Message from the Executive Director:
Hello All,
Before our summer activities begin, a big thank you must be extended to everyone who celebrated South Asian Heritage month with us in May 2010. This May, we honoured South Asian labour activists, worked with committed youth leaders, highlighted actions to address South Asian Health inequities, recognized local artists through our poster competition and discussed the achievement of systemic change. We applaud all of our honourees, event participants, staff, board and volunteers for their dedication to raising social justice issues in their communities, neighbourhoods, cities and across Ontario.
This month, we look forward to working with many of you through our youth violence prevention Community of Practice and our Trailblazers United: South Asian Youth Leadership Series. We also look forward to connecting with you at our Annual General Meeting on June, 21 2010; please see below for more details on how to RSVP. We are also very pleased to welcome South Riverdale Community Health Centre as a new CASSA member.
We look forward to your continued support of our activities and to working with you toward social change in our diverse communities.
All the best,
Anita
Anita Khanna
Executive Director (Interim)
Youth Leadership Retreat – May 29th: The South Asian Youth Leadership retreat was held on Saturday, 29 May 2010 at the Cedarbrook Community Centre. It was hosted by Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) and the City of Toronto, Access and Diversity Unit of Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division. We offered some exciting and informative workshops on how to build up your leadership skills and bring positive changes in your communities. Topics ranged from identifying your heritage and being proud of your ethnicity, mentoring and team building, getting involved in your communities, and knowing your legal & civic rights A documentary titled “The Story of Human Rights” was also screened.
UPCOMING EVENTS OF CASSA
CASSA AGM – June 21st: Council of Agencies Serving South Asians will be holding its AGM will be held on June 21st at Friends House, 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. In addition to the regular meeting agenda, we are organizing a panel discussion on "Health Inequity in the South Asian Community". Panellist working in mental and sexual health will be speaking and taking questions from the audience. We also hope to end the evening with performances to reflect the themes of CASSA's work. Please feel free to contact Jasmine at jasmine@cassa.on.ca or 416-932-1359 x 17 with inquiries or to RSVP. An RSVP of your attendance would be appreciated by Tuesday June 15, 2010.
Community of Practice for the prevention of violence by South Asian Youth: CASSA is interested in engaging 15-20 organizations for the purpose of setting up a Community of Practice for front line workers dealing with South Asian youth and families. The “Community of Practice” is designed to provide a platform for youth workers who serve South Asian youth and families to share knowledge gained through their experiences, foster learning and collaboration to explore commonly-faced problems and obstacles. Participants will also help CASSA develop a violence prevention model for South Asian youth. The East Scarborough Storefront, Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office and the Alternative Youth Centre for Employment (AYCE) have already joined our “Community of Practice.” If you or your organizations are interested in joining please visit www.cassa.on.ca/community-of-practice. For more information, contact Auvniet at auvniet@cassa.on.ca or 416-932-1359 extn 16.
Trailblazers United: South Asian Youth Leadership Series: CASSA with the support of the City of Toronto will be embarking upon a youth lead violence prevention initiative, Trailblazers United: South Asian youth Leadership Series. This is a peer-based, youth lead project to encourage youth working with and training other youth to create awareness around violence and the root causes of violence. We will train 10-12 South Asian youth from four priority neighborhoods in Scarborough including Crescent Town, Malvern, Scarborough Village and Eglinton East– Kennedy Park to lead violence prevention initiatives. These initiatives which can take the form of events, forums or projects will be created and implemented by youth within their own respective communities. Later on, these youth will also be involved in helping other youth create and deliver their own violence prevention initiatives across Toronto.
If you are between the ages of 15-24 and interested in this program, please apply online at www.cassa.on.ca/trailblazers.
UPCOMING EVENTS OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Markham Arts Council Arts Show – May 31- June 7th: Markham Arts Council is organizing an Arts Show at 139 Main Street, Unionville in the Planning Mill from May 31st to June 7th. The timings are Monday to Wednesday 12-6, Thursday and Friday 12-9, Saturday10-6 and Sunday 12-5. Opening Reception will take place on June 2nd from 6-10pm. There will be great art for sale and an opportunity to meet the artists. Call 905-947-9054 for more information.
