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Lori Ryan and Jennifer Woodill Romero House, March, 2000 Funded by The Maytree Foundation
This project is the coming together of
conversations with refugees who had the courage to share their stories with us. A Search for Home: Refugee Voices in the Romero House Community
Table of Contents Executive Summary Introduction 1 Methodology 2 "Home" and "Homelessness" in the context of refugee resettlement 4 Forced Eviction: Leaving Home 6 Experiences of Homelessness in Toronto: Obstacles to refugee resettlement 10 1. The Arrival 2. The Thirty Day Stretch 3. Preparing for the Refugee Determination Hearing 4. Refugee Determination Hearing 5. Struggling towards Landed Status: Immigration Obstacles 6. The Constant Struggle: Ongoing obstacles that refugees face Experiences of Home: the practice of Romero House 29 Recommendations to facilitate the transition from homelessness to home 47 Appendices Appendix 1 - Refugee Interviewees Appendix 2 - Questions asked in interviews with refugees Appendix 3 - Questions asked in interviews with those who work with refugees Appendix 4 – The Process of Refugee Claimant to Citizen Status
A Search for Home: Refugee Voices in the Romero House Community Executive Summary
Romero House! It has a familiar name - the modern day martyr, Archbishop of San Salvador, assassinated for being the voice of the voiceless, the poor and oppressed, in his efforts to accompany the people. The name seems fitting for a refugee resettlement centre, a cluster of three houses located in west Toronto, which provides transitional housing, advice and expertise within a safe, supportive community. Here, some refugee claimants find a sense of home amidst the experience of being homeless on a global scale. This report is based on interviews with refugees and refugee advocates who are members of the Romero House community, and with refugee advocates affiliated with other organizations in Toronto. Forty nine refugee men and women, young and old, took the time to share their experiences of home and homelessness in their homeland and here in Canada, in a hopeful effort to contribute to a better world. The focus of the study is to identify determinants of homelessness, and to identify strategic interventions which nurture a sense of home, with a particular focus on key elements of successful transitional housing strategies using Romero House as a model. The report is organized into 5 sections: A. "Home" and "Homelessness" in the context of refugee resettlement B. Forced Eviction: Leaving Home C. Experiences of Homelessness in Toronto: Obstacles to refugee resettlement D. Experiences of Home: the practice of Romero House E. Recommendations to facilitate the transition from homelessness to home for refugee claimants. The refugee experience of homelessness is not contained in the common definition of being without shelter. Homelessness means separation from their family, history and culture, lack of security, physical and emotional isolation in Canada, lack of meaning in their life and lack of hope for the future - essentially a loss of home. Often, this experience of homelessness begins long before their arrival on Canadian soil. Alesya, of Georgia, recalls, "I have felt homeless all my life, because I was running and hiding, always being persecuted because of my race." Through interviews, refugees identified factors which caused their experience of homelessness to continue in Canada: a lack of information and orientation, inadequate refugee specific shelters/transitional housing, poor treatment from Immigration and other members of the public (racism and anti-refugee sentiment), inland claim delay, insufficient shelter allowance from social services, inadequate lawyers, landing application fees and delays, a lack of English skills, barriers to employment, and a lack of community and professional support to address mental and emotional health. As a signatory of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of refugees, it is our responsibility as a nation to provide protection to those fleeing persecution from which they cannot find safety within their homeland. Certainly the integrity of this Convention requires a system which determines the validity of a refugee claim. Unfortunately, local factors unrelated to the experience of persecution jeopardizes the refugee claimant's right to a fair hearing,
To make any attempt at ensuring that refugees do not remain homeless, one must understand the complex elements that holistically support someone to feel "at home" in society. Nurturing a feeling of home builds a foundation which may be able to withstand determinants of homelessness, such as financial poverty. Romero House is one model of housing that provides a sense of home for refugee claimants. Through the interviews, it is clear that the fundamental best practice of Romero House is the living out of a community based vision of accompaniment - living together as good neighbours. Khalaf , from Egypt, describes the impact of this,
Key expressions of this commitment to accompany refugees are:
In the words of Neelan from Sri Lanka, "Romero House treated any problem anyone had as Romero House problems". The core practice of accompaniment is evident in its organization as well:
While many refugees experience a sense of home in the Romero House community, they also painfully experience homelessness here in Toronto and fear for the many refugees, who have not connected with an organization like Romero House. With no information or orientation offered at the Port of Entry and no resource centre downtown, and not enough refugee specific shelter space to meet the demand, many refugees end up depending on unreliable sources of information and worse, may be victims of "scoopers" and corrupt immigration consultants. Without a community, refugees remain alone and disoriented. This lack of social support, information, and supportive shelter upon arrival prolongs refugees' experience of homelessness and may create insurmountable obstacles to ever being at home in Canada. Accordingly, we recommend the following initiatives:
We call on: The Federal Government of Canada to: 1. Fund Arrive Right information centres for refugee claimants at all Ports of Entry. 2. Remove the Processing fee for the Application for Landing Status. 3. Reduce the processing time of inland claims and provide financial assistance and health care to those who are waiting and are not eligible for government support or for a work permit. 4. Develop a functional grievance procedure within CIC where refugees can lodge complaints and CIC can be held accountable for its actions. The Provincial Government of Ontario to: 1. Fund non-profit refugee specific transitional housing 2. Continue to fund legal aid for refugee claimants 3. Increase the shelter allowance to levels of market rent and appropriate for family size 4. Reinstate Rent Control legislation 5. Develop regulation and certification procedures for Immigration Consultants The Municipal Governments of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) 1. Fund a refugee resource centre in the downtown core with current multilingual information and staffed by knowledgeable settlement and housing workers. 2. Fund HEART proposal for creation of more home-like refugee specific shelters 3. Fund interpreters who can serve refugees at welfare, legal aid, and medical appointments. 4. Fund daycare at ESL classes for refugee claimants in the GTA 5. Fund professional mental health services geared to refugees to cope with struggles and heal from trauma.
