What does Sponsorship look like?
There are two main types of sponsorship that we file paperwork for:
- Full Sponsorship: a church raises funds, fills out paperwork, and settles a refugee or refugee family. This type of sponsorship is our priority, and we would love to have more of these.
- Family Reunification: a new Canadian or Permanent Resident is self-sufficient (not on social assistance or disability) and wants to sponsor their family or friends.
What are the responsibilities of a Full Parish Sponsorship?
- Money: IRCC has clear policy about how much money is needed for sponsoring different sized families. Deductions can be made for “gifts in kind” such as furniture, household items, clothes, etc. We will walk you through this process and help you to know how and what to calculate for the overall cost.
- Time: The sponsorship is 12 months from the time the refugees. There is work that needs to be done before they come, and after. This can take 1-4 years before the refugee arrives. Once the family arrives there are appointments and transportation arrangements to and from. You may need to coordinate translators, set up school registration, doctors’ appointments, teach them how to bank, pay bills, get a phone, use the transit system, and many other things. There are many organizations that can help. Having many helpers, being well-organized, and preparing ahead of time will help.
- Emotional: Many refugees are fleeing from violent places and have experienced trauma. Special attention needs to be given to mental health. No sponsor is expected to be a psychologist, but a positive and healthy relationship between sponsors and refugees can provide a much-needed care. Again, our office can help answer questions and put you in contact with several resources and organizations that deal with these issues so that you will be well supported.
- Spiritual: This is a two-fold commitment. The first is to the refugee, to make sure that they are connected with their faith community and any appropriate cultural communities here. As a Catholic Institution, we recognize that every human being is a beloved child of God with inherent dignity and right to safety that cannot be taken from them. As such, we do not offer sponsorship based on religion or any other criteria beyond need itself. The second commitment is to yourselves as a committee. To make sure you are supported and have all the guidance and resources you need to be successful in sponsoring.
