Ircom - Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization Of Manitoba

About Ircom - Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization Of Manitoba

IRCOM strives to empower newcomer families to integrate into the wider community through affordable transitional housing, programs, and services. IRCOM OBJECTIVES Housing: To provide safe and affordable transitional housing to low-income newcomer families in their 1st three years of living in Canada. To ultimately provide newcomer families with a comfortable and nurturing environment that empowers both parents and children to smoothly adapt to their new community. Programming: To connect people with quality and accessible programs that support participants and community members to gain the tools they need to integrate and settle into Winnipeg life. Our programs will consistently aim to fill gaps and build partnerships with others working in the community and settlement sectors. Be agents of change: Help to facilitate systematic change by engaging the public and policy makers to better understand newcomer issues, while highlighting the stories and voices of newcomers with the goal of achieving wider societal change. Build Community: Create and support a community within and beyond IRCOM where individuals feel safe, loved, cared for, welcome, supported, respected and included. Develop as 'learning' organization: To be a 'learning organization' that is always developing, adapting and growing, as we work to meet the changing needs of our staff, stakeholders and community members. At IRCOM, we love what we do with our community. We are full of hope and optimism. Here, everyone should feel welcome, safe and respected. We believe that we are not just 'clients' 'staff' or 'volunteers'. We are all part of the same community. These are our values: 1. We put People First We are a loving, welcoming community - an extended family - where everyone has a voice and where every voice counts. We go the extra mile to walk beside newcomer community members on their settlement journey. At IRCOM, we honour each story and embrace people's traditions and cultures. 2. We are Agents of Change At IRCOM, we listen to community needs and work to make positive changes. Sometimes this means innovation and thinking " outside the box " to find a solution. Sometimes, it means having the courage to speak even when your voice shakes. And always, this means supporting and being an ally for ALL newcomers, regardless of status. 3. We are Holistic IRCOM's all-inclusive, wrap-around model aims to meet the needs of newcomers at many levels including physical, social and emotional. Beginning with a safe place to call home, we provide whole family support and never give up on our children, youth or adults. 4. We value Integration At IRCOM, we believe integration is a two way street - this means that we assist newcomers to adapt to Canadian society and help Canadians adapt to our evolving society. We work to build bridges and connections between all communities. 5. We value Independence IRCOM values the wisdom, experience and skills our newcomer community members contribute. We also know that it can take time to adjust to a new home. So, at IRCOM, we provide opportunities, including employment, to support our families move toward independence and success. In this spirit, IRCOM offers a " hand-up, not a hand-out. " 6. We value Diversity At IRCOM, we have a passion for a society made of many peoples; this means we are open-minded, inclusive and respectful of others. IRCOM is committed to having a diverse team of staff and volunteers that includes those with lived immigrant and refugee experiences. We seek to be representative of the newcomer community we serve, at every level of the organization. Our community members are not just participants, but active decision makers. 7. We value Partnerships At IRCOM, we know we cannot work alone. We must reach out and build strong partnerships with those who share our values so that the newcomer community has good services and supports that work together for their benefit.