Jennifer Woodill and Lori Ryan (loryan@yahoo.com), Romero House, 416-763-1303 Full report available at www.maytree.com in May 2000. Introduction Romero House is a small organization that has provided subsidized housing and services to refugee claimants in the spirit of good neighbours since 1992. A strong supportive community integrates refugees with Canadian volunteers. The three houses which make up Romero House blend into the neighbourhood and staff and refugee claimants live together. The founder, Mary Jo Leddy, has made a voluntary long term commitment to this community where she lives. The Board of directors is made up of five people: a judge, a Jesuit professor, a teacher, a nurse and a high school principal. In addition to meeting monthly to discuss the operation of Romero House, they are active members of the community and have built strong relationships with refugees over the years. The bulk of the daily work is done by full time live in volunteers who make a one year commitment to living and working at Romero House. They receive room and board and a monthly stipend of $125. In February 1999, the City of Toronto gave funds from Provincial Homeless Initiatives Fund to Romero House to extend services to refugee claimants awaiting eligibility documents and to convention refugees seeking permanent housing. The City of Toronto Refugee Housing Task Group chose to give significant funds to one organization, rather than small amounts to several with the condition that one organization could serve as a test model project whose success and practices could educate others. Romero House proceeded to develop a study which would meet the specific mandate to study strategic interventions which prevent homelessness in the refugee community, with particular focus on key elements of successful transitional housing strategies using Romero House as a model. After several months of discussion with the Maytree Foundation and with the City of Toronto Refugee Housing Task Group, a proposal was accepted for funding by the Maytree Foundation for this project. Particular emphasis was spent on identifying grassroots initiatives in the early stages of development which address the identified obstacles. Methodology 49 refugees of the Romero House Community were interviewed. The majority of the sample was made up of current and former residents, while some had become connected with Romero House in their search for advocacy or housing search support. (see Appendix 1 re:sample) The interviews focussed on experiences of home and homelessness, the role of Romero House in their settlement and their recommendations (Appendix 2). Quotes from interviews have been edited for grammar where necessary. Refugees have experienced persecution. Often, this has entailed being interrogated by their persecutors and the solicited information being used against them and their families. The extent of disclosure in the interviews was only possible through the relationship of trust that has been built between the refugees and us as members of the Romero House community over the past two years. To ensure the safety of those interviewed, pseudonyms were used. Fifteen people who have worked with refugees at Romero House (volunteers, former volunteers, director, Board of Directors) and five staff members of other refugee organizations: Sojourn House, Hamilton House, Matthew House, Brottier House and Salvation Army’s Refugee and Immigrant Services were also interviewed. It should be noted here that a volunteer refers to the staff of Romero House made up of full time volunteers who live and work with refugees for a small stipend and room and board. These interviews focussed on identifying strengths of their organization, identifying obstacles to resettlement which refugees face, and making recommendations (Appendix 3). Three feedback groups were conducted with three groups: 1. City of Toronto Refugee Housing Task Group 2. Coalition of Shelter Providers for Refugee Claimants 3. Members of the refugee community at Romero House. At each session, the themes from the interviews were presented and discussion revolved around: Does this sound right? Is anything missing? What can be done? With the first two groups, particular emphasis was placed on identifying grassroots initiatives in the early stages of development that address the identified obstacles. The draft of the paper was read and revised with comments from the director of Romero House, Mary Jo Leddy and Professor Shahrzad Mojab in the Department of Adult Education and Community Development at OISE/UT. This study was conducted and analyzed by Jennifer Woodill and Lori Ryan. They were both full time volunteers at Romero House in 1998-1999 and continue to be members of the Romero House Community. The aim of this study is not to create a text to sit on a shelf, but rather first, to provide a space for refugees to voice their experience, second, to ensure that these voices are heard and considered when decisions are made which impact their lives, and thirdly, to make recommendations which are both imperative and feasible to levels of government, social services and Canadian society. As our motivation is to educate others in order to improve the situation for refugees coming to Canada, we are very committed to disseminating the findings widely. Aspects of this report were presented at the 4th International Metropolis Conference in Washington, DC in December 99 and at the National Metropolis Conference in Toronto in March 2000. Several months will be spent presenting these findings and recommendations to key players and educating appropriate professionals and service providers. "Home" and "Homelessness" in the Context of Refugee Resettlement
In speaking with refugees who are a part of the Romero House community, our overall objective is to recommend ways to prevent homelessness for Toronto's refugee population. We begin our research by recognizing that refugees are forced out of their country because of persecution and danger, and they arrive homeless at Canadian borders. Alesya, a Kurdish woman from Georgia, recalls, "I have felt homeless all my life, because I was running and hiding, always being persecuted because of my race." Refugees have been forced to become isolated from their family and cultural community, and they enter Canada as strangers in this country. The Anne Golden Report of the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force defines homeless people to include:
This is the definition that we will use. When we asked refugees to speak about their experiences and feelings of "homelessness", some spoke about their experiences living on the streets, and sleeping in "dangerous" Toronto shelters where they had to sleep in a chair because there were no beds. However, most of the refugees we interviewed can be classified in the second two categories. Those living at Romero House are living in temporary accommodation, as they must move out once they have received Convention Refugee status. Refugees who have moved out of Romero House and have found "permanent" housing, spoke of feeling homeless. Their experience of feeling homeless despite being housed indicates their risk of soon becoming homeless. The Ann Golden Report clearly states that physical and sexual abuse, isolation and loss of support from family and friends increase the risk of homelessness. We have to recognize that refugees have been forced to leave their support network of family and friends and many refugees have suffered through physical, sexual abuse, and torture. Therefore, the refugee experience of homelessness is not necessarily contained in the common definition of being without shelter. Many refugees define "homelessness" in terms of their loneliness, living far from their family and culture, physical and emotional isolation in Canada, a loss of security, and a lack of meaning in their life and a lack of hope for the future. - Afonso, Angola I felt the most homeless when we were traveling to Canada and not knowing what will happen to our future. - Alba, Mexico When there is no one there to say it will be alright, you may as well give up…You need people who will encourage you, who will say, today things are very rough, but tomorrow may be better.- Esther, Nigeria The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "home" as, "one's residence; the social unit formed by a family living together; a congenial environment". In comparison, "house" is defined as "a building for human habitation". Similarly, when we asked refugees to speak about "home", their experiences and feelings of "home" reach far deeper than "a building for human habitation". As Aziz, who has lived in Canada for four years, speaks, "Home is back home and a house is just where you live". A house is where you sleep and eat, but feeling at home has emotional and psychological components. Most often when they were solicited for examples of feeling at home, memories of childhood and their family back in their country was articulated. In their examples of "home" in Canada, refugees speak of experiencing moments of feeling at "home" in times of community and celebration, when they feel safe, when they find meaningful work, and when they know that there are people who care that they are alive and can give hope for tomorrow. Therefore, we write this research paper with the strong belief that provision of shelter is essential, but not sufficient to end homelessness. To make any attempt at preventing homelessness, one must understand the complex elements that holistically support someone to feel at "home" in society. These elements include hope in the future, meaningful work, and a community of support and love ("family"). Nurturing a feeling of home builds a foundation, which may be able to withstand determinants of homelessness, such as financial poverty. The nurturing of home must recognize the genuine experience of loss and homelessness on a global scale and design services appropriately.
Forced Eviction: The Loss of Home
Before we can look at refugee resettlement in Canada, we need to explore and understand the diverse experience of being forced to leave one's country and search for refuge elsewhere. There are a variety of reasons that cause people to leave their country in search of refuge, and Amnesty International estimates that there are over 15 million refugees who have uprooted themselves to search for safety outside of their country. The 1951 Geneva Convention defines a refugee as someone who:
As understood within this definition, refugees are survivors of persecution, and are fleeing places of horror, danger, and torture. Although they fear remaining in their country, they are also fearful of leaving their home; the place of their family, culture, religion, employment and history. Once they leave their country, they are homeless on a global scale. Therefore, their act of leaving to find refuge in Canada is both relieving, because they need safety, and yet, so very painful, because they must leave their home and try to find a new home in a strange land. Refugees Remember Childhood When we ask refugees about their sense of home, many refugees respond with memories of feeling secure and loved within their family, and especially during their childhood. Although some of the refugees interviewed have lived in Canada for over seven years now, the majority still immediately speak of home being back in their country, surrounded by family. In our interviews, we asked refugees to compare the definitions of "home" and "house", and most often, the distinction centered on the people who lived in their house. A "house" is only a physical structure, where one sleeps and eats. "Home" is defined, over and over in the interviews, as being a part of your family, and living with a sense of safety:
In the interviews, refugees spoke of the sense of safety, protection and relaxation in the childhood home. Massud who spent over eight years of his adult life running from the Revolutionary Guards in Iran, speaks, "I only had a normal life when I was a very young child." Aziz, has been here four years, but still does not feel at home in Canada, "Home is back home and a house is just where you live. I always think about home in Algeria. One day, Canada will feel like home, but not now." For many refugees, it takes many years to feel at home in Canada. Fear and Internal Flight: Persecution and Homelessness Although many experience home within their families, refugees also speak of their profound experience of homelessness within their home country. Persecution causes refugees to feel homeless. Some refugees experienced persecution throughout most of their lives. For example, Alesya speaks of being a Kurd in Georgia, "I have felt homeless all of my life, because I was running and hiding, always being persecuted because of my race". Others experienced persecution after a major event, which forced their flight and uprooted an otherwise secure life:
As "home" is defined as safety and comfort, homelessness is defined as living in fear and anxiety. For refugees, the concept of "homelessness" is not a metaphor, but it is a reality of constantly moving from place to place, and living in hiding with the fear of being found. The desire to remain in one's home country and/or the huge barriers to fleeing one's country force many to spend months or even years fleeing internally. Amnesty International estimates that there are an estimated 25 to 30 million people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human rights violations or threats to their lives, but have not crossed an international border. They are displaced within their own counties. Neelan spent the last ten years moving from place to place in Sri Lanka, always with the fear of bombs or death threats. Carlos spent in last five years in Colombia living in hiding and constant fear. He estimates that he moved 10 times. When he was found out, people would follow him, they would phone him with threats, and he would move again.
