The annual Faith and Welcoming Communities Forum provides a platform for forming collaborations, partnerships and connections between faith groups and settlement agencies that work in helping newcomers with their settlement process. The 2023 Faith Forum took place on Thursday June 15th at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in North York. This year’s Inter-LIP event, themed Post-Pandemic Resilience and Community Integration, brought together over 150 partners from 65+ newcomer service providers and diverse faith communities to foster collaboration and improve services for newcomers in Toronto. The forum emphasized TNLIP’s mission to address pressing issues through collective action, featuring discussions on mental health recovery, post-pandemic service delivery, and enhancing partnerships between faith groups and settlement organizations. Attendees shared innovative ideas and best practices, creating a space to strengthen networks and promote a culture of learning. Faith communities were highlighted for their critical role in addressing social isolation and filling service gaps, particularly for undocumented newcomers, showcasing their inclusive and compassionate approach.
A key achievement of the forum was the launch of TNLIP’s “contact sharing form,” a tool designed to centralize connections among service providers and encourage collaboration. Many participants expanded their networks and committed to addressing challenges such as trauma care, mental health support, cultural understanding, and safe educational spaces. The event also initiated essential conversations on improving service coordination and referral processes between faith and non-faith organizations, with an emphasis on capacity building and resource sharing. By uniting these vital sectors, the forum served as a step toward building resilient and inclusive communities, ultimately enhancing the settlement and well-being of newcomers.
The event was livestreamed for those who could not make it in-person and is available to watch below or on our YouTube channel.