OCASI (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants), in collaboration with Future Black Female and the Coalition to End Violence Against Women (CEVAW), invites you to this one-day Hybrid Forum. See the Eventbrite registration page for additional information, and to register.
The objective of the full-day professional development training forum is to support settlement service staff in better understanding how newcomer, immigrant, and refugee settlement challenges intersect with safety, gender-based violence, and experiences of trauma. The training aims to strengthen staff confidence in building safer spaces and in engaging clients through culturally safe, trauma and violence-informed, and prevention-focused approaches. The sessions will focus on practical strategies for early information-sharing, early intervention, and critical conversations that prioritize safety and client choice, as well as coordinated responses and cross-sector collaboration that support newcomer well-being and prevent situations from escalating into crisis.
Session 1: Settlement Realities and Early Support.
Session 2: Culturally Safe Engagement and Prevention in Settlement Practice.
Session 3: Early Settlement Education – Rights, Responsibilities, and Expectations in Canada.
Session 4: Building Safer Pathways: Supporting Black Communities Through Settlement and GBV Response.
The deadline to register to attend in-person is May 18, 2026. Light breakfast, lunch, refreshments, & ASL/English/Interpreters will be provided.
Speakers:
Ana Ulloa (She/Her)
Settlement Counsellor | Freelancer
Tehreem Zafar (She/Her)
Director | Health Equity and Newcomer Services | YWCA Hamilton
Rose Karborani (She/Her), Manager | Immigrant Settlement Services, Case Management | Welcome Centre | Orientation to Ontario and International Student Facilitators Supervisor | BridgesNiagara.ca
Maryann Macharia (She/Her)
Community Engagement Lead | Future Black Female
Monique Maison (She/Her)
Community Engagement Worker | Future Black Female
