Poverty Reduction Project Updates
Welcoming Communities Initiative Project Updates
Communities in Action Project
Upcoming Events and Volunteer Meetings
Vacancies with CASSA
CASSA Membership

Dear Friends:

Welcome to our 2nd issue of e-updates. Recently, we have launched two new short term projects. We have one project that aims to increase community engagement in TCHC buildings in Scarborough and another project that aims to create dialogues about anti-racism and diversity in Markham and Scarborough. In addition, on April 29th, we released our first report on Access to Trades for Newcomers in Ontario. We are also looking forward to a major forum in York Region, titled “Putting Equity on the Agenda”. To conclude, we would like to invite all of you to participate in our upcoming South Asian heritage month activities (please see the list below). We hope many of you will be able to join CASSA as members to support our ongoing efforts for social and economic justice. Thank you for all of your continued participation and support.

Sincerely,
Neethan Shan
Executive Director

Child Care 101: CASSA organized several workshops from April 14 onwards with focus on capacity building for women residing in Teesedale and Crescent Town areas of Scarborough. These workshops were held at the offices of Rexdale’s Women’s Centre, South Asian Women’s Rights Organization, Punjabi Community and Health Services, Ontario Bangladeshi Cultural Society, South Asian Community Support Canada, and United Muslim Women of Canada. Please look at the upcoming events section for date and venues for more workshops.

Read more about this campaign

As a part of the Putting Equity on Agenda – Are we being heard? Campaign, CASSA has designed an informal survey designed to gauge the opinions of those living and working in the York Region. The survey is available at www.cassa.on.ca. After the dialogues and surveys are over, the recommendations will be presented to the municipalities and School Boards in York Region. There will also be a Public Forum “Putting Equity on the Agenda” on May 9th, 2009.

Click here for more information on the survey and Public Forum.

CASSA Trades Research Launch: CASSA released its latest report “Access to Trades for Newcomers in Ontario” on April 29th at the Centre for Social Innovation. The event was an opportunity for immigrants, employment advocates and members of the press to learn more about the barriers to employment faced by internationally trained tradespersons. The event received coverage in the Toronto Star, CBC Radio One’s program Here & Now and on OMNI News. The report was very well received with much positive feedback from all in attendance. A Trades Taskforce meeting is being planned for early June to bring concerned stakeholders together to make a strategy to advocate with and on behalf of internationally trained tradespersons.

Click here to read the electronic version of this report.

This project is a partnership between TCHC and CASSA. This project engages Bangladeshi and Tamil communities that live in TCHC buildings in Scarborough. Youth, women and seniors from these communities will be the focus of this project. It is a capacity building project that intends to conduct local awareness campaigns by empowering individuals. Through training, individuals will learn the importance of self-advocacy, community engagement and civic participation. We will wrap up this six month long project with the compilation of a resource guide that will be available in Bengali and Tamil.

If interested in finding our more, please contact Keerthy Narayanan: keerthy@cassa.on.ca

Vacancies in CASSA Board
CASSA has two vacancies in its Board and is looking for individuals with skills and experience in the areas of Health or Finance. The deadline is May 8th, 2009

For more information on this opening, please click here.

Summer Student Position as an Event Coordination Assistant with CASSA
The Event Coordination Assistant, with the guidance from the Executive Director and the Event and Project Coordinators, will be responsible for helping with the organizing of CASSA’s summer events and our events during South Asian Heritage Month. This is 10 week contract position funded by the Summer Students Program of Government of Canada. The deadline is May 8th.

For more information on this opening, please click here.

Child Care 101 workshops: Thorncliffe Neighbourhood office – May 14th. 2009.
Please email Fariah Chowdhury at fariah@cassa.on.ca for more information and location details.

“Putting Equity on Agenda” ARE WE BEING HEARD? Public Forum – May 9th, 2009. Please email Anita Khanna at anita@cassa.on.ca for more information and location details.

May Day and South Asian Heritage Month - May 6th – CASSA & CLC will jointly host May Day and South Asian Heritage Month celebration in recognition of the efforts and achievements of workers and the labor movement. Space is limited so register early! Contact Nitole Quader at nitole@cassa.on.ca

Youth Engagement Events
May 24th – Take the lead! Youth Leadership Retreat- CASSA is organizing a special training workshop for 30 youth from various South Asian communities in the City of Toronto to increase civic engagement and community involvement.
May 25th – 29th – South Asian Heritage Month Display at City Hall for the whole week!

May 30th – 2nd Annual “Fires of Resistance: South Asian Youth Igniting Action” Youth Conference. Calling all youth activists (16 -29) to unite in celebrating and strengthening Social Justice activism among south Asian youth, as a part of south Asian Heritage celebration in May.

Please email Nitole Quader at nitole@cassa.on.ca  for more information and location details.

CASSA’s Annual General Meeting
June 17th, 2009 at 4:30pm Location: TBA

CASSA Volunteer Orientation Sessions

Mississauga
May 26, 2009, 6.00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Mississauga Central Library, Classroom 3, 301 Burnhamthorpe Rd.W.

Downtown Toronto
June 23, 2009, 6.00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., CASSA Board Room, Suite 205, 1992 Yonge St

If you are interested in volunteering, partnering or becoming a member, please email Farhat at farhat@cassa.on.ca. Click here for more information about volunteering with CASSA. Click here to fill out a volunteer application form.

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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Be sure to visit us on the web at www.cassa.on.ca where you’ll find plenty of up to date information on CASSA weekly activities. 

Thank you for your support and for sharing this information with others!