By Connor Hutchinson

Your Opinion Matters: Equity, Diversity

Your Opinion Matters: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Mapping Survey

Nov 25, 2024 | 3:00 PM

At the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society (CVIMS), they believe every resident deserves to live in an equitable, inclusive, and welcoming community. Since 1979, CVIMS has provided support for immigrants, refugees, and even those who are just new to Nanaimo. They offer settlement, language, and community programs, with special programs for families. And they have extensive employment programs like the Career Path for Skilled Immigrants Program. It assesses a person’s skills, education, and qualifications, and helps them navigate the credentialling process.

As Nanaimo’s total population grows, and the population of new Canadians grows, they’re always considering how to make the city more inclusive. That’s why they’re researching the services and resources available, to determine their strengths and what they need to improve. They also want to make sure they’re expanding their services enough as the city grows, to meet the challenges of a larger population.

As part of their research, CVIMS is conducting online surveys to gather information. There are several surveys for different segments of the community: a Community Survey, a Newcomers Survey, with versions in Arabic, Chinese, Dari, French, Spanish, and Ukrainian, a Service Provider Survey, and a Cultural and Religious Organization Survey. The deadline for completing them is 4:30 p.m. on December 6^th, 2024.

Everyone, from newcomers to those who have lived in Nanaimo for years, is encouraged to fill out the survey. Your input will be kept anonymous but will be invaluable in helping make Nanaimo a stronger, more diverse, and equitable community.

CVIMS isn’t just looking for input from individuals, they’re also asking for responses from businesses, service providers, and cultural and religious organizations. They’re interested in how your organizations serves newcomers, and where there’s room for improvement.

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Those who fill out the surveys will have the chance to enter prize draws. Individuals can enter to win gift cards to local businesses, or tickets to sports and cultural events. Businesses and organizations can enter to win a half-page of ad space in Nanaimo Magazine.

With Nanaimo’s population becoming larger and more diverse, ensuring the community is welcoming to newcomers is very important. The Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society’s goal is to ensure that immigrants and diverse people flourish in this community. With information gathered from the surveys and focus groups, they’ll have the data they need to achieve that goal.