Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Gulalai Habib,...

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Co-op Development in Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Immigrant Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Gulalai Habib, Immigrant Gulalai Habib, Immigrant Services Society Services Society of BC/Malalay Co-op of BC/Malalay Co-op

Transcript of Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Gulalai Habib,...

Page 1: Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Gulalai Habib, Immigrant Services Society Gulalai Habib, Immigrant Services.

Co-op Development in Immigrant Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco &Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco &

Gulalai Habib, Immigrant Services Society Gulalai Habib, Immigrant Services Society

of BC/Malalay Co-opof BC/Malalay Co-op

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Afghanistan History

A landlocked country in the heart of Asia

Population around 22 million

Three names: -Aryana in antiquity -Khurasan in the medieval

era -Afghanistan in modern

times

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Culture and Ethnicity

24 dialectsDominant languages Dari (Farsi dialect) & PashtuBlend of 26 ethnic races

- ie. Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbecs, Hazars, Turkmen,

Nuristanis and many others

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War and Human Losses

Over 32 years of intensive war & occupation

Over 2 million people killed

(20% children)

3 million people internally displaced

2-3% of the population disabled

Over 6,700,000 become refugees

Obliteration of infrastructure

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Life in refugee campsLife in refugee camps Deprived of education Deprived of education Poor nutritionPoor nutrition No legal protectionNo legal protection No citizenship rights or access to No citizenship rights or access to

education education Dramatic decline of literacy & increase of Dramatic decline of literacy & increase of

child labourchild labour Extremely rough environment, perfect for Extremely rough environment, perfect for

terrorist recruitingterrorist recruiting

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Afghan Immigrants & Refugees in BC

Afghans are one of largest groups of Government-Assisted refugees (GARs) in BC for the past four years: 26.4%

47% of all Afghan clients settled in Burnaby in 2006

Majority of single parent families are women who lost their husbands in war  

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Settlement Issues and Obstacles (1)

War trauma & depression

Low literacy

Language barriers

Financial dependence

Economic inequality

Marginalization

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Settlement Issues and Obstacles (2)

Raising children in an alien culture

Poor health conditions

Limited opportunities

Lack of culturally appropriate centres &

other resources

Social isolation

Racial profiling since September 11th

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Malalay Co-opMalalay Co-opBeginnings:Beginnings: 20032003 20 women20 women 1300 volunteer hours1300 volunteer hours A community solution to move A community solution to move

towards economic securitytowards economic security

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Three focuses of Malalay:

1.     Develop the co-operative

2.     Develop and test an experiential learning model for new immigrant and refugee women

3. Identify policy and program recommendations to create an enabling environment for new immigrant & refugee women.

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““My dream of the Co-op is not My dream of the Co-op is not only to be financially only to be financially independent and prove that I independent and prove that I have some skills to contribute, have some skills to contribute, but also to regain my but also to regain my confidence and, above all, my confidence and, above all, my dignity.”dignity.” Zakia, Dec. 2004Zakia, Dec. 2004

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Diversity of MembersLanguage AgeEthnic backgroundMental and physical abilityLanguageMarital and social statusRural and urban experienceDuration of settlement in Canada Education

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SupportersSupporters

Project TeamProject Team

The Immigrant Services The Immigrant Services Society of BC Society of BC

CCEDNetCCEDNet

DevcoDevco

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Financial Financial supporterssupporters

• Vancity Community Vancity Community

FoundationFoundation• Status of Women Status of Women

CanadaCanada • Vibrant BurnabyVibrant Burnaby• West Vancouver West Vancouver

Unitarian ChurchUnitarian Church• WomenFuturesWomenFutures• BC Co-op Association BC Co-op Association

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In-kind contributionsIn-kind contributions• Afghan-Canadian Women’s Network of BCAfghan-Canadian Women’s Network of BC

• Immigrant Services Society of BC Immigrant Services Society of BC

• City of BurnabyCity of Burnaby

• Burnaby School District 41Burnaby School District 41

• Burnaby Learning Network Burnaby Learning Network

• Devco Devco • BC Muslim Women AssociationBC Muslim Women Association• Housing Families in Need SocietyHousing Families in Need Society • BC Co-operative Association BC Co-operative Association • Burnaby Food Co-operative Burnaby Food Co-operative • Individuals Individuals

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Lessons LearnedLessons Learned1. A co-op can be a powerful tool for 1. A co-op can be a powerful tool for

immigrant and refugee women to immigrant and refugee women to become active participants in become active participants in Canadian society as well as in Canadian society as well as in their own communitytheir own community

• Positive images of Muslim womenPositive images of Muslim women• A bottom-up approach to A bottom-up approach to

developmentdevelopment• Time-consumingTime-consuming

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2. Role of the settlement 2. Role of the settlement workerworker

• BridgeBridge

• Raise rights of membersRaise rights of members

• Multi-skilledMulti-skilled

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3. Policy Barriers3. Policy Barriers

• ClawbackClawback

• Need for multi-year fundingNeed for multi-year funding

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Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice

Unique situationUnique situation• LanguageLanguage• Informal co-operationInformal co-operation• Settlement issuesSettlement issues

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Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice

GovernanceGovernanceFinanceFinanceOperationsOperationsLessons LearnedLessons Learned

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Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice

GovernanceGovernance

• SignificanceSignificance

• TimelineTimeline

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Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice

GovernanceGovernance• MeetingsMeetings• QuorumQuorum• MinutesMinutes• Board of DirectorsBoard of Directors

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Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice

FinancesFinances• KnowledgeKnowledge• Trust-BuildingTrust-Building• Practice Handling MoneyPractice Handling Money

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Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice

OperationsOperations• WorkspaceWorkspace• EquipmentEquipment• ProductionProduction• IncomeIncome• MarketingMarketing• Business ConsultantBusiness Consultant

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Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

1. Applying the Co-op Model1. Applying the Co-op Model• Working with a ColleagueWorking with a Colleague• InterpretationInterpretation• TranslationTranslation• ESL, transportationESL, transportation

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2. Role of Co-op Developer2. Role of Co-op Developer• Advisor Advisor • TeacherTeacher• FacilitatorFacilitator• OutsiderOutsider

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3. Women’s Participation3. Women’s Participation• Cultural issuesCultural issues• Effect of warEffect of war• Settlement issuesSettlement issues• Need for PatienceNeed for Patience

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4. Autonomy4. Autonomy• Funding issuesFunding issues• Group issuesGroup issues• Feasibility issuesFeasibility issues

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Development is much more than Development is much more than material benefits, and is the sum of material benefits, and is the sum of people’s own aspirations, efforts, and people’s own aspirations, efforts, and learning towards bettering themselves learning towards bettering themselves materially, socially, intellectually, and materially, socially, intellectually, and spiritually. spiritually.

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““If we had started a sewing co-If we had started a sewing co-op ten years ago for Afghan op ten years ago for Afghan women we would not need women we would not need Welfare today”.Welfare today”. Jamila, Oct. Jamila, Oct. 20062006

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