OJEN is pleased to announce funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) for a new project to support newcomer youth take leadership roles within their communities.
Newcomer youth have a special and trusted relationship with their parents and other adult family members. They speak the family’s maternal language and have stronger English-language skills. For this reason they often they act as information providers and interpreters for their families. When serious legal problems arise, especially those relating to immigration status, this role can be stressful.
Helping Youth Help Communities
Over the next year, OJEN will engage newcomer youth in the design and delivery of 3 community-based public legal education (PLE) events in Toronto. These events will provide reliable information on immigration and refugee law for their families and community members. Youth participants will spend 6-8 weeks organizing the event with assistance from OJEN staff, community partners and justice sector volunteers . They will choose the content, handle logistics and promote the event to their community. They will also host the event and evaluate its success.
The Newcomer Community Justice project provides immigration and refugee law information to communities that need it most while at the same time developing leadership skills among newcomer youth.
OJEN is grateful for the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.