Settlement Services
Being new to the country creates many challenges such as finding employment, housing, and accessing services. In addition, the immigration process, health care system, social services, housing, and education can be difficult to navigate on your own. These challenges become more complex when you are black, LGBTQ, or for people living with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, B.C.A.P’s staff makes every effort to ensure your transition to life in Canada is smooth. B.C.A.P provides services and support to new immigrants; the majority refugees who access services with us have a successful claim.
The Settlement program provides services such as assistance with preparing for your refugee hearings, One-on-one counseling, practical supports such as accompaniment to appointments, form and documentation completion and emergency financial assistance to clients who qualify.
HIV positive and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) refugee claimants are a particularly vulnerable population because of homophobia, transphobia, HIV and HIV related stigma. In addition, being new to the country creates difficulties in finding employment, housing, and accessing services. As a result, we work to address the difficulties that many of our clients face when trying to gain refugee status. With Black CAP’s support most claimants are successful.
The Black CAP Refugee Settlement Program aims to support ACB Refugee Claimants that are PHA’s or from the LGBTQ community. the immigration process, health care system, social services, housing, legal, employment and education etc. This is all done in an effort to make their transition to life here in Canada smoother.
Objectives
- To help refugees claimants & other newcomers from Africa and the Caribbean to settle and integrate into Canadian society
- To assist refugees who are LGBTQ or living with HIV to access settlement services in an enabling environment
- To deliver effective one-on-one and group support services for refugee claimants
Program Activities
- Assistance in preparing for Refugee hearings
- One-on-one counseling
- Referrals to internal and external programming such as housing, employment, legal services, etc.
- Workshops on immigration and settlement
- Support and social groups with other LGBTQ and HIV positive refugee claimants
- Practical Supports such as accompaniment to appointments, form and documentation completion and emergency financial assistance
The Government of Ontario Newcomer Settlement Program
Jimoh Bello (JB)
Newcomer Settlement Coordinator
Work: 416 977-9955 ext 246
Work Cell: 437 229 7963
Fax: 416-977-7664
Email: j.bello@black-cap.com
www.blackcap.ca
The settlement needs of Black PHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning) community members are especially complex. In many cases, they are unable to access mainstream settlement services as a result of HIV stigma and homophobia. For both populations their plan to migrate to Canada is often initiated as a result of HIV stigma, homophobia, violence, isolation, persecution and trauma in their country of origin. This is an important contextual factor and as a result settlement services must address this reality. Many providers are unable to offer this support in a way that recognizes the specific settlement challenges that Black PHA and LGBT newcomers face.
B.C.A.P provides extensive settlement supports to PHA and LGBTQ newcomers who require specialized supports.
Objectives:
- Increased access to useful and accurate orientation information for ACB LGBTQ and PHA newcomers
- Clients’ needs are assessed to inform the development of personalized settlement plans
- Clients are supported to make informed decisions about their settlement
- Increased client knowledge and awareness of relevant community resources
- Increased awareness of B.C.A.P’s settlement programming with clients, relevant service providers and other institutions
- Increase opportunities for social inclusion and integration
Program Activities:
- One-on-one counseling
- Referrals to internal and external programming such as housing, employment, legal services, etc.
- Workshops on immigration and settlement
- Support and social groups with other LGBTQ and HIV positive newcomers
- Practical Supports such as accompaniment to appointments, form and documentation completion and emergency financial assistance to those who qualify
This program is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Ido Edeh
Settlement Coordinator
Cell: 437 855 3189
Phone: 416-977-9955, ext. 268
Email: i.edeh@black-cap.com
B.C.A.P works to create culturally relevant outreach, prevention and support services for people infected with, affected by, or at risk of contracting HIV.
OUR MISSIONS
ACHIEVED
10000 lbs
FOOD DONATED
200+
PARTNERS
5000+
YOUTH SUPPORTED
Please help us to reduce HIV/AIDS in Toronto’s Black, African and Caribbean communities and enhance the quality of life of people living with HIV.