♡ MULTICULTURAL ♡ INTERFAITH
- Harmony, diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, and Canada for all are what Canadian Harmony and Inclusion Network (CHAIN) is about.
- The very core values, inner vision, and life given mandate of CHAIN is to bring together people of all backgrounds- ethnic, racial, and religious- to build on the foundation laid by the Fathers a Canada where once heritage is a source of pride and inspiration. CHAIN physical environment with displays of flags and posters communicate the message of love, harmony, a Canada for all, and make every newcomer feels right at home. CHAIN finds creative, innovative, and simple ways to include everyone. CHAIN insures adequate representation of diverse communities on Board membership, staff, and volunteers. CHAIN strives to create a generally positive, safe, and inclusive environment in the organization. This involves good communication, accountability, consistency, and flexibility. CHAIN believes that in a positive environment, it is easier for everyone to share their experiences and express ways they would feel more included.
As stated in its Letters Patent, the objects of the CHAIN are:
a) To educate the public about the prevention of, responses to, and awareness surrounding racial discrimination and hate-motivated violence by offering a structured hate-prevention training program.
b) To assist those affected by racial discrimination and hate-motivated violence by providing counselling and treatment programs.
c) To provide necessities of life to needy persons and victims of disaster.
Canadian Hate Prevention Network has been qualified for tax-exempt status as a registered charity under paragraph 149(1) (f) of the Income Tax Act. The charity's Business Number is 85585 7777 RR0001; the charity is registered effective December 19, 2005; the charity is designated as a Charitable Organization; and the charity's fiscal year end has been designated as April 30.
The three primary areas in which the charity is now carrying on programs to achieve its charitable purposes are listed below. The program areas are ranked according to the percentage of time and resources devoted to each program area in accordance to Income Tax Act:
1- Crime prevention, public safety, preservation of law & order; field code H10; percentage of emphasis 70%
2- Mental-health services and support groups; field code F5; percentage of emphasis 20%
3- Family and crises counselling, financial counselling; field code A11; percentage of emphasis 10%
a) To educate the public about the prevention of, responses to, and awareness surrounding racial discrimination and hate-motivated violence by offering a structured hate-prevention training program.
b) To assist those affected by racial discrimination and hate-motivated violence by providing counselling and treatment programs.
c) To provide necessities of life to needy persons and victims of disaster.
Canadian Hate Prevention Network has been qualified for tax-exempt status as a registered charity under paragraph 149(1) (f) of the Income Tax Act. The charity's Business Number is 85585 7777 RR0001; the charity is registered effective December 19, 2005; the charity is designated as a Charitable Organization; and the charity's fiscal year end has been designated as April 30.
The three primary areas in which the charity is now carrying on programs to achieve its charitable purposes are listed below. The program areas are ranked according to the percentage of time and resources devoted to each program area in accordance to Income Tax Act:
1- Crime prevention, public safety, preservation of law & order; field code H10; percentage of emphasis 70%
2- Mental-health services and support groups; field code F5; percentage of emphasis 20%
3- Family and crises counselling, financial counselling; field code A11; percentage of emphasis 10%
Strategic Plan
Hope:
“Hope has been a beacon for me since childhood and into my adult years. It is embodied in this country with its unlimited possibilities of this country that we sometimes take for granted. My own story begins as a young child in another country, one “draped in barbed wire from head to toe,” in the powerful words of the Haitian poet in exile, Rene Depestre, who is also my uncle." Michaelle Jean
The Dream Lives On!
"…I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American (Canadian) dream.
I have a dream that one day the nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men (and women) are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day the sons of the former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners (and all peoples) will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood (and sisterhood).
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin (race, language, ethnic origin, age, social status, gender, religious believes, or sexual orientation) but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Process: Listening to the Community:
A strategic plan is a blueprint for development and change. It focuses the efforts, energy and resources on the future direction of the organization in keeping with the expressed and anticipated needs of all community members.
A Vital key in the process of strategic plan model is to engage the diverse community in ongoing dialogue in order to create a common understanding and community ownership of the Canadian Harmony and Inclusion Network.
Aurora Multicultural Council facilitated a community roundtable including community partners, staff, volunteers, newcomers and immigrants, multicultural service agencies, interfaith groups, businesses, and Peel Regional Police Diversity Unit.
