In November 2024, ISOW Program Assistants Almas McConnell and Alexia Phillips and Faculty Advisor Dr. Gavin Brockett represented ISOW and Wilfrid Laurier University at the “Skills-Based Pathways for Refugees – Challenges and Solutions for Long-Term Integration” workshop, held at the Embassy of Canada to Japan in Tokyo. The event, co-hosted by the Migration Section of the Embassy, Japan International Christian University Foundation (JICUF), and Pathways Japan (PJ), brought together stakeholders from across sectors to explore strategies for expanding refugee access to employment and educational opportunities in Japan. 

ISOW joined fellow participants from government agencies, international organizations, educational institutions, private sector employers, and refugee-led initiatives to share experiences and approaches to refugee support and integration. During the two-day event, ISOW contributed insights from its decade of experience supporting refugee learners in Canada through leadership development, and trauma-informed student support. Participating in this workshop deepened ISOW’s collaboration with international partners and allowed for critical dialogue on the potential for skills-based pathways within Japan’s evolving refugee policy landscape. ISOW is proud to have contributed to this important conversation.