Home
BC - Welcome
About Safe Harbour
Join Us
Stories
Locations
Media Coverage
Our Supporters
Members Forum
Contact Us

The Safe Harbour: Respect for All national diversity initiative is being implemented in BC by the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC. AMSSA is an affiliation of over 80 multicultural agencies providing immigrant settlement and multicultural services. Safe Harbour emerged in 2004 due to the dedication of one of AMSSA's member agencies in Nanaimo, the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society and their Action for Diversity team.

AMSSA has partnered with a range of not-for-profit immigrant settlement and multicultural agencies, called Community Organizers, who contact local businesses, financial institutions, government offices, not-for-profits, libraries, community policing, youth and other organizations to tell them about the benefits that Safe Harbour brings.

Community Organizers deliver the free, two-hour Safe Harbour orientations to these organizations, inviting them to commit to the three key principles. Participants then go back to their workplace to share their knowledge with their colleagues and designate their workplace as a proud Safe Harbour with the colourful window decal, a certificate, and other signage.

Key Points - Safe Harbour: Respect for All

• Safe Harbour: Respect for All is about demonstrating leadership in understanding the importance and benefits of diversity in the workplace and in the community.
  
  
• Businesses and agencies are encouraged to counter racism and hate and build an inclusive and respectful society through their commitments to Safe Harbour.
  
  
• Safe Harbour Community Organizers provide a resource to local businesses and agencies to better understand the needs of newcomers and multicultural community members and make referrals to settlement services when necessary.
  
  
• Safe Harbour helps prepare employers to recruit and retain an increasingly diverse workforce, including immigrants and refugees.
  
  
• Businesses and organizations participating in Safe Harbour are making socially-responsible decisions and will draw in diverse customers/clients who wish to see their values reflected in the places where they do business.
  
  
• Safe Harbours help create a welcoming community to facilitate the full participation of newcomers and multicultural community members into our society.

How Businesses & Organizations Benefit
Through building a relationship with their local immigrant settlement and multicultural agency, businesses and organizations may gain: enhanced cultural competency within the workplace, including better integrated staff, better service to diverse customers / clients, progressive hiring policies; increased knowledge about the value of diversity in the workplace and community; and proactive steps to prevent and address discrimination, including providing an immediate, temporary safe refuge for someone in need.

How Communities Benefit
Neighborhoods, towns, and cities benefit from the commitment made by various businesses and agencies to create inclusive environments for newcomers, First Nations people, visible minorities, the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community, youth, seniors, and people with disabilities. Creating welcoming environments is good for business and good for the community.

Please click here for a Safe Harbour Overview