In August 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced an urgent commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan nationals. This ambitious national response required unprecedented coordination across the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) sector, which at the time consisted of 34 service provider organizations across Canada.
This Lunch & Learn session explored how the sector mobilized rapidly, the governance structures that supported implementation, and the long-term lessons for national coordination and capacity building.
By January 2022, Canada had resettled 47,000 Afghan refugees. The response was coordinated nationally and implemented regionally based on available capacity. To support this effort, IRCC funded the creation of the National Afghan RAP Secretariat, which served as a guiding coalition during the emergency response.
During her doctoral studies, Dr. Reddy applied evidence-informed leadership theories in practice, drawing on Kotter’s 8-Step Change Management Model to guide rapid, large-scale sector mobilization.
Three Pillars of the National Afghan RAP Secretariat
The Secretariat was structured around three core pillars:
1. National Communication and Engagement
A balance between consistency and flexibility was achieved through the Five Autonomies framework. While policy direction and overall vision remained aligned nationally, agencies were granted defined autonomy to adapt implementation to their regional contexts. This ensured responsiveness to local realities while maintaining shared standards.
2. Leadership Approach
Leadership was grounded in equity, diversity, inclusion, consistency, and social justice. Small, medium, and large RAP centers were brought together to promote equitable outcomes across the network. A poly-ocular perspective ensured diverse viewpoints informed national decision-making.
3. Governance
Collaborative governance emphasized stakeholder engagement, shared learning, and knowledge mobilization. Clear communication structures support coordination across jurisdictions and organizations.
National Coordination and Sector Capacity
Given the urgency of the initiative, weekly coordination meetings were convened with approximately 100 staff from resettlement organizations nationwide. The Afghan NAARS supported population assessment and established four temporary hotel sites across four regions. Refugees were transferred to local service providers following quarantine upon arrival.
A national website was created to connect service providers and Afghan newcomers, reduce duplication, and facilitate resource sharing. The initiative also received approximately $2 million in donations, $500,000 from Airbnb and $100,000 from Uber, to support transportation for medical appointments, education access, and other essential services.
As a result of this coordinated response, sector capacity expanded from 34 to 44 service providers across Canada.
Elevating the RAP Sector Voice
Dr. Reddy shared sector feedback, particularly regarding access to health services. Survey results identified:
- Limited access to primary healthcare
- Difficulty securing family doctors
- Insufficient medical system navigation support
- Language barriers and limited interpreter access during medical appointments.
- Gap between the Interim Federal Health (IFH) Program and provincial health systems.
- Barriers to mental health and dental care
In response, the sector, in collaboration with IRCC, initiated several actions:
- Establishing a National Health Coalition to address health-related concerns
- Delivering professional development sessions for staff in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
- Providing enhanced case management for complex cases
- Conducting regional and city-level scans of health resources
- Advocating for improved training and accessible client resources
From Secretariat and National Coordinating Body
In April 2025, the RAP Secretariat transitioned into the National RAP Coordinating Body. This marked a shift from direct operational response to a long-term, indirect support role focused on strengthening coordination and sector-wide capacity. The National RAP Coordinating Body now operates across four pillars:
- Service Standardization
- Coordination
- Capacity Building
- Sector Evaluation
This evolution reflects a move from emergency mobilization to sustained infrastructure development within the RAP sector.
RAP Learning Survey
To inform ongoing professional development, a RAP Learning Survey was conducted with 675 staff across 44 RAP service provider organizations. The survey identified priority professional development needs and emphasized the importance of a clear methodology grounded in evaluation, analysis, and impact framework.
Based on these findings, the Professional Development team at AASIA will collaborate with subject matter experts to design both synchronous and asynchronous training models tailored to sector needs.
The Lunch & Learn series is a monthly virtual gathering hosted by the Newcomer Knowledge Hub. We provide informative presentations delivered by experts in the settlement sector. Whether you are a service provider, policymaker, student, or simply curious about the world of settlement, we invite you to join us at our next session by registering here.
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