Building Leadership Skills for Women from the Diverse Communities

CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP PROJECT: 2006- 2009

This is one of the extra ordinary programs that MIAG has designed and delivered. Hundreds of women from different ethno-cultural communities graduated from this program. Similar to the previous year, multicultural women were motivated to participate, with a particular emphasis on South Asian and Chinese women. These participants obtain knowledge and strategies that empower them. This increased their confidence to engage in community discussions in addition to promoting community development, representing the diverse community in decision making functions, while –in the long run- they contribute to community mobilization.

The program consists of nine sessions, and it covers such topics as Leadership Principles, Discover Your Inner-self, Community Development, Cross Cultural Communication, Civic Participation, Public Speaking, Media Relation, Business Etiquette, Human Rights and Women Enterprises. These sessions are geared towards equipping women with the knowledge and awareness they need to adjust their skills to adapt to the Canadian society.

Graduates were assigned to work 150 hours as community volunteers to fill a gap of community representation in the various networking organizations or coalitions in Peel, and to empower them to raise the voice of the diverse communities.

The end of this program was marked by a Gala for all participants for the past three years and based in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. Programs facilitators and all others who were involved in making this project a success was in attendance. The women who met all the program requirements l received a certificate of completion. It was a celebration of ‘Change and Achievement’.

Employment is not one of the expected outcomes of this project, however, women graduates perceived that by adding this program on their resumes they started to receive calls for interviews. Besides, the training helped them in presenting themselves in more professional manners at job interviews.

Appearently, women participants became very much attached to the program and to MIAG staff. The project was very successful in making significant changes on the individual, organizational, and community levels. It helped women to overcome barriers inside themselves and then out in the community. MIAG is proud of the quality of the planning and implementaion of the program, and the very community oriented staff members who conducted this project.

Thank you very much OTF for providing the opportunity to hundreds of immigrant women to find their way, to re-stand on feet, and to give back to the community.