Webinars
Training in the comfort of your own home by qualified RSTP trainers, SAH members, and settlement providers will help equip you and your team to meet settlement responsibilities.
Attending several regularly featured RSTP webinars or watching a recorded webinar are required by each Core Team as outlined below:
Required by the Team Lead plus one other Core Team Member:
- What is the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program?
- Preparing for the Visa Office Interview
Required Training by each Core Team Member:
- Preparing a Settlement Plan
- Preparing for Arrival and Orientation
- Fulfilling Your Obligations through Assurance
- Completing a Successful Sponsorship Year
- Sponsorship Ethics - 5 minute video
- Power Imbalance - 3 minute audio
- Managing Expectations - resource kit with activities and video links. This training will be facilitated by the Team Lead or another "teacher" among you using the curriculum available below.
Volunteer Screening & Cultural Awareness
Along with the webinars/videos, each core team person will:
- submit the results of a Vulnerable Sector Screening Check to their Team Lead
- participate in Cross-Cultural Awareness training facilitated by the Team Lead
- participate in Volunteer Screening and orientation as provided by their church. If a church does not already have a volunteer screening program in place, the AGC recommends Plan to Protect Orientation Training. Plan to Protect does offer a Refugee and New Immigrant module, but the information specific to refugees and newcomers is outdated and sometime erroneous. We do not recommend you take this module specifically.
This is a new webinar offered by RSTP, and is required training by your SAH. The Team Lead and finance person from the Core Team must take this webinar.
Date: Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 PM EST
This interactive webinar allows sponsors to connect with a case study group about a woman named Aliya to learn how to keep sponsorship records and respond to IRCC's requests for information.
Attendees will also learn about the purpose and process of the Assurance framework that all sponsors work with.
To register for this webinar, click here.
As a new webinar, there are no copies available in the RSTP Video Library at this time. When available, it will be accessible here. Attending the webinar in person provides opportunity to ask questions of the facilitator.
This is one of the webinars that is required training by your SAH. The Team Lead and one or two others from the Core Team must take this webinar.
This webinar delivered by RSTP for new and experienced sponsors will provide an in-depth look at the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program, including:
- an overview of Canada’s refugee sponsorship and resettlement programs;
- who can sponsor under the PSR program;
- the eligibility and admissibility requirements for refugees being sponsored under the PSR program;
- the importance of refugee status documents and who needs them; and,
- an overview of the application process.
There are no currently scheduled times for this webinar, but a previous recording can be accessed here.
This is one of the webinars that is required training by our SAH. Every member of the Core Team must take this webinar.
Date: Thursday, Dec 9, 2021
Time: 2:00 - 4:00pm EST
Continue to learn with Aliya's sponsorship group as they discover why the settlement plan is central to the application, how to calculate the application budget, where to find the application guide and how to read it with ease. Attendees will learn:
- how long sponsors are expected to provide financial support to refugees sponsored under the PSR program;
- the minimum amount of financial support that sponsors are expected to provide to refugees on arrival and the relationship between the Sponsorship Cost Table and the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) rates;
- how to use the Minimum Financial Support Calculator to calculate the minimum level of financial support required on arrival;
- situations that may change the amount of financial support that sponsors are expected to provide once the refugees arrive in Canada; and,
- an overview of sponsors’ settlement responsibilities under the program and how settlement agencies can assist sponsors with fulfilling their settlement responsibilities.
Register here.
Formerly called "Preparing for Arrival and Providing Post-Arrival Support: Handling Unrealistic Expectations and Practicing Ethical Considerations."
This webinar is offered monthly and is required training by your SAH. Every member of the Core Team must take this webinar.
Date: Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST
In this new series of training by RSTP, attendees follow a fictional sponsorship group as they prepare to welcome a newcomer family. Today's webinar picks up the story when Aliya’s brother and his family are due to arrive! Follow along with Aliya and her team as they make sure they have everything ready to welcome and give orientation to Samuel, Estelle and their 2 children. This interactive webinar will provide:
- a recap of sponsors’ settlement responsibilities;
- review ethical considerations that are important to keep in mind when sponsoring refugees;
- the power imbalance that exists in the sponsor-sponsored newcomer relationship and tips on how to mitigate the imbalance;
- and the importance of managing expectations.
To register for this webinar, click here.
If this timing is not convenient for you, the RSTP Video Library has a copy of an older version of the webinar available here.
Formerly called, "Preparing For and Transitioning to Month 13," this monthly webinar is required training by your SAH. Every member of the Core Team must take this webinar.
Date: Thursday, Dec 23, 2021
Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm EST
What exactly happens at the end of the sponsorship year? Join this interactive webinar and learn with Aliya’s group and Samuel’s family as they plan how to work towards Samuel and Estelle’s independence and complete the 12 months of sponsorship!
To register for this webinar, click here.
If this timing is not convenient, check back here at the end of the month for the date and time it will be offered again next month.
Managing Expectations in the context of Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR)
This training is required by your SAH. Every member of the Core Team must participate in the Resource Kit activities.
Managing Expectations Resource Kit
This kit can be used at one or two of your Core Team meetings to explore the unidentified expectations within your own sponsorship group. One or two Core Team members could facilitate the training after looking through the material using the guided questions and videos included.
RSTP's "Managing Expectations Resource Kit" is available for download here. Video links and Resource Kit Activities only (a duplicate of the activities already found in the Resource Kit) can be accessed through these links. This kit works like curriculum. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you need assistance to facilitate this training.
This is one of the webinars that is required training by your SAH. The Team Lead must take this webinar, and then communicate the applicable content to the refugee before the Visa Office interview.
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Listen to the July 29, 2020 webinar here.
The interview with the Canadian visa offices (VO) abroad is the stepping stone towards granting permanent residence status for your sponsored refugees and bringing them to safety in Canada.