The North Shore Immigrant Inclusion Project has launched a campaign to recruit more newcomers to lend their life experience and their voice to the many committees and boards that help shape the North Shore and its services. We wholeheartedly endorse this.
Despite putting in untold hours of volunteer time on the front lines, few of the North Shore’s immigrant residents are ever asked to serve in a position of leadership at the board level.
Whether it’s in the arts, transportation, social services, urban planning, health care, recreation or the environment, these are perspectives we’d all benefit from having. This isn’t to say that our boards aren’t already served by conscientious, community-minded individuals. They are and we’re grateful for their work. But overwhelmingly, they are Canadian-born and view the North Shore through Canadian eyes. The population of the North Shore is diverse, and every census tells that it’s only becoming more so with each passing year.
But there can be numerous barriers – like language, a lack of network connections or general unfamiliarity with local governance customs – that lead to a seat in the boardroom. The good news is these barriers can be broken with some effort.
According to a survey by NSIIP, 75 per cent of boards believe having diverse membership is very important but half say they lack the time and resources needed to recruit and train immigrants. We encourage these boards to reach out and make room for someone from outside with a valuable perspective to share.
As the parable goes: If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain.
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