Lead Partners Ingrid Pregel and Jane Arnold are excited to be working with COMPASS Refugee Centre as well as with SVP Partner Jessica Nurse who is shadowing the Lead Partner role. SVP’s work with COMPASS began in January with an introductory meeting with Executive Director Shelley Campagnola and Board Chair Geoff Bellew which not only focused on their organizational capacity needs and how SVP can help but the often dire situation facing refugee claimants in our community. Jane and Ingrid share the following:
“After learning about COMPASS’s vital work during the SVP Investment process in the fall and that they are the only community organization assisting, accompanying and advocating for refugee claimants, protected persons and convention refugees who have a successful refugee claim, we were pleased COMPASS was selected as one of our three investee organization. It is crucial to help COMPASS build its capacity given the work they do. In 2022-23, COMPASS served 2,203 people in 37 different languages, assisted in 206 successful refugee claims and reunited 20 families as outlined in their annual report. Lots of numbers we know but important to note given they are the only organization in our community supporting these community members. Current SVP projects include a governance overview which has included individual conversations with all board members and the Executive Director to better understand the current landscape of roles and responsibilities. This has been an extremely valuable exercise to gain a better understanding of how all levels of the organization work and we appreciate the trust placed in us and this process by board members and the ED.
Want to know more about COMPASS? Please check out their 2023 Annual Report. As noted by a client in the report, “over the past year COMPASS has played a pivotal role in transforming our lives, offering not only legal assistance but also fostering a sense of belonging, hope and community….The unwavering presence of compassionate staff members creates an atmosphere of warmth and inclusivity, making us feel genuinely welcomed and valued.”
COMPASS is hosting an open house on Refugee Rights Day 2024 on April 4th – all welcome to attend! More details about the event and registration details can be found on Eventbrite.
