Overview
AMSSA is a unique province-wide association that strengthens over 90 member agencies as well as hundreds of community stakeholder agencies who serve immigrants and newcomers, and build culturally inclusive communities, with the knowledge, resources and support they need to fulfill their mandates.
Vision:
A just and equitable society in which everyone benefits from social and economic inclusion.
Mission:
AMSSA facilitates collaborative leadership, knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement to support agencies that serve immigrants and build culturally inclusive communities.
Values:
We value EQUITY and strive to be the catalyst for change which disrupts systems promoting racial and social injustice.
We value INCLUSIVENESS and work with our members and stakeholders to place voices that have been marginalized in positions of influence, creating space for all perspectives.
We value INTEGRITY, striving to always work to the highest standards, encouraging innovation, risk taking and leadership; we are always open to new thoughts and maintain accountability in our work.
We value DIVERSITY, recognizing our own individual biases and engaging members and stakeholders in meaningful ways that promotes inclusion of all voices and perspectives.
We value MUTUAL RESPECT by respecting what everyone has to offer within their own context of life experiences, opening our hearts and minds to always listening and learning.
We value COLLABORATION, engaging in equitable partnerships, mindfully exploring old and new ideas to advance the work of AMSSA and our members.
We value SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION, engaging in continuous individual and organizational reflection and collaboration to build capacity and integrate what we learn into our culture and infrastructure.
Experience:
Established in 1977, AMSSA began as a network for multicultural organizations in BC’s interior region. By working together, these organizations expanded each of their community’s multiculturalism knowledge and capacity for anti-racism. In 1983, AMSSA grew to include newcomer serving organizations. As the provincial umbrella association for immigrant and newcomer serving agencies in BC, AMSSA has earned a reputation for collaborating with governments and community partners on a provincial and national level. Alongside its members and community partners, AMSSA has an important role in addressing emerging issues and impacting policy.
AMSSA excels in building partnerships and networks, developing and facilitating training events and producing highly relevant information resources based on current research and policy trends. Through these indirect services, AMSSA strengthens the capacity of organizations who work directly with immigrants and newcomers.
2020 - 2025 Strategic Plan:
Released on October 2, 2020, AMSSA's 2020 - 2025 Strategic Plan is an impact-driven strategy focusing on four pillars:
- Members of AMSSA are Supported in Achieving Impact
- The Sector's Capacity for Impact is Expanded
- Disrupt the Systems that Keep Newcomers from Achieving Equity
- Sustainable, Aligned & Purpose-Driven Organization of Consequence
Our purpose is to co-create the conditions of success for our members to build better lives for immigrants and newcomers to BC.
