Supporting Youth with No or Precarious Immigration Status

The overall objective of this full-day learning event is to strengthen the capacity of youth settlement and youth-serving professionals to support young people with no or precarious immigration status through informed, ethical, and anti-racist practice. The day is designed to combine legal knowledge, community-based advocacy, and lived experience to help participants better understand systemic barriers and respond effectively in their roles.

Learning Objectives

1. Better understand immigration categories/terms, and the current landscape for youth with no or precarious immigration status in Canada
2. Examine how race and immigration status intersect to shape access to education, healthcare, housing, and employment.
3. Identify relevant referral and advocacy pathways for youth with uncertain, precarious or no status.
4. Strengthen partnerships between legal, settlement, and youth organizations for better system navigation.
5. Discuss legal, ethical, confidentiality, and safety considerations when supporting youth with no or precarious status.

Session 1: Supporting Young People with No or Precarious Status (CASA)

This session aims to provide participants with a foundational understanding of the realities faced by youth with no or precarious immigration status in Canada. Participants will learn to identify common legal issues affecting these young people, understand the role of advocacy in addressing systemic barriers, and strengthen their ability to recognize when legal or navigation support is needed. The session will also help participants situate their own roles within broader advocacy and support systems.

Speakers:

Sarah Pole (She/Her)|Executive Director |Childhood Arrivals Support and Advocacy Centre of Canada (CASA)

Esther Lexchin (She/Her) |Staff Lawyer | CASA

Session 2: Understanding Youth Rights (Justice for Children and Youth – JFCY)

This session focuses on strengthening participants’ understanding of the legal rights of children and youth, particularly those with precarious or no immigration status. Participants will learn about key areas of law that commonly affect young people, gain practical tips for working ethically and effectively with youth clients, and improve their ability to spot legal issues and connect youth to appropriate referral pathways.

Speakers:

Emily Chan (She/Her) | Staff Lawyer | Community Development | Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY)

Session 3: Borderless Access to Education (BATE Project)

This session highlights advocacy efforts aimed at increasing access to education for youth with no or precarious immigration status. Participants will learn about barriers to education access in Ontario, explore alternative pathways and programs that support inclusion, and better understand how advocacy initiatives like BATE respond to systemic exclusion. The session encourages participants to consider how education access fits within broader settlement and youth-support work.

Speakers:

Brantella Williams (She/Her) |Executive Director | S4 Collective

Adrianna Gardiner (She/Her) |Project Coordinator | Black Creek Youth Initiative (BCYI)

Session 4: Youth Voices – Lived Experience Panel

This session centers the lived experiences of young people who have navigated life with precarious or no immigration status. Through a moderated discussion, participants will deepen their understanding of how legal status affects daily life, education, and belonging, while reflecting on the impact of service systems from a youth perspective. The session aims to reinforce the importance of youth voices in shaping responsive, respectful, and inclusive services.

Additional Information

Thomas Lounge Room

Light breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided.

ASL English/Interpreters Provided

Please note: that this is an in-person event with a hybrid option. If you prefer to attend online, please register here.

If you register for the in-person ticket (below), we kindly ask that you confirm your availability before registering. If you are unable to attend in-person, please cancel your Eventbrite order to free up space for another guest. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

OCASI is committed to supporting the settlement sector to create welcoming, positive and inclusive spaces. This course will allow settlement sector employees to acquire new skills and knowledge in service provision areas for immigrants and refugees within the settlement sector.

Info: Networking / Breakfast

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Toronto Metropolitan University Student Centre, 55 Gould Street, Toronto, Canada

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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