CNC is asking students and staff who have recently immigrated to Prince George to fill out a survey from the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society (IMSS) on how to best welcome immigrants and refugees to the community.
The survey has been designed for international students and staff who have relocated to Prince George in the last five years, and a separate survey has been created for community stakeholders. Each survey can be completed in five minutes or less.
“This is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to provide input to help PG become a strategic, welcoming, and inclusive community for all,” shared Ananya Bhattacharya, a consultant working on the project with IMSS. “International students are a big part of our immigrant population, and many of them arrive via CNC studies. Their input will better inform post-secondary institutions about student integration, support services, and hiring practices.”
The anonymous surveys are part of a federally-funded study to see the feasibility of long-term local immigration in Prince George. Survey feedback will help determine the need for a long-term local immigration partnership (LIP), which can be a helpful strategic tool to create a more welcoming environment for immigrants and refugees.
“We want to make sure immigrants feel welcomed, supported, and valued when they arrive in PG,” continued Bhattacharya. “In a perfect world, the experience should feel positive and enriching for all parties involved. Creating an LIP will definitely help with that.”
Having an LIP allows communities to identify their own needs and priorities, then develop a framework of next-steps to take with local stakeholders. If successful, it will make it easier for newcomers to integrate into the Prince George community with strong supports.
As a first step, IMSS invites all recent immigrants and international students to fill out the newcomer survey.
The deadline to complete these surveys is February 10, 2023.