 Introduction
United Caring
Establishment of Canada (UCEC) is a welfare organization
representing all Canadians and is active in Mississauga, Ontario.
UCEC has among other activities, organized career fairs for Canadian
newcomers, shared concerns about several issues affecting newcomers
with government representatives, and is also planning to work with
local police to peacefully resolve family disputes in the area. The
organization is primarily volunteer-driven. The organization has
several active projects in the community and more importantly, has
the vision of implementing several projects in the future that will
help to ensure the happiness and safety of the residents in the
diverse community of Mississauga.
History
At the core of UCEC’s
activities and aspirations is its founding member, Mir Sayeed
Sultan. Mir has been living in Canada since 1989, and primarily
working as a businessman. However, he has always nurtured the
objective to serve humanity as best he can. His desire to help those
in need can be traced to his adolescence. As a young boy, growing up
in India, Miris hifds formed a
group of fellow students who would go to remote villages
distributing clothes and teaching the use of disinfectants to poor
villagers. In 1954, as a teenager, Mir was elected to be a leader of
World Scout Jamboree, and a documentary film of the event was made.
His leadership ability continued through college where he
represented his peers as the General Secretary of the elected
Students Union.
Mir’s business interests
have trekked an interesting path but have always showcased his
leadership abilities. In the early 60’s, he worked in England in the
fashion industry and organized fashion shows with his team. In 1966
a reputed magazine of UK “ Drapper Record “ published an interview
with Mir documenting his achievements as a sales professional in the
UK fashion industry. In early 80’s he helped MITEL of Canada, a
leader in voice communication software, to win back a tender, worth
millions of dollars for telecommunication equipments and services,
which had originally been awarded to an American company.
After coming to Canada in
1989, Mir got involved in community service. Soon after arriving, he
realized that there was no place for Muslim community members for
worship and to have social gatherings. In 1991, with great efforts,
Mir, with support from some community members was able to establish
a mosque and community centre at Coopers Avenue for religious &
social activities. In 2003, he formed the “United Family of
Neighbours” a group of homeowners (Mavis west to Terry Fox) who were
involved in a dispute with their builder. From past experience, Mir
realized that they would be stronger as a group and personally
represented their case to the City of Mississauga, to settle the
dispute between the builder and the owners. This establishment of a
community of neighbours also encouraged regular meetings and brought
the neighbours closer to each other.
Mir has strong ties to the mosque on Coopers
Avenue and this has become his base for UCEC. The organization
serves the needy by providing information and counselling services
for families and youth and assisting people find employment.
Recent Achievements
and Services
1.
Employment Assistance
·
On Saturday 27th,May
2006, UCEC organized a presentation at Coopers Community Centre with
the help of “Services Canada Youth Centre” a project of HRDC, for
students looking for summer jobs and needing assistance in learning
how to create their resumes and cover letters.
·
The members of the organization
researched and advertised a list of student jobs for the region of
peel by sending faxes to all the high schools in Mississauga and
distributing flyers to a number of community centres and mosques.
·
UCEC has previously had held two
job fairs during 2005. First one was arranged with the help of local
Muslim businesses. The response was tremendous and the event was a
big success.
·
Due to the enthusiasm shown and
demand from the community, UCEC was encouraged to hold a second job
fair, which was by far a greater success. The organization managed
to mobilize support and co-operation of our local businessmen, Peel
Police, Air force, Army, Navy, RCMP, and CSIS. This was a source of
great pride as it was the first time in the history of the
Muslim Community such an event took place in Mississauga, where
Municipal and Provincial Governments were involved to educate &
offer job placement opportunities.
2.
Resumes and Job Matching
·
UCEC regularly get resumes by post
and internet, which are matched by our professional volunteers who
have built their own data base specially for the purpose of
recommending suitable job opportunities to job seekers.
·
We are also actively involved in
helping our youth to find summer jobs in collaboration with Services
Canada Youth Centre.
·
This service is free.
3.
Computer Classes
·
UCEC volunteers are offering to
conduct computer classes every Sunday to teach computer basics,
advance Java, Web logic, Web sphere and Oracle. We are hoping to
enlarge the scope of this activity by introducing an a few lessons
on computer programming especially for our seniors and those who my
want to learn the use of Microsoft word and Excel.
·
We are offering this service free
of charge.
4.
Counselling
·
Some of UCEC’s senior volunteers
are engaged in providing various services such as pre-marriage
counselling for intending couples and suggesting suitable match and
giving proposals for families who are looking for likeminded
families to consider marrying their children amongst them.
5.
Seniors Meetings
·
UCEC conducts regular such meetings
for seniors on weekends at Coopers Avenue with the sole purpose of
motivating them to come out of their current routine of watching TV
at all times and encouraging a more active lifestyle.
·
UCEC members believe that their
small projects which include organizing social events for
communities, picnics, counselling and sharing their life experiences
with fellow seniors in general and our youth in particular. We
anticipate a positive outcome from these projects.
Projects that are just
taking form
1.
Family Disputes
·
Recently UCEC is offering an
advisory committee of elders to intervene and provide counselling in
cases of family disputes particularly to husbands and wives before
their case goes to the court in an effort to keep intact and protect
the family ties.
·
By adopting this methodology and
approach, UCEC believes that there can be immense savings on the
part of Government and the individuals by resolving such domestic
disputes before it becomes a point of no return.
2.
Aging Population
·
UCEC believes that the aging
population particularly which is not only becoming a burden on the
economy of the country but because most of these seniors are not
having a purpose of life it makes them sick and isolated socially
hence they suffer from variety of anxiety based diseases.
·
UCEC is offering voluntary services
to all communities to pool ideas in this regard and help assist the
needy. Interested parties are requested to send their proposals with
their brief profile.
Future Projects and
Strategies
Join Hands
UCEC
realizes that in order to meet current and future challenges we need
to work together with other community organizations to build bridges
and create harmony amongst its members to develop a community living
in peace and to be there for each other in one united Canada as one
united nation.
We
are pursuing actively to muster support from others and would like
to have on our board, members from diverse community as honorary
directors.
Community Development
UCEC
intends to offer active co-operation to organizations such as
Mississauga Garden Council to educate our younger youth by offering
them the opportunity to study nature and become aware of our
environment and conservation needs from a very young age.
UCEC
is engaged in dialogue with other multicultural groups to seek each
other’s support and learn from their unique experiences.
Cultural Assimilation
UCEC
feels that there is stronger need for new immigrants to receive a
package (including brochures from various governments) upon arrival,
which would not only give them a clear guidance to learn about
employment assistance resources, equivalency requirements for
foreign trained professionals but provide them with useful links for
convenient rehabilitation in their new country of residence. An
introduction to Canadian cultural diversity, values and principals
are necessary before they are exposed to the conflicting and
confusing disinformation usually being carried out by those amateurs
who themselves were not helped and guided in a responsible way when
they came to this country. Moreover this can save the newcomers from
predators and opportunists who are usually trying to extract money
from these inexperienced and uninformed folks even for those
services which are available free of cost.
We
believe that this can be accomplished through various community
organizations by pooling in their expertise with a unified approach
so that these new entrants in our society can be introduced to
Canadian culture as soon as they arrive.
Neighbourhood
Fair
UCEC
intends to expand further its “know your neighbour” programme into
other areas through volunteers. The past experience has proved that
once a level of confidence and comfort is established among
neighbours, a strong community can develop.
UCEC
is committed and open to any suggestions and advice to fulfill its
mission of serving humanity in the most effective manner.
Any help our advice to perform the
services to all Canadians is welcome.
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