Positive dialogue and engagement among all stakeholders, based on Aurora Multicultural Council core values, passionate vision, and striving mission will help in better understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by a diverse community.
The Aurora Multicultural Council Board acted as overseer for the strategic planning process and community feedback. A staff and volunteer team provided updated information on census data, inventory of community services and details related to the specific services of Aurora Multicultural Council.
The key themes have been captured and considered in the strategic plan and will form the basis for activities by staff, volunteers and Board over the next three year period.
1. To Foster the Understanding of Canadian Harmony and Inclusion Network as a Valued Grass-root Community Agency:
1.1. This goal emphasizes the Network to position itself in the community as a valued grass-root community agency. There is a need to better communicate the value of the organization but also to reach out to sectors of the community that are not actively involved with its activities.
2. To Develop a Public Awareness and Communication Programs Focused on the Network’s Role and Contribution to the Community:
2.1. Develop public awareness programs with particular attention to non-involved community members and in conjunction with a wide range of community partners, including the local media, community cable and other service providers, to communicate available services and the role of the Network in the community.
2.2. Adopt programs and strategies to promote the value of network partnerships and to increase the number of members and volunteers, particularly among multicultural and newcomers to Canada.
2.3. Develop an outreach strategy to increase the exposure of the Network outside of the existing downtown location by holding events and programs in available community rooms, houses of worship, schools, and malls.
2.4. Provide newsletters and brochures in languages of under-served target groups and communities.
3. To Increase the Network’s Involvement in Community Affairs:
3.1. Ensure the Network is represented at community events.
3.2. Increase staff and volunteers participation on community committees, advisory boards, and community roundtables.
3.3. Provide links to other organizations on the Network’s website.
3.4. Enhance Network partnerships within the community.
4. Core Services and Programs:
4.1. It is necessary to review the Network’s main purpose and desired contribution in the community and ensure service priorities reflect this purpose. It is also important to ensure that the Network is delivering core services in the most appropriate manner to provide the greatest benefit to the community.
5. Newcomers Inclusion Emphasis:
5.1. Stronger efforts will be made to ensure inclusion of newcomers to Canada in vision, planning, programs, Board, staff, and volunteers. A wide range of opportunities to better include newcomers will be explored.
5.2. Emphasize that newcomers arrive to Canada from different cultures, languages, faiths, and social environments. The difficult process of crossing cultures creates a commonality among all newcomers. Like everyone else, newcomers are seeking to satisfy fundamental human needs as they embrace the Canadian dream, to belong equally and fully in Canada.
5.3. Evaluate existing services and investigate new approaches to empower newcomers to Canada heal wounds of hate, violence, genocide, injustice, and war in their country of origin. Newcomers inclusion emphasis strategy will empower newcomers to bring as much of unique cultural and/or religious identity and leave behind what may induce a newcomer to act in a way that is detrimental to Canada or other Canadians.
5.4. Implement staff and volunteers training consistent with needs of newcomers to Canada.
6. To Expand Partnership Opportunities Through the Governance and Advocacy Role of the Board.
6.1. Adopt annual action plans for the Board.
6.2. Identify a key project where the Board can play a vital role.
6.3. Participate in community events and support community initiatives by community partners and other community agencies
7. To Ensure Sustainability of Services by Exploring Opportunities of Financial Resources Available to the Network.
7.1. The adequacy of financial resources is a continuing necessity for sustainability of service and programs of the Aurora Multicultural Council, action plans are required to identify and secure new resources and make the best possible use of existing resources.
7.2. Investigate opportunities for collaboration and integrated services and programs delivery.
7.3. Explore opportunities to participate in province wide cost savings initiatives.
“Hope has been a beacon for me since childhood and into my adult years. It is embodied in this country with its unlimited possibilities of this country that we sometimes take for granted. My own story begins as a young child in another country, one “draped in barbed wire from head to toe,” in the powerful words of the Haitian poet in exile, Rene Depestre, who is also my uncle." Michaelle Jean
The Dream Lives On!
"…I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American (Canadian) dream.
I have a dream that one day the nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men (and women) are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day the sons of the former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners (and all peoples) will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood (and sisterhood).