And sometimes, refugees were unsuccessful in eluding their captors. People are caught and forced to experience detention and torture. Many of the people who we interviewed did suffer at the hands of a torturer, and the underlying terror is utterly apparent in their eyes and in their words. Houcine from Morocco states clearly, "I lost home a long time ago, so I lost emotion. You are talking to someone who has been dead for a long time." Asha speaks of the possibility of being deported back to her country, "I will cry if I have to go back. I never lived like this before. Nobody press on me, like in Kazakhstan. There is no nationalism, nobody hurts me in Canada." Brahim, from Algeria, expressed his political views, changed apartments 3 or 4 times, and yet was caught and imprisoned and tortured by government officials in prison. He walks now with a metal plate in his leg; a daily reminder of his torture. Many of the refugees are not at the place to speak openly about their torture, and we did not push the subject, as it was not our place to ask either. But behind many people's words and hard faces, were unseen scars of their horror. Therefore, it is clear through our interviews that the refugees lived in their home country with realities of both security and insecurity, and these complex realities are carried with them to Toronto. Elsa clearly illustrates this complex reality:
The Long Journey Out Many of the refugees we interviewed traveled through different countries before coming to Canada, and felt homeless once they left their home country. For example, Ali speaks of leaving Iran and feeling completely confused in a new country:
Many of the refugees interviewed, spent a long time in other countries before they made their way to Canada. They may have lived in hiding in another country, or tried to make a refugee claim in another country, but this time spent in limbo, and sometimes in unsafe conditions, prolongs the sense of dislocation before they are able to try and create a new home in Canada. For example, Fawzia fled Eritrea and lived in Kenya and Sudan, before coming to Canada. Ruth, from Eritrea, fled her country and spent one year living and working illegally in Saudi Arabia before coming to Canada. And Haileab from Eritrea had to stay at a refugee camp in Kenya and speaks about this experience, "There was no place to sleep, no proper food, fear of persecution, fear of the military in the camp, and I was always worried about what will happen?" Many refugees interviewed made refugee claims in other countries and began a new life there, but were forced to leave for a variety of reasons, and ended up in Canada. Arta's story illustrates that crossing national borders does not always protect refugees from their persecutors. She fled Albania and lived in both Italy and England before coming to Canada. In England, they (her husband, herself and a one-year-old baby) made a refugee claim, but left because someone from Albania knew that they were in England and they were not safe. Arta tells the story:
In this situation, Arta and her family's fear escalated because they felt unsafe, not only in Albania, but also in England. Many refugees have experienced rejection of their refugee claim before they come to Canada. Renata and Pandeli, originally from Albania, lived in Germany for over six years, trying to obtain refugee status. In speaking about homelessness, they remember their rejection from Germany, "I felt homeless when I received the paper in Germany which said that we must leave Germany; to start again for the second time." Aziz claimed refugee status in England, and was denied status. He was also put in detention in England for seven months, and had to protest through a hunger strike to be let out of detention. Esther, from Nigeria, also made a refugee claim in the United States, and was denied status. The Immigration and Refugee Board in Canada has deemed all of these people's refugee claims as legitimate. When refugees arrive in Toronto searching for refuge, they carry their diverse experiences of persecution, and they also carry their culture, language, religion, and the grief of leaving home. They may arrive tired after a long journey through other countries. They may arrive alone or with some of their family. They may arrive shocked, as survivors of torture or rape, or witnesses of killings of their family. But, refugees come to our borders with great strength and hopes for a new beginning. Experiences of Homelessness in Toronto: Obstacles to Resettlement 1. The Arrival Refugees come to Toronto looking for safety, and yet from their moment of arrival and for many months and years to come, they face numerous demands and obstacles that threaten their status and security in Canada. The most immediate demand that refugees face is the need for food and shelter, which can prove to be difficult to find because many refugees come with very little money. Not only are they often financially strapped, but they often do not know English and lack necessary information. Inadequate Shelter In Toronto, there are five shelter providers specifically for refugee claimants: Brottier House, Matthew House, Hamilton House, and Romero House offer home-like settings, and Sojourn House offers a dormitory setting and is funded by the City of Toronto. They provide shelter and crucial information and orientation of the refugee process. Unfortunately, these refugee specific shelters are most often full, and many of the refugees must stay at an Emergency homeless shelter. Jacques, who came to Toronto from the Congo, shares his story,
Many refugees spoke about their feeling of fear and danger when they stayed in homeless shelters that are not specifically for refugees. Massud, from Iran speaks, "I felt the most homeless in the shelters in Canada because I was with people who were alcoholic and used drugs, and it was very dangerous." Debbie Hill-Corrigan, the Executive Director of Sojourn House, speaks about refugees who are not able to find shelter at Sojourn House,
Refugee's fear of staying at homeless shelters is compounded by their past traumas in their home country. Some refugees arrive in Toronto to find that all of the shelters are full. Neelan arrived in Toronto from Sri Lanka, searched for housing, but the Salvation Army and the YMCA were full, and heard about Romero House. When he came to Romero House, there was no space but he slept in the living room. Esther, who came with three children from Nigeria to Toronto, tells her story of arrival,
Refugees suffer from misinformation and a lack of information about shelters. Haileab fled Eritrea and arrived in Toronto, not knowing where to sleep for the night. After receiving no advice from the Immigration Official at the airport, she found her way to downtown Toronto, and found an Ethiopian restaurant. Thankfully, the people in the restaurant could speak her language, and referred her to Romero House. Otherwise, she may have been forced to sleep in the restaurant, or worse, on the street. Loly Rico, who works at Hamilton House tells a sad story of homelessness, "We know of a woman who came from Bangladesh and was given an address of a shelter that was actually under renovations at the time, and the woman went with her kids to the address, and slept all night on the street." Lack of Information and Orientation From the moment of arrival, refugee claimants need to understand the complicated immigration process that will determine their refugee status. Any mistake in filling out documents may be devastating for their case when their status is being decided. Refugee claimants need accurate, up-to-date information, and they need help from someone who reads and writes English and is knowledgeable of the immigration process. Currently, there is no resource centre for refugee claimants and most of the work is done by refugee specific shelters. Staff in general shelters do not have the time, training or mandate to assist with these refugee specific needs. Pandeli from Albania speaks about his one month in a Salvation Army shelter, "There was no help with papers, or to find an apartment, they only helped once with immigration medical address. The shelters only help us to eat, drink and sleep." The Salvation Army does employ one worker who assists with refugee and immigration issues of those living inside and outside their shelters, but one staff person is not sufficient to meet the demand. The large population of refugee claimants who live with family and friends upon their arrival in Toronto also suffer from a lack of accurate information. At a feedback group, one refugee advocate told the story of a family who kept their relative in hiding in Canada, and they missed their refugee hearing. Vulnerable to Scoopers Currently, there is no program, like a reception centre, at the Ports of Entry, such as the airport or the Canada/US border, or in Toronto, that ensures that all newly arrived refugees receive accurate accessible information and assistance. So, alone and needing help, refugee claimants often depend on strangers for information. They are vulnerable to being victims of corrupt practices in their search for safety. `Scoopers' prey on claimants arriving at the border and the airport. Typically, they promise to take care of everything as long as they use a particular lawyer. Some are left destitute and arrive at a shelter to tell their story, while others do not realise that their helper is a con artist until the hearing, when their lawyer is not prepared and their claim is refused. There are no recorded statistics on scoopers in Canada, and very little formal research has been done to illustrate their destructive effect on refugee claimants' lives. However, at the Coalition of Shelter Providers feedback group, many refugee advocates told stories of scoopers. For example, one story was of a woman who gave a scooper in New York $3000 to be set up with a lawyer in Toronto, and arrived to realise that this was a lie and her money was gone. Another refugee claimant was poorly advised by a scooper, arrived in Montreal, didn't understand the procedures, didn't show up for her hearing, and was subsequently deported from Canada. Immigration: Lack of Respect and Inland Claim Delays Refugees arrive in Canada relieved to have distance between their persecutors and themselves. However, the reality of the Immigration process is harsh. Refugees may face verbal harassment from Port of Entry immigration officers, who sometimes use their power to humiliate and degrade refugees who enter Canada. Brahim, who came from Algeria and made a claim at the Pearson airport, arrived in Canada to face violent hostility,
