Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Gulalai Habib,...
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Transcript of Co-op Development in Immigrant Communities Presenters: Melanie Conn, Devco & Gulalai Habib,...
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
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
Culture and Ethnicity
24 dialectsDominant languages Dari (Farsi dialect) & PashtuBlend of 26 ethnic races
- ie. Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbecs, Hazars, Turkmen,
Nuristanis and many others
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
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
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
Settlement Issues and Obstacles (1)
War trauma & depression
Low literacy
Language barriers
Financial dependence
Economic inequality
Marginalization
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
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
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.
““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
Diversity of MembersLanguage AgeEthnic backgroundMental and physical abilityLanguageMarital and social statusRural and urban experienceDuration of settlement in Canada Education
SupportersSupporters
Project TeamProject Team
The Immigrant Services The Immigrant Services Society of BC Society of BC
CCEDNetCCEDNet
DevcoDevco
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
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
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
2. Role of the settlement 2. Role of the settlement workerworker
• BridgeBridge
• Raise rights of membersRaise rights of members
• Multi-skilledMulti-skilled
3. Policy Barriers3. Policy Barriers
• ClawbackClawback
• Need for multi-year fundingNeed for multi-year funding
Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice
Unique situationUnique situation• LanguageLanguage• Informal co-operationInformal co-operation• Settlement issuesSettlement issues
Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice
GovernanceGovernanceFinanceFinanceOperationsOperationsLessons LearnedLessons Learned
Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice
GovernanceGovernance
• SignificanceSignificance
• TimelineTimeline
Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice
GovernanceGovernance• MeetingsMeetings• QuorumQuorum• MinutesMinutes• Board of DirectorsBoard of Directors
Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice
FinancesFinances• KnowledgeKnowledge• Trust-BuildingTrust-Building• Practice Handling MoneyPractice Handling Money
Co-op Development PracticeCo-op Development Practice
OperationsOperations• WorkspaceWorkspace• EquipmentEquipment• ProductionProduction• IncomeIncome• MarketingMarketing• Business ConsultantBusiness Consultant
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
2. Role of Co-op Developer2. Role of Co-op Developer• Advisor Advisor • TeacherTeacher• FacilitatorFacilitator• OutsiderOutsider
3. Women’s Participation3. Women’s Participation• Cultural issuesCultural issues• Effect of warEffect of war• Settlement issuesSettlement issues• Need for PatienceNeed for Patience
4. Autonomy4. Autonomy• Funding issuesFunding issues• Group issuesGroup issues• Feasibility issuesFeasibility issues
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.
““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
DD