive communities.

Past initiatives under the Welcoming Communities project (2007-2014) have included:

A mobile interactive kiosk with touchscreen technology that delivers multicultural information, games, and videos

“Scattered Seeds” videos portraying the stories of adaptation, integration, and contribution of four recent immigrants and their families

“A World of Employees at Your Doorstep” video that explains the need for immigration and the value that newcomers bring to the work environment

Diversity training to over 277 community businesses, organizations, and institutions;

“A Day in a Life Of” videos that profile the experiences of various immigrant families as they adapt to live in the Central Okanagan

Multicultural content at public community events such as “Try a Turban”;

Policy & diversity plan template for consideration by non-profit organizations;

Production of three short video clips scrolling on wall screens located in high traffic facilities throughout the community

“Talking Book” project where recent immigrants share information about their country of origin with others

Central Okanagan LIP Council

The Central Okanagan LIP is driven by a Council of community stakeholders whose aims are to support newcomer settlement and integration through local community engagement and collaboration. Central Okanagan LIP Council members include municipal governments, cultural groups, immigrants, the school district, post-secondary education, employers, foundations, local media, umbrella organizations, and non-profit organizations from the four Central Okanagan communities: Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, and Peachland. LIP Council members serve as independent experts to represent the views of their organizations and stakeholder groups.

The mandate of the Central Okanagan LIP Council is to further the development of the Central Okanagan as an inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant community where immigrants can realize their full potential, racism is eliminated, and cultural diversity is valued and celebrated. The LIP Council shares a common commitment to the values of diversity, equality, social justice, social inclusion, and social cohesion.

The LIP has recently conducted community research to identify the assets and barriers in the Central Okanagan to inform their strategic plan. According to its strategic directions, the LIP will work in a more cohesive and integrated way to meet the identified needs of newcomers, strengthen economic opportunities for newcomers, and support and engage in community development and advocacy.

Download: Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership Council Memorandum of Understanding (PDF)