Many refugees spoke about their lack of knowledge of the Canadian Immigration and Refugee system, and how this ignorance affected their lives. For example, one huge problem that came up in the interviews was that many refugees do not realise that they need to make a refugee claim when they reach the border of Canada. If a refugee does not make their claim at the border, they must make an inland claim, and the inland claim process is incredibly slow. Arta, from Albania, did not know to make a Port of Entry Claim. She came with her husband and baby girl, and she speaks about this experience:
Arta and her family ended up waiting for over six months to receive their eligibility papers, and had to wait another year for their IRB hearing to take place. Refugees who make inland claims are at a huge disadvantage, because their eligibility papers often take many months to be processed, and without these papers, they cannot access welfare or health coverage. They are ineligible to work as well. They have no access to financial help, and so they are forced to remain in a homeless shelter. Money is needed, not just for food and housing, but also for clothes. Some families arrive in Canada with six children and need winter clothes and have no money to dress for the weather. Also, during this time of waiting, children have difficulties enrolling in school, because they don't have Canadian identification papers. Pandeli and Renata, a couple from Albania, waited six months before they could obtain their eligibility documents and begin the process, and during these six months, their two children had no access to school, and the family had no access to health or social services. In the past, processing inland claims took less than one month and CIC has not given any explanation for the current delays. 2. The Thirty-Day Stretch
Once a refugee makes a refugee claim, either at the border or an inland claim at an immigration office, they must wait for their Eligibility Documents. On average, Port of Entry claimants receive their documents in one month and inland claimants must wait for more than six months. Once they receive their Eligibility Documents, they are then able to begin the refugee process, and are eligible for welfare and Interim Federal Health coverage. They now have 28 days to apply for legal aid, find a lawyer to represent them, and fill out their Personal Information Form, which is used as the primary basis for their case in court. This is a very stressful time for refugee claimants, as each of their decisions must be well calculated. Twenty-eight days is a short time, especially considering that many refugee claimants must also find an interpreter to accompany them to apply for legal aid and welfare. The impact of these demands are observed by those who work with refugee claimants: . - Shawn, former Romero House volunteer You come here, and all of a sudden, boom, you have to fill out papers, get on welfare, find a lawyer. It almost feels like, I just came from a really bad place, and all of a sudden I’ve got to tell you why I left? ...It is hard to settle in, because they are being questioned all the time as to why they are here. - Karen, former Romero House volunteer From the beginning, refugee claimants must pass tests of their credibility, so they can receive legal aid to find a lawyer to represent them at the hearing. The Welfare System
As soon as they receive their Eligibility Forms, refugees need to apply to welfare, so that they can get out of the shelters and find more permanent housing until their claim is heard by the IRB. Many refugee claimants depend on welfare for their living during the time between their entrance into Canada and their hearing, which could be one to two years of waiting. During this time, many refugee claimants attend English classes full-time. In the interviews, refugees spoke about their experiences with welfare, and the lack of information provided by welfare workers, and many suggested that they need more help than just money. Refugees are directed to welfare for help, and this social service needs to do more than just issue a monthly cheque. Many refugees were surprised about the Canadian welfare system. Asha speaks, "Welfare is fantastic, there is nothing like it in Kazakhstan, even for seniors". However, many refugees also explain that welfare does not provide enough money to live in Toronto. As Ruth, from Eritrea, explains, "We need more money to live, $195 for $90 metropass and $100 for food, how can I buy a jacket or boots, or be able to buy a gift for a friend who gets married. If there is a party, I want to be able to bring something." Many of the refugees were thankful for welfare money, because they wouldn't survive financially without it. However, during this one to two year wait for their hearing, they cannot actively participate in society with such a small amount of money. The other complaint given about the welfare system is that workers follow different rules for different people. Refugees feel vulnerable in this situation and don't know what their rights are. Gerry, who works at Brottier House, a shelter for refugee claimants, explains,
This situation may be that individual workers are aware of the inadequate resources which welfare provides and do their best to make up for this by being lenient in other ways. Many refugees spoke about their difficulties with the welfare workers asking so many questions, and sometimes, being hostile towards them. Those who have been persecuted are often particularly sensitive to feelings of powerlessness in relation to authority, and sometimes interactions with welfare may tap into previous experiences of interrogation by torturers. Refugees are again in a vulnerable situation and feel threatened and judged by social services:
3. Preparing for the Refugee Determination Hearing After the thirty-day stretch is over and refugees have submitted their Personal Information Form, they must wait for their refugee hearing. This is a time of immense stress, as the hearing will determine whether they will be allowed to stay and build a home in Canada, or whether they will be forced to leave. When we asked the refugees about their hopes, the ones who were still waiting to have a hearing continued to hope for acceptance. During the first year of living in Toronto, acceptance is at the forefront of refugee’s minds. Neina, a mother of four children from Iran, is still waiting for her hearing, and says, "I hope that we are accepted as refugees at the hearing, so I can know that my family can stay in Canada and we can make our home here." It is extremely difficult for refugees to actively live, heal, and begin to feel at home in Canada when they do not know if they will be allowed to stay. Alesya, who is a Kurdish refugee from Georgia, waited for more than five years for acceptance, as her family was not accepted the first time by the Immigration and Refugee Board and her stress level during this time was unbearably high. She speaks about this experience, "In my past, the biggest barrier was the fear of being deported from Canada, which would mean death. My husband, children, and me we all feared death. I had this fear for over five years." Immigration Delays and Inaccessibility During this time of waiting, there are often many difficulties that refugees face. Many of the refugees we interviewed had severe problems with the immigration department that caused their hearing date to be delayed. Celia, from Mexico, has been waiting for her family’s hearing for over one and a half years, and the whole family has lived under the stress of refugee claimant status for too long. Through this time of waiting, there is no way to receive direct assistance or answers about the delay:
When there are mistakes and delays in the process, it is extremely difficult to work with the immigration system. The longer that one must wait for a decision, the more stress that each refugee and their family must endure. Arta, who came from Albania in March 1998 and is still waiting for a hearing date, illustrates the suffering that she endures because of the delay in receiving her papers,
Inadequate Lawyers Each refugee claimant needs to find a lawyer to represent him or her at the hearing. For refugees, the choice of one lawyer over another can mean the difference between life and death. The lawyer has responsibility for filling out the Personal Information Form, doing research, gathering evidence for the hearing, and representing their client. At present, legal aid only covers 12 hours of time, and that is an inadequate amount to fairly represent a refugee claim. Also, legal aid is not accessible for everyone; for example, Central Americans are often refused by legal aid, and these claimants must pay the entire fee from their pocket. To top off legal aid, many refugees pay a great deal of money from their pocket because they believe that they may then receive better legal counsel. During our Romero House feedback group, we discussed the prediction that legal aid for refugee claimants will be cut in Ontario during the next year. Many refugees spoke passionately about the need for legal aid assistance, and the impossibility of surviving financially without it. As Jaffet, from Eritrea asks, "Is this a way for Ontario to keep out refugees?" One huge stress for many of the refugees interviewed was their experience of inadequate lawyers. Again, part of the problem is that refugees are coming to Canada and are extremely vulnerable, need to find a lawyer immediately for their refugee case, and do not have adequate information about reputable lawyers in Toronto. Medhanit, who is from Eritrea, was rejected at her hearing, and was represented by a lawyer who fell asleep during the hearing.
