Objective
The objective was to provide information to attendees about how to effectively manage their personal finances, education, and career.

Summary
The webinar kicked off with a presentation on KCA, its objectives, programs and initiatives undertaken in the year 2020. Maureen Mwaura, the Youth outreach director also presented an overview and achievements so far under the Canadian Red Cross project which included distribution of grocery cards to 40 beneficiaries from marginalized groups across the greater Toronto area (GTA). Apart from the general overview of KCA, Maureen provided an overview of the Youth program and the upcoming activities under the program in 2021.

The first speaker Gwyneth Chapman, senior advisor, economic empowerment & anti-black racism, City of  Brampton talked about how the youth can find their purpose and what they want to do with their lives. Gwyneth encouraged the youth to seek mentors as well as do extensive reading in their bid to discover their purpose. Apart from that she had a few pointers which included having a positive attitude during challenging times and building resilience to overcome obstacles as well as learn from personal experiences. Lastly Gwyneth affirmed that her unit was looking for young volunteers who could benefit from mentorship and personal development.

The second speaker Ray Gover, a youth advocate and all-star athlete shared his life experiences with the audience. Through his own journey Ray was able to relate sports and a strong mind set are key in developing a good character. He inspired the audiences through his resilience in his personal journey and encouraged the youth to have a purpose as well as working towards their goals regardless of how difficult they may seem. His key message was to always have a plan, be consistent and put in the work.

The third speaker Dr. Rukia Swaleh a registered Physician spoke about how the youth can forge their own career paths. Dr. Rukia encouraged the attendees to be open to explore different career paths and choose a career based on passion as well as what one is good at. She also spoke about the importance of mentorship in helping the youth navigate career paths and life in general. She also noted that there were a lot of opportunities in big cities and it was critical to also examine the skills required in one’s career path to be able to build towards having a successful career.

The fourth speaker, Ketul Raval, a financial coach, started educating low to middle income families about basic rules of finance. He has met thousands of families in the last few years and helped them change their financial futures forever, by helping them reposition their money to stay debt-free and making them save more money for their retirement. During the webinar, Ketul encouraged listeners to plan for their financial wellness by having three basic accounts: an emergency fund account, a short-term savings account, and a long-term savings/wealth building account.

He also spoke about how to reduce taxes by utilizing RRSP and TFSA accounts.

Regarding wealth building account, Ketul stressed upon the importance of investing earlier in life rather than later, and seeking to get above average rates of returns, for example, by utilizing mutual funds. He taught the rule of 72 to demonstrate how long it would take their investments to double. Regarding debt reduction, Ketul used the rule of 72 to demonstrate how interest expenses accumulates when individuals choose not to pay off credit card debt every month. He also advised that individuals should not have more than 2 credit cards. Last, Ketul spoke about the importance of life insurance. He advised that individuals should never buy life insurance with any kind of cash value, life insurance with as an investment, or life insurance policies that pay dividends. He advised that they should buy low-cost term insurance.

The fifth speaker, Christopher Alexander, a business coach, an entrepreneur and a former banker, shared his nuggets for daily living, which included: thinking positive thoughts, being confident, being prepared to fail; thinking before speaking, writing down goals and reading them every day, getting involved in your community, trying to understand the politics of the day and always voting, making every effort to be the best at what you do, managing money well, choosing where to spend, practice delayed gratification, create a side hustle, share your ideas and build your community.

The last speaker, Moy Fung, an author, and entrepreneurship coach with over 15 years of experience working with women entrepreneurs. Moy reiterated the importance of continuous learning and development for the youth. She also encouraged the attendees to have proper support systems that help go through issues of life. Lastly, she advocated for the need to take personal accountability of our lives and empowering others and helping them through difficult periods in their own lives.

The webinar concluded with participation awards of Walmart gift cards worth $100 for 4 participants and a Samsung tablet. The awards were given to the webinar attendees that registered and participated at the event.

The Panelists:

• Gwyneth Chapman - Senior Advisor, Economic
• Empowerment & Anti-black Racism - City of Brampton
• Ray Gover - Speaker & Youth Advocate
• Dr. Rukia Swaleh - Registered Physician
• Eve Mpofu - Therapeutic Counsellor
• Ketul Raval - Financial Consultant
• Christopher Alexander - Business Coach
• Moy Fung - Entrepreneurship Coach

1. COVID-19 Emergency Support: Government of Canada and Canadian Red Cross Society

Objective
To provide grocery food cards for 40 vulnerable families from marginalized communities to meet their food and basic needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beneficiaries Selection Process
The families were selected through an application process that required applicants to fill out relevant information to qualify for support. To mobilize
applicants, a flyer was created and shared on the following social media platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, and twitter. The application form was uploaded on the KCA website and information about it disseminated within the KCA network and on social media.

The application was open from October 22, 2020 to October 27, 2020. All 40 applicants qualified but upon verification one applicant could not be verified and was consequently removed from the initial list. We however continued to receive requests for support  from the community. However, due to budget constraints
they were put on a waiting list for when funding was available to support them. To replace the one applicant who could not be verified, we selected one of families in the waiting list that required urgent food security support. Additionally, another applicant was replaced as he no longer required assistance.

Special needs beneficiaries were identified from the final list of 40 beneficiaries based on their unique set of needs and vulnerabilities. Single unemployed women with children
and people with physical illnesses including COVID-19 patients were included as beneficiaries with special needs. They received additional support such as grocery shopping. The items purchased was informed by information the applicant’s application form

Project Report

Download Food Security & Webinars Project Report http://www.kcacanada.org/Canadian_Red_Cross_Project_Report_2020_KCA.pdf

December 12th 2020, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Newcomers Fair Brampton aims to be the premier event in Ontario that connects newcomers and recent immigrants with career consultants, potential employers and recruiters hiring now, education providers, education institutions, government agencies and settlement organizations.

Newcomers Fair Brampton aims to provide attendees with essential information on how to quickly settle in Ontario and specifically in Brampton - one of the most diverse cities in Canada. The fair features speakers from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds will provide attendees with essential information and tips on how to navigate the challenges of moving to a new country and how to set themselves up for success. The inaugural fair is conducted through a webinar due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is designed to be a family-oriented and informative event that allows the newcomers to discover the attractiveness and diversity of the city as a place to live, work and do business. The fair provides a forum to help evaluate ways to overcome transitional phase and cultural differences and have a smooth start for newcomers in their new home. The fair strongly supports the Brampton 2040 Vision, Living the Mosaic, which is bold, spectacular and unique for Brampton.

Speakers:

1. His Worship Patrick Brown - Mayor of Brampton
2. Hon. Ruby Sahota - MP Brampton North
3. Hon. Sonia Sidhu - MP Brampton South
4. Amarjot Sandhu - MPP Brampton West
5. Gwyneth Chapman - Senior Advisor, Economic Empowerment & Anti-black Racism
6. Ketul Raval - Financial Consultant
7. Nakeisha Geddes - Entrepreneur, International Speaker, and Author
8. Joshua Makori - Legal Specialist

This initiative is facilitated through support of the City of Brampton