2.B Sponsors: From Mobilization to Engagement
B.7 What training and resources are available to sponsors prior to and after refugees’ arrival?
(iv) Are some or all sponsoring group members required or encouraged to attend trainings?
How Canada Does It
Sponsoring groups are required to demonstrate they are sufficiently prepared to provide settlement support to sponsored refugees for their first twelve months in Canada. As such, all sponsoring group members are strongly encouraged to attend training workshops, work with their sponsoring group to learn about the workshop content if they cannot attend in-person, or access online resources and training modules. Some workshop organizers require all or core members of a sponsoring group to attend trainings.
All sponsoring groups are required to demonstrate settlement capacity to meet eligibility requirements. Part of demonstrating settlement capacity is ensuring each member understands his/her role in the group as well as the sponsoring group’s collective responsibilities. Accordingly, all sponsoring group members are strongly encouraged to attend training workshops to get practical information and advice from seasoned sponsors. Group members who are not able to attend training workshops should follow up with participating group members to learn what they missed, or they should access online resources and training modules. Generally, as many core members of sponsoring groups as possible are encouraged to attend trainings.