Lack of preparation by lawyers can lengthen the delay for refugees, as Aziz, speaks, "My refugee hearing was rescheduled from October 96 to April 97, because my lawyer was not doing his job and I needed more documents. I survived, but it was long and hard." Arta, from Albania, spoke of her lawyer writing to legal aid saying their claim was not true, so they could not receive legal aid, and he charged more and she had to pay fees out of their own pockets. Lawyers have a lot of power, and refugees who are stuck with inadequate lawyers are often vulnerable to the situation, not knowing what to do. Needing Proof When fleeing persecution in their country, refugees often must leave quickly and secretly, and aren't able to prepare for what lies ahead in Canada. So when they prepare for their hearing in Canada, they are under a great deal of pressure to gather information for the hearing. Brahim, from Algeria, speaks about this stress,
4. The Refugee Determination Hearing The actual hearing date, and the experience of being interrogated without any support compounds a refugee's stress. Rosa is a refugee from Guatemala, who was rejected and deported from Canada in 1993, and reapplied for refugee status. She was only seventeen years old with a baby when she went to her first immigration hearing:
Aziz, describes his frustration with the narrow interest of the Immigration and Refugee Board; "The IRB panel doesn't want to hear anything about feelings. They don't want to hear about threats on your mother, your father, your family, but only you. To them, feelings are irrelevant." 5. Struggling towards Landed Status: Immigration Obstacles
A huge problem that affects many refugees, and that surfaced again and again in our interviews, is dealing with the immigration department in trying to achieve landed status. Without landed status, Convention Refugees do not have access to post-secondary education and certain training programs, cannot sponsor family members, cannot travel outside Canada and return, are barred from employment in certain sectors, have a social insurance number which begins with 9 denoting temporary and cannot participate in the political process. Therefore, obtaining landed status is an extremely important step for refugees to build a home in Canada. However, for many Convention Refugees, obtaining landed status proves to be extremely difficult. Slow, Inefficient and Alienating Operations Through our interviews, we found out that often, Immigration makes mistakes and because of these mistakes, delays sometimes last four or five years. Osman came to Canada from Eritrea in 1994 and is still waiting for landing status. To be eligible for landed status, he has been forced to do his medical chart three times because Immigration lost his forms. Neelan arrived in Canada from Sri Lanka, in 1996, and has been waiting for over 2 and a half years for landed status. He has filled out all of the forms, and he believes that he is waiting for a security clearance. But immigration has not explained the delay and Neelan has now been separated from his wife, children, brothers and sisters for over three years. He explains his suffering in waiting, . Since the interview, Neelan has been accepted as a Landed Immigrant and can now begin the process to sponsor his family to Canada. The Immigration system renders refugees powerless, and they must continue to wait for a change in their situation. Neelan's frustration lies in receiving no answers from Immigration about his situation. He explains,
Florence Gruer, the refugee resettlement worker for the Salvation Army, struggles continuously for people waiting for Immigration to grant them landed status:
Not only does Immigration provide no room for questions to be asked, but also some immigration officials have been hostile towards refugees whom we interviewed, making them feel unwelcome in Canada. Jaffet and Saleh, two brothers from Eritrea, struggled to achieve landing status. Mary Jo Leddy, the director of Romero House, became politically involved with their struggle and they were eventually landed. They speak about the rudeness they experienced,
The Processing and Right of Landing Fees
If the Convention Refugee's landing application moves through the system smoothly, there is still the Processing Fee and until recently the Right of Landing Fee that needs to be paid. This Right of Landing Fee was introduced in the 1995 federal budget because there was a deficit, and the fee was used to offset the cost of settlement programs. It was referred to by refugee advocates as the "Head Tax", reminiscent of the fees put on Chinese immigrant families in the early 1900's. On February 28, 2000, Elinor Caplan eliminated the Right of Landing Fee for refugees. That is, any refugee who has not been landed before 4pm on February 28 will not have to pay this fee, of $975 per adult including sponsored family members. This is extremely wonderful news for refugees and refugee advocates who have been fighting for years to eliminate the Head Tax. However, refugees still must pay the Processing Fee of $500 with their Landed application, and this fee is problematic and unnecessary. The Processing Fee is a $500 payment that needs to be made at the time of submitting the landing application. If the Processing Fee is not paid, then the Landing Application will not be assessed Obviously, for refugees, fees are a huge barrier to becoming landed, and finding the money to pay these fees proves to be a struggle that makes refugees feel poor and unworthy and desperate. These refugees have just demonstrated to the satisfaction of the IRB that they had fled their country and never planned to come to Canada, and they're being charged to stay in Canada. There's little recognition of the difference between refugee and immigrants. The loan program that was in place to pay for the Head Tax was useless to those refugees, like Esther, from Nigeria, deemed ineligible to receive the loan because the government didn't believe that they can pay back the loan:
The story of Fadumo, who came to Canada from Somalia, is telling. Fadumo was accepted as a Convention Refugee in 1997 and given 3 months to pay $3500 worth of fees for her Landing Status. She tried to save money and to get a loan, but she was not eligible because she wasn't working. By December of that year, her situation became so desperate that she left her house and went into a shelter. By doing this, she was able to cash in her welfare cheque and give all of it to immigration. In the information on the "Right of Landing Fee", published by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the $975 Head Tax is described as "partial compensation for the privileges and benefits which permanent resident status confers." Paying this tax has meant, for Fadumo, being homeless, suffering the consequent humiliation and frustration, and feeling the guilt of putting her sons through this experience. Family Reunification? For many refugees who arrive in Canada alone or with only part of their immediate family, being granted landing status means being reunited with their family. Family members are often in dangerous situations in their country, and refugees in Canada cannot feel at home in Toronto until reunited with their family. Many refugees spoke about their hopes to be reunited with their family. Ruth came to Canada from Eritrea in early twenties and has lived in Toronto for the past two and a half years without her parents, brothers or sisters. Arthur came to Canada in December 1997 from Albania and has been separated from his wife and son for the last two years: . Zawditu, from Eritrea, say, "We hope that we can bring our mom to Canada, but our paperwork isn't finished yet, but that will help us feel at home". Brahim, from Algeria, worries about his wife and two children and hopes for the day when he can sponsor them to be reunited with him in Canada. His wife and children are in hiding and are constantly moving. Brahim is fearful that the police will kidnap his children to further punish him.
