Challenge Racism

Challenge Racism: What-to-do Steps

About Challenge Racism

Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCC) in 2020 received a grant for a two-year project for the Anti-Racism Action Program from the Department of Canadian Heritage. The project “Challenge Racism: What-To-Do-Steps” aims to address barriers to employment for the members of the equity deserving groups, racialized, ethnocultural, religious and 2SLGBTQI+ groups in Durham Region.

Our expected results after the completion of the project are an increase in resources, campaigns and services which address barriers to employment for equity deserving groups, and an increase in community insights and data on employment barriers experienced by racialized, ethnocultural, religious, 2SLGBTQI+ groups in the Region.

WMRCC will work with diverse employers and local ethno-cultural, religious, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and groups to identify, as well as to address these barriers through interviews, focus group discussions and engagement sessions.

Year 1:

In the first phase of the project, WMRCC will work with employers to deepen our understanding of their HR policies, practices and procedures that attract and retain racial, ethno-cultural, religious, and 2SLGBTQI+ employment seekers. In the second phase of the project, the findings will be shared with diverse community groups/organizations and gain their feedback, opinions and experiences with barriers to employment. In the third phase of the project, WMRCC will meet again in an engagement session with the community groups/organizations and employers to come up with collective recommendations for addressing barriers in employment.

Year 2:

In phase 1 of year 2 of the project and based on the outcome of community consultations, the project will put forward recommendations and develop a booklet and app to challenge racism in employment. This booklet and app will be accessed online. In phase 2 of year 2, WMRCC will engage in social media campaigns, hold speaking engagements and presentations in the community to popularize the recommendations, the app and booklet, host community events and train young leaders from diverse communities to act as activists against systemic barriers in employment.

Testimonies from WMRCC Clients

It feels so good to have someone to talk to; someone who understands the issue and sensitive to my feelings. I am always looking forward to coming to my counselling session every week!

Today I hesitated quite a bit before coming to this session. I contemplated cancelling the appointment but here I am leaving a different individual from the one who walked in. I feel so much lighter after my session. These counselling sessions present an opportunity to feel free and clear my mind of negative and other thoughts of hopelessness.

This agency was there for me in the early nineties when majority of the community did not know how to deal with a Muslim woman like me, for that I will always be grateful.