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin (race, language, ethnic origin, age, social status, gender, religious believes, or sexual orientation) but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Process: Listening to the Community:
A strategic plan is a blueprint for development and change. It focuses the efforts, energy and resources on the future direction of the organization in keeping with the expressed and anticipated needs of all community members.
A Vital key in the process of strategic plan model is to engage the diverse community in ongoing dialogue in order to create a common understanding and community ownership of the Canadian Harmony and Inclusion Network.
Aurora Multicultural Council facilitated a community roundtable including community partners, staff, volunteers, newcomers and immigrants, multicultural service agencies, interfaith groups, businesses, and Peel Regional Police Diversity Unit.
Positive dialogue and engagement among all stakeholders, based on Aurora Multicultural Council core values, passionate vision, and striving mission will help in better understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by a diverse community.
The Aurora Multicultural Council Board acted as overseer for the strategic planning process and community feedback. A staff and volunteer team provided updated information on census data, inventory of community services and details related to the specific services of Aurora Multicultural Council.
The key themes have been captured and considered in the strategic plan and will form the basis for activities by staff, volunteers and Board over the next three year period.
1. To Foster the Understanding of Canadian Harmony and Inclusion Network as a Valued Grass-root Community Agency:
1.1. This goal emphasizes the Network to position itself in the community as a valued grass-root community agency. There is a need to better communicate the value of the organization but also to reach out to sectors of the community that are not actively involved with its activities.
2. To Develop a Public Awareness and Communication Programs Focused on the Network’s Role and Contribution to the Community:
2.1. Develop public awareness programs with particular attention to non-involved community members and in conjunction with a wide range of community partners, including the local media, community cable and other service providers, to communicate available services and the role of the Network in the community.
2.2. Adopt programs and strategies to promote the value of network partnerships and to increase the number of members and volunteers, particularly among multicultural and newcomers to Canada.
2.3. Develop an outreach strategy to increase the exposure of the Network outside of the existing downtown location by holding events and programs in available community rooms, houses of worship, schools, and malls.
2.4. Provide newsletters and brochures in languages of under-served target groups and communities.
3. To Increase the Network’s Involvement in Community Affairs:
3.1. Ensure the Network is represented at community events.
3.2. Increase staff and volunteers participation on community committees, advisory boards, and community roundtables.
3.3. Provide links to other organizations on the Network’s website.
3.4. Enhance Network partnerships within the community.
4. Core Services and Programs:
4.1. It is necessary to review the Network’s main purpose and desired contribution in the community and ensure service priorities reflect this purpose. It is also important to ensure that the Network is delivering core services in the most appropriate manner to provide the greatest benefit to the community.
5. Newcomers Inclusion Emphasis:
5.1. Stronger efforts will be made to ensure inclusion of newcomers to Canada in vision, planning, programs, Board, staff, and volunteers. A wide range of opportunities to better include newcomers will be explored.
5.2. Emphasize that newcomers arrive to Canada from different cultures, languages, faiths, and social environments. The difficult process of crossing cultures creates a commonality among all newcomers. Like everyone else, newcomers are seeking to satisfy fundamental human needs as they embrace the Canadian dream, to belong equally and fully in Canada.
5.3. Evaluate existing services and investigate new approaches to empower newcomers to Canada heal wounds of hate, violence, genocide, injustice, and war in their country of origin. Newcomers inclusion emphasis strategy will empower newcomers to bring as much of unique cultural and/or religious identity and leave behind what may induce a newcomer to act in a way that is detrimental to Canada or other Canadians.
5.4. Implement staff and volunteers training consistent with needs of newcomers to Canada.
6. To Expand Partnership Opportunities Through the Governance and Advocacy Role of the Board.
6.1. Adopt annual action plans for the Board.
6.2. Identify a key project where the Board can play a vital role.
6.3. Participate in community events and support community initiatives by community partners and other community agencies
7. To Ensure Sustainability of Services by Exploring Opportunities of Financial Resources Available to the Network.
7.1. The adequacy of financial resources is a continuing necessity for sustainability of service and programs of the Aurora Multicultural Council, action plans are required to identify and secure new resources and make the best possible use of existing resources.
7.2. Investigate opportunities for collaboration and integrated services and programs delivery.
7.3. Explore opportunities to participate in province wide cost savings initiatives.