6. The Constant Struggle: Ongoing Obstacles that Refugees Face Searching for Housing Finding affordable housing proves to be a huge problem in Toronto. According to a report released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., Toronto apartment hunters face the highest rent and the second-lowest vacancy rate, of 0.9% in the country. And rents are rising. In one month, rent for a one-bedroom apartment excluding utilities - which can cost up to $150 per month - increased from $729 per month to $770. In one month, two-bedroom apartments rose from $881 to $916. Without rent control, Toronto rents are skyrocketing and people cannot find space with the money that they receive from welfare. At present, there are 55,491 people on Toronto's waiting list for social housing, and on average one waits for seven years for a subsidised dwelling. With the clear need for social housing in Toronto, the Provincial government recently decided to sell off 5,800 homes used as public housing for low-income families. On welfare, a single person is allocated $325.00 per month for housing, and a room in Toronto often costs more than $400. The maximum amount for shelter allowance is $673, which means that even a woman with eight children must live in a one-bedroom apartment. Also, landlords require first and last month’s rent to secure an apartment, and for refugees, whose only income is welfare, this proves to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Because refugees are so desperate to find permanent housing in Toronto, they are vulnerable to scams. Brahim, from Algeria, paid $175 to a private apartment-finding agency that promised to find him housing - they didn’t follow through, and he lost this money. Even if one can manage to pay the rent, many refugees are discriminated against because they are on welfare. Many of the refugees interviewed spoke about their interactions with landlords who consider people on welfare to be lazy. Maria, from Peru, comments on the renting difficulties she has faced,
Afonso, from Angola, did not live at Romero House (because there was no space) but a volunteer from Romero House did help him and his wife to find housing so that they could leave the shelter situation. Afonso speaks about the difference between looking for housing on his own, and with a Canadian volunteer,
Many refugees spoke of their experiences facing racism when they searched for housing. Landlords have the right to rent to whomever they choose, and many refugees were turned away because they are black or because they speak English with an accent. Esther, from Nigeria, spoke about her experiences of a Romero House volunteer calling to see places for rent, but when she went, the landlord would always say that the apartment was not available. Medhanit, from Eritrea, also spoke about the blatant racism, "I could not find housing because of discrimination - because I have kids and because of my skin colour. They tell me, one was `just rented now’ when they see me". Romero House volunteers have witnessed blatant racism from landlords; for example, one landlord phoned Romero House in search of a potential tenant, he asked for anyone who was not black and had no kids! The absence of available low-cost government controlled housing for refugees puts all of the advantages on the side of the landowner, and often, they abuse this power. Searching For Work Many of the refugees who were interviewed discussed the barriers they face in finding work in this city. Refugee claimants are not allowed to work without a work permit, and often after doing the paper work, they wait many months before their work permit is accepted. For refugee claimants, they are forced to survive under the welfare system, and are seen as lazy. Many refugees who we interviewed spoke about their experience of being on welfare, and being seen as taking from the system, and being seen as someone with no abilities or skills. Gerry, who works at Brottier House, speaks, . These barriers have driven some people to work illegally, being paid less than minimum wage under the table, with no rights or protection. When refugees are allowed to legally work, the barriers they face are huge. Through our interviews, refugees defined the greatest barriers to finding work as being: language difficulties, not having connections with people in the work force, racism, not having their foreign credentials acknowledged, holding a temporary social insurance card and having no Canadian work experience. Neelan, from Sri Lanka, took a co-op class in Toronto where most people found work, but his internship was with the Ministry of Education, and they were cutting jobs, so he could not find work there. He has sent out 150 resumes with no success. Haileab, from Eritrea, has now been looking for work for two years, and spoke to us about her frustrations. She speaks English very well, and has obtained a master's degree from India, and yet she says,
When someone does find work, most often, this work is part time or contract, with no benefits, no protection, and no room for promotion. Maria, from Peru, is a Convention Refugee who is waiting for landed status. She sees the number nine on her social insurance card, which means temporary status, as a symbol that illustrates that she is not yet at home in Canada and is not seen as someone who wants to make a permanent home here. She speaks, "When I go looking for a job, people ask for my social insurance card, and when they see the number nine, they say come back when you have the right number to work". Maria is a trained nurse from Peru and has volunteer experience in a Toronto hospital, and yet her paid work is cleaning for minimum wage. This job is neither satisfying for her sense of self worth, and leaves her struggling to feed her two children and hold down the rent with these wages. Massud has hopes of starting his own small business, like he did in Iran, but he needs someone to believe in his dreams and loan him the money before he can work. He has lived in Canada, now, for two and a half years, and still relies on welfare. Learning the English Language Most of the refugees interviewed came to Canada with little or no knowledge of the English language. Therefore, a huge part of their experience in Canada is struggling through English language classes in order to function and feel at home in Toronto. When asked about the barriers that prevent refugees from feeling at home in Canada, many of the refugees we interviewed immediately stated that language was the greatest barrier for them. Without proficiency in the English language, it is extremely difficult for refugees to function in Canadian society, in the basic ways of shopping for food, using the TTC system and meeting people at the community center. Norbert, a former Romero House volunteer, speaks about the language barrier,
Gerry, who works at Brottier House, gives another example of the importance of language skills, . Without the ability to speak and read English, refugees cannot read the immigration information, and may fill out their forms incorrectly. This could cause years of backlog and waiting in the immigration system. The knowledge of English greatly affects job possibilities, in a predominantly English speaking job market. This language struggle is not one that is resolved quickly. Refugees spend years studying and practicing the English language. Not only are language skills important for job opportunities, but knowledge of the English language helps one to feel safe in their neighborhood. Pucha, who came to Toronto from Angola, says, "I'm scared of violence in Toronto. I don't go outside at night, I feel very afraid. I don't speak English very well, so I couldn't ask for help if I was in danger". Therefore, English classes are essential and extremely valuable for refugee claimants and Convention Refugees to feel more at home in Canada. In these classes, refugees could potentially learn the skills that they need, but as Loly from Hamilton House states,
