Key responsibility: securing housing on behalf of the refugee family and assisting in any required maintenance. This will include:
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• Securing a rental unit for the family to live in.
• Assisting with any simple maintenance that is necessary.
• Assisting with utility hookups.
• Helping to find and secure a temporary back-up option for this family to stay in just in case securing housing before their arrival proves to be difficult.
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You would start looking for a rental approximately 4 months (or with as much advance notice as we are given) before the family's arrival. Once a tenancy agreement is reached, you will help the family understand the agreement and when to contact the landlord vs the refugee sponsorship committee. This role will continue over the duration of the sponsorship agreement (1 year upon arrival to Canada). *This role would be the main point of contact for housing and maintenance needs, but would have 2 or 3 other committee members to assist.

Familiarity with Ontario tenancy laws and knowledge of the Toronto housing market would be extremely valuable. General skills on simple housing maintenance would be an asset.
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Additional qualifications that would be extremely helpful (but not required):
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• Knowledge of Arabic or Kurdish
• Availability during weekday business hours

Key responsibility: assisting the refugee family with their transportation needs. This will include:

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• Helping the family understand public transit, how to get an Ontario driver license, and how to use alternative forms of transportation such as Canadian taxi and Uber services.
• If the family is interested in biking, explaining the rules of the road for biking so they are able to travel safely.
• Provide the refugee family with maps of their new neighbourhood, city, and country.
• Provide an orientation of their neighbourhood once initially settled.
  

The tasks associated with this role would begin once the refugee family arrives in Canada, and continue for 1 year (the term of the sponsorship agreement). *This role would be the main point of contact for transportation needs, but would have 2 or 3 other committee members to assist.

An understanding or a willingness to become familiar with Canadian traffic laws/rules is required and general knowledge of Toronto is beneficial.
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Additional qualifications that would be extremely helpful (but not required):
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• Knowledge of Arabic or Kurdish
• Availability during weekday business hours

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Key responsibility: helping the refugee family find clothing and furnishings that are culturally appropriate and according to their needs. This would include:
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• Finding furniture and other daily living necessities (kitchenware, toiletries, linens, etc.) ahead of the arrival of the family. You will prepare the new home in advance of their arrival.
• Providing the family with a culturally appropriate start-up kit (including clothing, furnishings, household effects, food staples etc.) upon arrival in Canada.
• Arranging for winter clothing for the refugee family upon arrival if necessary due to the weather.
• A portion of the overall sponsorship budget will be allocated to the Furnishings and Clothing Lead for new purchases, and another part of the role will be coordinating the collection and storage of used and/or donated furnishings in the ~6 months ahead of the refugee family’s arrival. This role may involve certain ‘fundraising’ activities for various items in the church community.  The role would then continue throughout the term of the sponsorship agreement (1 year upon arrival to Canada). *This role would be the main point of contact for furnishing and clothing needs, but would have 2 or 3 other committee members to assist.
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Additional qualifications that would be extremely helpful (but not required):
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• Knowledge of Arabic or Kurdish
• Availability during weekday business hours

Key responsibility: ensuring the refugee family is receiving the educational services they require. This would include:
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• Enrol the refugee family in basic English language training, which will be a priority for the family upon their arrival.
• Contact the public school in their residential area and the school social worker (if applicable) to enroll the children. Help the family arrange any necessary academic assessments needed, as well as help them learn what academic resources and support are available to them.
• Equip the children with necessary school supplies and orient them to their school.
• Explain to the parents that they must contact the school if their children are absent.
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The tasks associated with this role would begin once the refugee family arrives in Canada, and continue for 1 year (the term of the sponsorship agreement). *This role would be the main point of contact for education needs, but would have 2 or 3 other committee members to assist.
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Knowledge of how the school system works is helpful, and particularly so if you have direct experience with it (e.g. you have children in the school system).
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Additional qualifications that would be extremely helpful (but not required):
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• Knowledge of Arabic or Kurdish
• Availability during weekday business hours

Key responsibility: ensure the refugee family is equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources for housekeeping and social connections. This would include:

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• Reviewing basic needs in the household (e.g. explaining what goes in the toilet vs the garbage, keeping the shower curtain inside the tub to prevent spills, using a vacuum cleaner etc.) and explaining the “why” to ensure complete understanding.
• Reviewing home maintenance tasks (e.g. how to use a plunger, how to change a light bulb etc.)
• Organize a gathering (or multiple) where the refugee family can meet the other members of the sponsorship team.
• Help the refugee family find others in the community who share their culture.
• Find and take them to the local library, playground, recreation center etc.
• Organize and invite the refugee family to social gatherings (e.g. take them to a soccer game or other sporting event)
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The tasks associated with this role would begin once the refugee family arrives in Canada, and continue for 1 year (the term of the sponsorship agreement). *This role would be the main point of contact for housekeeping and social needs, but would have 2 or 3 other committee members to assist.

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This role would be well suited to someone who has  a passion for hospitality and desires to help create a community for the refugee family.

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Additional qualifications that would be extremely helpful (but not required):

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• Knowledge of Arabic or Kurdish
• Availability during weekday business hours

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