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ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Settlement Services

Our Settlement division supports newcomers to settle, make new friends and understand their life in Canada. Several services specifically support refugees and refugee claimants. We provide services in-person and virtually across Metro Vancouver.

The last year was exceptionally busy for all our settlement services, especially our resettlement programs that continued to provide local supports for BC arrivals of refugees from Afghanistan.

Kathy Sherrell

Director of Settlement Services

Through our settlement programming, we emphasized health, digital literacy and social connectedness in several ways including:

  • Promoting active transportation through the Newcomer Bike Mentorship program.
  • Engaging seniors in first language digital literacy and skill building in the Healthy Body, Healthy Minds – A Focus on Connectedness and Wellbeing of Newcomer Seniors.
  • Training newcomer women on sustainable development goals and project implementation through the Women’s Insight program.
  • The expansion of our Resettlement Assistance and Settlement Orientation Services (SOS) programs supported and welcomed an increased number of refugees to Metro Vancouver.

Internally, we have continued to focus on staff professional development, mental health and wellbeing through learn and share sessions on key immigration topics, and regular group sessions and peer to peer support with a clinical counsellor.

We are deeply appreciative of the continued support of our funders, clients, volunteers and staff.

“ISSofBC’s commitment to helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of settling into a new country is truly remarkable. The range of services and resources they offer, from orientation and language support to employment assistance and community integration, is invaluable for those embarking on this transformative journey. ISSofBC blessed me with a friendly environment and helped me in finding a house.”
Rashid Waris
Refugee Assistance program (RAP) and Settlement programs

Settlement Services

Our Impact

Through our wide-ranging interventions: 

1
Unique Clients Supported.
(includes GAR and refugee claimant figures below.)
1
of respondents report that they have increased their knowledge of life in Canada to be more successful.
1
report that they have increased their participation in social networks and communities – a strong indicator of integration.
1
Government Assisted Refugees (GARs)
received by us within Metro Vancouver.
1
GARs were supported to secure permanent housing.

Detailed data on GAR arrivals is published quarterly on the ISSofBC hosted BC Refugee Hub.
This data, up to and including March 2023, is critical in helping understand the trends that impact client flows and outcomes.

1
Refugee claimant clients supported.
1
Refugee claimants supported to complete their permanent residency applications after their asylum claims were deemed successful.
1
Almost 300 refugee claimants supported to find emergency housing.