Public Seminar on Transition from School to Work: Experiences & Strategies of Youth in Immigrant Communities – June 4th: CERIS – The Ontario Metropolis Centre is organizing a seminar on “Transition from School to Work: Experiences & Strategies of Youth in Immigrant Communities” on June 4 at 246 Bloor St. West, 5th Floor, Room 548 (St. George subway station, Bedford Street exit) from 12 – 2pm. The presenters are Rick Sin, School of Social Work, McMaster University, Duberlis Ramos, Hispanic Development Council, Aurelia Tokaci, Settlement and Integration Services Organization, Hamilton, and Miu Chung Yan, School of Social Work, University of British Columbia. This seminar is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to ceris.reception@utoronto.ca or call (416) 946-3110
Social Planning Toronto AGM – June 8th: Social Planning Toronto is holding its Annual General meeting on June 8th at Oakham house, Ryerson University at 63 Gould St., Toronto. To register, visit http: //socialaplanningtoronto.org/spt-annual-general-meeting-registration/ or contact Mary Micallef at 416 351 0095 extn. 251 or mmicallef@socialplanningtoronto.org
Social Planning Toronto: Moving Forward, Breaking Through! A COMMUNITY PLANNING FORUM FOR ANTI-POVERTY GROUPS IN TORONTO – June 12th: Some steps forward, but many more to go: How can we push ahead and get real change? Join with other community groups across the city fighting to end poverty; share what’s happening in your community; hear what others are doing; connect with new ideas; explore new opportunities to open the way for change. The event will be held on Saturday, June 12 from 10:00 - 3:00 p.m at North York Memorial Hall 5110 Yonge Street, next to North York Civic Centre. For RSVP and more information, please contact: Mary Micallef - 416-351-0095 ext. 251 or mmicallef@socialplanningtoronto.org. Child-minding available by request, accessible venue and refreshments provided.
AYCE Events Schedule for June 2010: The Alternative Youth Centre for Employment has a number of Job search workshops lined up for the month of June. Click here to view the calendar.
Villa Karuna Home for Seniors is looking for a volunteer administrator who can assist with reception, office administration work and also provide support to the Board with meetings and minute taking. The position requires 5 hours a day, 3 days a week. All travel expenses will be reimbursed. Excellent communication skills in English and Tamil are required. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel), Database Management (FileMaker Pro) and Internet is necessary.
Application deadline is June 10th, 2010. For more information and to send your application, please contact Indrani Nagenthiram at 416-266-6473, 416-200-6479 or villakaruna@sympatico.ca
Conference on “Recovery Approaches to Trauma, Mental Illness/Addiction in Racialized Communities: A Community Perspective” – June 8th: Across Boundaries presents this conference on Tuesday, June 8th from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, 16 Spadina Road, Toronto. The focus of the conference is to explore recovery/healing approaches used in different countries and in communities in the GTA to deal with wide scale trauma, mental illness and/or addictions. For more information and to RSVP, contact 416 787-3007 ext 224 or martha@acrossboundaries.ca. During the lunch break, launching of the book “Mental Health Race and Culture” Third Edition by Dr. Suman Fernando will take place.
Changing Face of Ontario - Access, Equity, and Governance - Professional Development Day –June 16th: Mental Health and Addiction Service Providers invite you to participate in their second Professional Development day geared towards senior management, board members, members of equity/diversity committees and interested individuals. This event will provide an opportunity for people across sectors to dialogue and engage, identify key deliverables and set out areas of accountability to the communities they serve. To register online, visit www.innovative4you.com/changingface.htm or contact Sherry Sim, Event Planner at 1-866-655-8548.
Put Food in the Budget Campaign : Put Food in the Budget campaign is sponsored by social Planning network Of Ontario with a goal to gain social assistance benefits that reflect the real costs of a healthy and dignified life for people on social assistance. For more information on this campaign and to find out the different ways by which you can show your support, visit the website http://putfoodinthebudget.ca/. An onlinesurvey “Do the Math” which compares your total estimate of monthly costs to the income of people on social assistance or working at minimum wage is also available on the site. Members of the PFIB campaign are available to do a workshop with staff, board members and community members.
You or your organization can also become a member of CASSA, if you wish to support our mission/mandate. Please visit our website www.cassa.on.ca for details on our mission, vision, values and strategic priorities. The members will receive a regular update on various happenings in the social services/social justice field in Ontario's South Asian communities.
Annual Membership fee is only $10 for individuals and $20 for organizations. Joining as a member will also keep you informed of opportunities about jobs, volunteering and community events. Click here for more information about becoming a member of CASSA and its benefits.
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