Meet the Impact Champions of Learning Journeys
Realizing the Full Potential of Newcomer Women to Canada
Over the past two years, Impact Champions Andrea Solnes and Sandrine Espié, have walked beside a group of newcomer women to Canada in order to better understand their settlement journey towards full-participation both socially and economically in Canada.
“Walking beside these women, we saw first-hand where things need to be done differently in order to reach new and better outcomes.”
Learning Journeys, a participatory research initiative, was funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and stewarded by Pacific Immigrant Resources Society (PIRS). The journey launched in April 2019 with 10 immigrant women along with the support of project leads and impact champions, Andrea Solnes, Sandrine Espié, Sandrine's predecessor Tarana Sultan, PIRS staff members, and community partners. The initial group of 10 women has now expanded to 19 and officially named themselves the ‘Immigrant Women’s Advisory Committee (IWAC).’
The program experience has certainly lived up to its name; Learning to show continuous curiosity/openness and Journeys to symbolize the unique nature of each participant’s path towards a shared destination.
Andrea Solnes, Learning Journeys Co-Lead
"The Learning Journeys project provided us with an opportunity to observe, discuss, and explore ‘the settlement journey’ of newcomer women towards their social and economic participation in Canada.
Our primary focus was on learning together ~ as immigrant women, service providers, community members, funders and other stakeholders ~ in order to unpack and understand the full potential of these new changemakers to Canada, and what needs to shift in order for them to fully participate in and contribute to strengthening the fabric of our communities."
Sandrine Espié, Women's Leadership and Development Program Coordinator
“We need to find thoughtful ways to break down silos between organizations, people, and institutions to help create collaborative and inclusive work environments where common values and vision are shared. We are working on implementing effective approaches that will help transfer the learnings and knowledge accumulated during the past two years. Our primary intention is to help other organizations and individuals understand how beneficial reflective, inclusive, and tolerant work or community spaces truly are. We hope that this campaign will activate new conversations, partnerships, allies, and supporters."
Please tell us about the #1 influencer of your leadership path?
Andrea: I have worked with newcomers to Canada in the settlement sector for my entire career - 30 years! I have always been very inspired by the courage and resilience of newcomers - the spark and drive they manage to keep alive as they recreate both their lives and livelihoods in Canada with optimism and determination.
I have been frustrated by the limits of funding mechanisms and program delivery to respond to the diverse strengths and needs of newcomers. I have explored ways to keep the needs and interests of newcomers at the forefront of my work, be that supporting program development that addresses the needs of; for example, multi-barriered learners or leading community initiatives that highlight the stories of newcomers. I have also been driven by the dedication of language instructors and settlement teams who are supporting students and clients in an increasingly complex environment, often with heavy administrative requirements. Burnout is common.
My leadership path has been mostly influenced by a confluence of these realities. Guided by optimism, a strong sense of responsibility to do what I can from my place of privilege and power, and a genuine belief that we are better together, I have found ways to make a difference. Be it listening to staff and helping them find ways to keep their passion and purpose alive, gently pushing the boundaries of the system to put people first, or prioritizing projects that highlight the strengths of newcomers, my leadership emerged very much as a power with.
Sandrine: While starting my professional journey in North America, I’ve always felt inspired by the wisdom and eloquence of The Obama family. Michelle Obama has been one the women whose leadership has inspired me the most. The following quote from her final remarks as a first lady could touch the heart of any women:
“It is our fundamental belief in the power of hope that has allowed us to rise above the voices of doubt and division, of anger and fear that we have faced in our own lives and in the life of this country. Our hope that if we work hard enough and believe in ourselves, then we can be whatever we dream, regardless of the limitations that others may place on us. The hope that when people see us for who we truly are, maybe, just maybe they, too, will be inspired to rise to their best possible selves.”
When you look back over the scope, breadth and impact of your career thus far, where can we do better (ie, one area of improvement in policy, strategy, action, etc.) that you’d like to see evolve, elevate or transform in the next decade in order to make a greater impact than you have witnessed in the past.
Andrea: As a society we need to do a better job of taking care of each other. We need to unlearn patterns that have led to untethered power and a fierce sense of entitlement for those with privilege, and a suppression and silencing of so many without.
There are many movements aiming to do just that - Black Lives Matter, conciliation of Indigenous people in Canada, feminist movements, environmental intiatives - and I applaud them all. But not having been exposed to social justice ideology and strategies until quite recently, my path has been one of having the courage to lead from my heart, and in ways that I believe intuitively to be more just and empowering. The tools I have honed to find better ways forward include:
I am hopeful that more of us as individuals can think about how we might live our lives differently – more sanely and humanely, without depleting the resources of the earth, ourselves, and each other.
Looking to global leaders such as Jacinda Ardern, thought leaders such as Elizabeth Lesser, and women leaders in the settlement sector, I am hopeful that new systems can replace the old ones, where leadership is guided by kindness, wellness is tended to in those we are leading, and diversity in leadership is widely regarded as a mandatory as we combat the existential conditions we are facing.
Sandrine: I would love to see improvement in ways organizations work together. More collaboration and less duplication of services and programs. I would like to see more cohesion and coordination between non profits, governmental agencies, and businesses. I would also like to evolve into a society that understands and prioritizes how to share power equitably - where people in need of better services and supports are seen as the ones who can contribute to making our communities better by their ability to reveal what needs to be changed (the gaps) and how it could be done (through their lived experience).
I envision communities (locally and why not globally) where protection of the environment and wellness of all beings are at the forefront of any decision-making and policy implementation. I hope that we can start prioritising the development of restorative and regenerative projects or policies.
How does Learning Journeys exemplify a step in the right direction towards this improvement?
Sandrine: Learning Journeys has contributed to the establishment and growth of IWAC ( Immigrant Women Advisory Committee). Women recruited to this Committee have varied social, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds. Despite their diversity, members were able to connect deeply around their shared experiences as women and immigrants.
Remember that knowledge is power:
If you are currently learning how to navigate a new system, believe that the challenging process of learning is already making you grow. We (sisters, daughters, mothers, survivors..) see your courage, wisdom, and strength.
Believe in the ripple effect of individual and collective action: Individual activism can lead to greater social change. To build a more inclusive, safe, and fair society, we need you now.
Your contribution matters. You can make positive change, grand or humble in your workplace, relationships, as well as in your hiring, funding, and other decision-making processes.
