The Toronto-based New Roots Network is developing new ways to address barriers faced by racialized newcomers as well as those targeted for repercussions for speaking out against genocide
Looking for a job can be a miserable experience. This is doubly true when you factor in the additional barriers faced by many newcomers. And all of this is sharply compounded in our current moment, as so many people speaking out in favour of justice, liberation, and human rights are being targeted for repercussions by employers.
The New Roots Network (NRN) is a grassroots experiment in Toronto taking action in response.
A lot of us know from experience that it takes a village to find a job – a strong support system and an extensive network can make all the difference. But many jobseekers, especially newcomers, don’t have access to such support systems and networks.
In a study conducted by Western University’s NEST and Pathways to Prosperity (P2P), a participant with years of experience working in Ontario’s settlement sector notes that newcomers’ experience with finding a job in Canada varies greatly depending on how well connected they are. “Families that I work with in [the region] who are international families, refugees, for example, with no family, no connections when they arrive, it can be more difficult for them.”
Of the few jobs that are advertised externally, employers rely on highly subjective criteria such as “Canadian experience” and “culture fit” to inform their hiring decisions. With a majority of the newcomers to Canada being racialized, such hiring practices effectively shut out racialized newcomers from our job market.
The idea for NRN initially came about when its co-founders (who have requested anonymity to protect their identities and the identities of their community members) were trying to find effective ways to support pro-Palestine activists, students, and employees who have faced repercussions at their workplace. (more...)
Grassroots Support for Racialized and Politicized Job-Seekers
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