Refugees need to learn the skills that are needed to find work in Toronto, how to fill out a resume, how to speak in a job interview, and these skills could be incorporated within ESL classes. Although English classes are extremely important for refugees to feel at home in Canada, many refugee women are denied the opportunity to go to English classes because childcare is not available to them. Celia, who came to Canada from Mexico, cannot attend English class because her four-year-old daughter only goes to junior kindergarten for the morning, so she spends her days trying to learn English from the books in the library. Not only does this affect her English language skills, but also, without the class, she does not have access to meeting new people in the city, and building friendships. Celia speaks,
Culture Shock One theme that came up throughout our interviews and is connected to many of the other themes discussed in this paper, is the experience of culture shock for refugees who have left their home and are struggling to adapt to Canadian society. Norbert, a former Romero House volunteer, sees culture shock as a huge barrier to resettlement:
Refugees adjust to Canadian society at different times and this can be very difficult for family dynamics. As Norbert explains,
Karen, a former Romero House volunteer, also speaks of how the differing degrees of adjusting to a new culture can affect a family,
Refugees are trying to resettle in a place where they never thought they would be, separated from their culture and family. Many of the refugees interviewed spoke about their need to connect with their culture in Toronto, and the strength that they receive from cultural connections. Often, refugee survival depends on others from their culture helping out with food and hospitality. When faced with impending homelessness for herself and three children, Esther spoke about going through the phone book looking for Nigerian last names so she could call someone for financial help. Similarly, Arta was completely broke when she first came to Canada from Albania, and she speaks of how other Albanians helped her to survive those first few weeks:
Other refugees also spoke of their feeling of home and welcome when they met someone from their country. Elsa, from Columbia, spoke with tears in her eyes about the importance of cultural friendships,
Although finding others from one's culture in Toronto is empowering for many, often there is great division in ethnic communities. This is often because of the complicated politics that have caused people to flee their country. Another refugee from their country may be affiliated with the other side of the conflict. Esther is one example of a refugee who is working to strengthen the Nigerian community in Toronto so that they can help each other in times of crisis. Esther put together a Nigerian pageant to bring the Nigerian community together in an act of hope. She speaks about her motivation:
The event was a success - The Commission of Nigeria in Ottawa attended and sponsors were found for all the girls. Canadian Racism
Many of the refugees we interviewed spoke about their experiences of racism in Toronto that made them feel unwelcome in this country. The experience of racism is not limited to the housing search process already discussed. Saleh, from Eritrea, spoke up in the feedback group about how it is extremely difficult for him to get a taxicab, because he is a tall, black man, and taxi drivers are afraid that he will pull a knife and rob them. Maria, from Peru, speaks about an experience where she faced racism on the TTC,
Anti-Refugee Sentiment
Refugees know that they are portrayed in a racist light through the media as criminals, and this public attitude makes it so difficult for refugees to settle in Canada. In mainstream newspapers, refugees are often only perceived in a negative light and refugee success stories are hardly ever mentioned. A few examples come to mind: in October, 1999, Mayor Mel Lastman commented about refugees, ``Take them elsewhere. They have to start taking them to other places in Canada because they can't destroy Toronto.'' Then we have the many articles written about Russian and Asian gangs, who claim refugee status, and the many Honduras refugees selling drugs in Vancouver. Diane Francis writes an article in The National Post, urging readers to believe that all refugees come to Canada to scam the system. She writes
Refugees know that they are portrayed in a racist light through the media as criminals, and this public attitude makes it so difficult for refugees to settle in Canada. Without prompting, many interviewees define themselves to be a good, well-intentioned person. This phenomenon speaks to their overwhelming experience of being scapegoats in the media and in society at large. Mental and Emotional Health Problems The impact of mental and emotional health on the experience of home and homelessness of refugees is staggering and complex, and a complete evaluation of this is beyond the scope of this paper. However, the interviews reveal how critical it is to acknowledge the devastating impact that mental and emotional health problems have on refugees trying to resettle in Canada. As discussed before, refugees have come to Canada to find refuge and they often need space to heal. Many refugees speak about their feelings of guilt for leaving their family. The pain felt when they are notified of their family and friends suffering back home or the media reports of worsening country conditions compounds this guilt. Many work hard to provide refuge for family through sponsorship, and this alleviates some guilt. However, the narrow definition of who one can sponsor makes it difficult to provide refuge for their family. They are left with the knowledge that people are suffering and they are rendered helpless. Many refugees have survived unbelievable trauma, and are survivors of torture and sexual assault. When they come to Canada, some refugees need professional counseling to cope and eventually to heal. Brahim, who was tortured in Algeria with electric shocks, speaks of his deep fear when he must interact with any person in a position of authority,
Jacques, who is a torture survivor from the Congo, stresses the importance of assuring refugees that it will not happen again, "Sometimes, I sleep with the light on because in the dark, I relive these problems again". The weight of past trauma and torture, survivor guilt, and the stress of persecution, flight and exile, is carried by refugees in Canada, who are forced to relive these times through nightmares. Three people interviewed are clinically depressed and have made suicide attempts. One individual made a suicide attempt, and was stitched up and sent back home from the hospital, without any psychiatric assessment or support. Another was unable to buy the expensive medication because winter clothes were needed, and ended up in a psychiatric ward for a month. Three individuals interviewed could be described as "chronically homeless" in Toronto, moving from place to place in Toronto. Massud, from Iran, has moved three times since he left Romero House, and he says, "I move all the time, it is just normal for me." Majid, from Iran, was tortured during his years in prison, and suffers brain damage. Similarly, he moves from place to place in Toronto, and will probably always be in need of a supportive community. Poverty and mental illness contribute to his insecurity, "I live day to day. Some people have a plan. For me it is difficult, because tomorrow I don't know what will happen." Houcine, from Morocco, has lived in over 12 places since he came to Canada in 1994, and at the time of our interview with him, he was living at the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter. He suffers from paranoia, and his comments during his interview illustrate his fear, "You look like an immigration officer…how many questions do you have left?…sometimes I can't smile because I don't feel well, I'm not going to change". These three individuals are survivors of torture and persecution, and continually walk the fine line between being housed and living on the streets. If they are to be at "home" in Canada, they are in need of more professional psychological supports than what is available in this province. Experiences of Home in Toronto: the Practice of Romero House It is clear from the previous two sections that at the same time as a refugee's sense of self is fragile, there are urgent demands required for survival: shelter, food, immigration documents to be completed upon arrival. A transitional space which can assist with these urgent demands within an environment which nurtures this fragile self is necessary. This section will describe the practice of Romero House in providing this space.
