Rainbow Refugee Society
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Mission Statement
Our Mission: To promote safe equitable migration and communities of belonging for people fleeing SOGIESC persecution. Our Guiding Principles: Solidarity— Doing with, not for. We support alongside, while respecting the agency and resilience of people on the move. Belonging– Creating belonging in communities in the spirit of the Queer and Gender-Diverse tradition, including chosen family and mutual support. Impact– Channeling what we learn through system-navigation to support others and advocate for system change.
About This Cause
Since 2001, Rainbow Refugee has supported more than 2000 individuals from 62 different countries to seek refugee protection in Canada. More than 25 cities in Canada have welcomed LGBTQIA+ refugees through the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership. We believe in the power of creating communities of belonging and transformation. With a team mostly comprised of folks with direct experience moving through Canada’s immigration and refugee processes, our hearts are in this work. As we grow as an organization, it’s the people we work alongside that keep us centred on what’s important: sharing our experiences, helping others where possible, and taking a stand for what’s right. Inland Program: We provide support, information and system navigation to refugees and refugee claimants seeking refugee status in Canada due to SOGIESC persecution. Private Sponsorship Program: We manage the Rainbow Refugee Assistant Partnership, a federal program facilitating the resettlement into Canada of LGBTQIA+ refugees from around the world. We work with Circles of Hope (a group of volunteers from the community) to provide one year financial and settlement support to those arriving in our private sponsorship program. Community Engagement and Belonging Program: Through this program, we offer workshops, drop ins, social gathering, celebrations, events to all LGBTQIA+ refugees and refugee claimants who are in Canada to support them in deepening their community connections, strengthening their relationships and expanding their chosen families and support systems. Time to Thrive Program: We understand the need for wraparound psychosocial support to allow newcomers to continue with their life plans and thrive. Our Time to Thrive (T2T) program offers: financial resources, mental health supports, housing navigation supports, relevant information on social system navigations, resources and referrals. Advocacy + Changemaking: Across Canada, we participate in many coalitions, organizations, councils and partnerships. We currently hold the presidency of the Canadian Council for Refugees and Co-chair the Rainbow Coalition for Refuge. Our advocacy work enables systemic and policy changes with an intersectional focus that centers anti-racism, anti-colonial and anti-oppressive frameworks. We also spearhead many educational initiatives in our communities providing training and workshops for settlement organizations who are seeking to be LGBTQIA+ competent along with LGBTQIA+ organizations that want to deepen their understanding of how to support mostly racialized people with forced displacement experience. If your organization is interested in learning more about how our educational workshops can support your own inclusion initiatives, please contact us at managing.director@rainbowrefugee.com