Our mission and objectives cannot be achieved without extensive consultation and collaboration with various stakeholders, partners, and Ark members. Our organizational values are therefore based on democratic principles of consensus-building across the spectrum. A cornerstone of this approach is upholding a policy of honesty with our audience, accountability and transparency with all, including our members. This philosophy is borne from years-long experience that values the process as much as the result. In our case, when outcomes are typically long term, nurturing and maintains relationships is key to our collective success
The Canadian Ark Centre of Excellence aims to facilitate greater integration of immigrant youth in Canadian society through fostering a supportive environment that offers a range of culturally appropriate programs, services, and supports.
Important transformation
Originally known as 313 Youth Club, the organization specialized in mainly youth networking and knowledge exchange activities. Since May 2017, new directors were engaged and members expressed a collective desire to broaden the scope of the organization and to evolve programs and services. In October 2017, a new direction was adopted by members, and directors were given the mandate to proceed to implement the vision.
As part of the new objectives of the organization, the Ark Centre will work to:
· Share knowledge and experience with youth in an interactive setting; and to
· Collaborate with wider community to deliver culturally appropriate programs and services
Need for the Initiative:
According to the 2017 Public Safety Canada's report on "Youth Gangs in Canada: A Review of Current Topics and Issues", immigrant youth are one of three groups that become involved in violence or gangs because they "face a number of barriers to integration into Canadian society". The report cites "multiple marginality" factors as barriers to health integration, this can include any combination of experience of discrimination or marginalization, identity or low rate of acculturation, need for belonging/acceptance, linguistic barriers, and the lack of appropriate community services/supports. Reintegration of these groups, including immigrants can begin when they "reconnect with the community through participation in community activities and services. In their ethnic communities, they may find spiritual grounding in religion and community mentorship".
In addition, the report provides guidance on prevention and reintegration in various levels of support for high-risk immigrant youth. It advocates a "shared vision of collaboration among stakeholders from diverse sectors" in order to promote "the development of positive identities and to achieve a healthy sense of belonging at home, at school and in the community". The report further suggests certain guiding principles for programs and services such as integration of empowering identity development, multi-stakeholder involvement to increase resources, multiple needs approaches to high-risk youth, and responsiveness of initiatives to the current needs of the target population
Describe the Initiative:
The overall objective of this initiative is to facilitate the integration into Canadian society of high-risk immigrant youth, most notably from visible minority groups, in a culturally-competent manner. To address these complex, the Ark Centre will employ a mix of prevention and intervention strategies to facilitate integration of this group into Canadian society. A primary focus of the Ark Centre will focus on involving and collaborating with the broader Ottawa-based youth-oriented community centres and organizations, key community leaders and experts, and Ottawa/Carelton university clubs. Accessibility to these programs/services hinges on fostering collaborative arrangements and networks to engage the right audience to identify those in need beyond the 300+ members currently at the Ark. Community collaboration, providing the appropriate programs, and removing the cultural and economic barriers to accessibility is a first step in fostering integration of these youth to be productive and good standing citizens. Creating that necessary supportive environment is one of a collaborative approach and a shared responsibility.