Romero House seeks to provide a place where refugees can find a sense of home, and for some, like Jaffet, it is successful. When asked to identify experiences which helped them feel at home, the vast majority (41of 49) named experiences at Romero House. For some, life at Romero House was not only their primary experience of home in Canada, but also a significant experience of home over the course of their entire life. What is it that creates this sense of home? What are the strengths of Romero House? What values or characteristics should volunteers have? The responses to these questions painted a multi-faceted holistic practice of Romero House founded in relationships rather than specific functional assistance. Accompaniment - the fundamental best practice
The fundamental best practice of Romero House is the living out of a community based vision of accompaniment - living together as good neighbours. The practice of Romero House is unique in that volunteers and refugees welcome newly arrived refugees into their home and desire above all else to be good neighbours to each other. The philosophy of being good neighbours acknowledges each person as a whole person who can then develop whole relationships. Pucha, a woman from Angola comments,
The core practice of accompaniment is inspired by the faith based Central American practice of acompaņamiento meaning "stand by the people". This term is apparently derived from Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero who publicly stated one of the church's roles was to "accompany the people" (final pastoral letter, August 1979). Specifically, Romero understood pastoral work of accompanying to be the "personal evangelization of those Christian individuals or groups who have taken on a concrete political option" in response to the demand of their conscience. A Salvadoran sister, 'Juanita' cited in Berryman, describes her commitment, "The Church refuses to accept the oppression of the poor and even though we have few resources to give to the poor, we can offer ourselves. And so we must be with the poor, in their communities and sharing the dangers with them" (Berryman, 177). For some, like Romero, their prophetic commitment led to their death. In the 1980's, Acompaņamiento was used regularly by Catholic priests and sisters to refer to their holistic pastoral approach. Often, acompaņamiento was literal, i.e. lay volunteers would be with individuals threatened by death squads. Acompaņamiento describes the position that comes from outside a community: priests, sisters, or middle class lay people who voluntarily cast their lot with the poor. Confronted simultaneously with structural injustice and the urgent survival needs of refugees, the praxis of accompaniment at Romero House is fundamentally a faith response with political implications. The life and work of Romero House is an expression of a voluntary commitment rooted in faith. The director, volunteers, and board members do not receive a salary for their work:
At the volunteer commissioning, volunteers promise to love their neighbour as themselves, to live simply, to share their life in community, and to be faithful to prayer. While volunteers live in Christian community, reading scripture and putting their tradition of faith in action, Romero House accompanies refugees of all faiths. The following practices are key expressions of this commitment to accompaniment:
Being accompanied in a caring and welcoming manner is important to those interviewed. Haileab, from Eritrea no longer felt "untouchable" after arriving at Romero House. After experiences of interrogation and suspicion in both their home country and in Canada, several interviewees were surprised by this new way of relating and appreciated it:
The three houses which make up Romero House are located in a predominantly white middle class neighbourhood in Toronto. In these houses, volunteers and refugees live together and build relationships of trust and solidarity. Khalaf , a man from Egypt, describes the impact of this,
Lila, from Ethiopia, feels that the volunteers, "are there when we need them". The live-in volunteers also demonstrate a commitment to being attentive and present all the time. Returning home in the evening, after spending a day in the Romero House office located in the basement of one of the houses, it is common to spend time chatting about one's day, assisting someone with homework or explaining a piece of mail, and reminding residents about important appointments. Volunteers are also there in times of crisis which may include accompanying a sick child to emergency, responding to suicide attempts, or mediating conflicts. "According to my experience," Houcine, a man from Morrocco, states, "they (volunteers) share life with people." Romero House makes a commitment to each refugee to listen and respond first with compassion and then with information, intervention or a referral. Having a compassionate person to listen to their experience can provide security, as Alesya, from Georgia, illustrates "When I met Mary Jo and I could tell her my whole story and she would understand me and at that moment, I felt that I will be protected,... that I am in good hands". With limited space, Romero House cannot meet the demand for transitional housing. However, Romero House still makes a commitment to these individuals and helps them as they can. Esther, from Nigeria, recalls her first experience after making contact with Romero House, "There was no space but Norbert said he would do whatever he can. That gave me hope. He stayed in touch with my family and several weeks later, we moved into Romero House". Six months after arriving in Toronto, Brahim, from Algeria, still hadn't received his eligibility document from immigration and he was desperate for assistance. Without this document, he was not eligible for welfare and he could not work. The distant family friends who took him in initially were demanding him to move out. Unfortunately, Romero House was unable to provide housing, but recognizing his desperation, a volunteer, in the words of Brahim, "pushed immigration to move and got my papers". This involved several visits to different immigration offices and persistent phone calls to Immigration officials. This commitment to accompaniment continues after residents move out of Romero House, ensuring that refugees won't slip through the cracks. This commitment creates experiences of feeling a part of a family or a community which refugees can depend on even after moving out: - Majid, Iran Romero House is always around to help, like a family. When something happens, I can come here and expect to get help. - Arthur, Albania This sentiment was echoed by many of the refugees interviewed. Interviewees value being a part of this caring community;
Esther, from Nigeria's use of "Mary Jo for a reference and next of kin" illustrates the security that "knowing Romero House will be there tomorrow" provides. This model of accompaniment encourages and provides opportunities for all members of the Romero House Community to accompany each other (e.g. refugee-refugee, refugee-volunteer, refugee-board, volunteer-board, board-board, volunteer-volunteer). Arta, from Albania, compares the accompaniment of Romero House to the love of a mother where you do not have to "care about your life alone". For some refugees, the volunteers may be the only Canadians who are with them, not for money, but because they want to be with them. Refugees depend on the volunteers when they first arrive, but soon contribute to the life of the community. Pandeli's, from Albania, justification of his priority to find housing nearby because "Maybe I will need help or Romero House will need my help," typifies the mutuality refugees desire. Asha, from Kazakhstan, feels similarly, "I am sure that these are people I can trust and they can help anytime, anywhere, and I am ready to help them." Refugees accompany each other and provide security: . - Tenzin, woman from Tibet At Romero House, you don't have to feel scared. It is good. At home, you do not have to protect yourself. You feel like behind the door is a friend. You can talk to them. They don't have to do big things for you, to talk, to have good times. You feel better when you can help someone. - Arta, Albania Chronically homeless and battling physical and mental illnesses, Majid, from Iran, might be considered one of the most needy in the Romero Community, yet his perspective is as one of the veteran members of the community who has accompanied the volunteers, "I have seen many different volunteers.... I watch them change over one year. This is difficult work." Most importantly, this spirit of Romero House rooted in accompaniment provides a sense of security and protection that refugees seek. Alesya summarizes this best, "Cause you really feel here, from the first day, that you are part of the family. This is so important. Refugees know that when they come to Romero House they will be safe". Medhanit, a woman whose appeal of an Immigration and Refugee Board decision was successful knows from experience that "the support of Romero House will save you even if Immigration comes with a deportation order in a brown envelope". Refugees also draw a sense of hope and strength from their experience in the Romero House community. With the support of the community, Medhanit feels "strong, like no one can push you." The holistic services and programs provided at Romero House are a direct product of the current needs and anticipated needs of residents. Through living together in the same house, volunteers can anticipate needs. This reduces the number of times that the refugee has to ask for help. In this way, these services and programs can be seen as a neighbour to neighbour act and not as a service provider to client act. In the words of Neelan, a man from Sri Lanka, "Romero House treated any problem anyone had as Romero House problems". Pandeli, a man from Albania, compares this to his experience of other organizations, "Many organizations I know only help in one way. They say, "Not my business" or I have no idea." His wife, Renata, emphasizes, "People who come here find everything". Services of Romero House The following are services of Romero House which impact positively on their resettlement and integration based on the experience of refugees and staff at Romero House. Arrival - Welcome We realized, through the interviews, that the experiences of refugees during the first few hours and days greatly impacts on their sense of home in Canada. The welcome experienced by claimants arriving at Romero House is critical. A significant number of refugees identified experiences in their first few hours at Romero House when asked to identify experiences which helped them to feel at home in Canada. 1. Reception - Larisa, Kazakhstan Many of the refugee claimants who live at Romero House are referred by Casa El Norte, an emergency shelter in Ft. Erie. These claimants are met at the bus station by volunteers in the Romero Van. Other claimants come to Romero House through referrals by Toronto shelters, and some by showing up at the door. Listen to Jacques, from Congo, relate his welcome at Romero House,
2. Provisions and Assistance-
Upon arrival, the claimants’ immediate needs (shelter, food) are met with the assistance of the volunteer and an interpreter. Often, the interpreter is an alumnus of Romero House. The new arrivals are given money for food and a volunteer accompanies them to the local grocery store. Living in the same house as the new arrivals, the volunteer is eager to ease their adjustment. Arta, from Albania describes the importance of help from morning to evening,
Romero House consists of rent-geared to income units subsidized by the Ministry of Housing. Each family has their own unit accessed by a common entrance. Each house also has a common living room to encourage community building. This room is available to all the residents and is the site of gatherings like house meetings and parties. Until the claimants are eligible for welfare, their expenses (rent, food, health needs) are covered by a grant from the Homelessness Initiatives Fund from the City of Toronto. For inland claimants, this period of time can last for more than six months. 3. Welcoming - In the house where the volunteer lives, he/she plays the role of building community and accompanying their housemates as house coordinator. Upon arrival, the house coordinator introduces the new resident(s) to others in the house and to others in the community of same language. The customary welcome party is also a benchmark for some, like Saleh, a man from Eritrea in beginning to feel at home,
Services related to Refugee Determination Process 1. Information |