Transforming Employment Narratives: Refugee Claimants and Equity in the Workplace
Refugee claimants’ experiences hold valuable lessons to reshaping hiring and employment practices, as well as creating workplaces that honour the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
On October 25, 2023, we gathered to hear from our panel of speakers, who delved into stories of their own experiences as refugee claimants entering and working in the Canadian employment system.
We asked questions such as, “What can we learn from refugee claimants’ journeys about promoting equity in the workplace?”
Sean Ko shared that, “Employment is community. When you build community, you build hope and opportunities”. We learnt that breaking down barriers in the hiring process starts with putting people before convenience, and that true transformation in a workplace comes from diversity that embraces the voices of equity seeking groups.
Through stories of struggle and resilience, of pain and relief, we were inspired by the speakers who bravely told the truth of the hardships faced by newcomers in Canada.
Outcomes
The day ended with a call to action aimed at making workplaces more inclusive and more focused on community building.
Increase accessibility in hiring and employment processes by integrating the perspectives of refugee claimants and other equity seeking groups.
A Special Thanks to our Partners
Join us at TEN
Join us at TEN to continue the conversation and help develop ways to change the employment system to be stronger, more diverse and inclusive, and build community.