Participants and Their Feedback
December 30, 2021385 individuals joined the Virtual 6th Biennial Ottawa Immigration Forum over two half days on November 22 and 23, 2021. Soon after the Forum, we sent a forum evaluation survey to attendees to ask for their feedback on how well we did and solicit suggestions for improvements. We received 41 responses (11% response rate). Respondents indicated high levels of satisfaction with the Forum. Below are the highlights of their feedback:
When asked about their experiences with different aspects of the Forum, participants reported high levels of satisfaction.
- 95% said they were satisfied with the Forum overall
- 98% indicated satisfaction with Forum content and themes
- 98% reported satisfaction with Forum communications (emails, webpage, etc)
- 98% had a good experience with the Zoom Webinar Platform
When asked about their levels of satisfaction with specific Forum sessions, participants reported the following:
Session | Satisfaction rate |
Keynote by Yasir Naqvi | 93% |
Dr. Etches Reflection on Learning from the Pandemic & Ideas for the Way Forward | 97% |
Panel on Igniting Ottawa’s Potential to Achieve Equitable Outcomes | 97% |
Panel on Inclusive & Equitable Municipalities | 90% |
Immigrant Workers in Post Pandemic Economic Recovery | 93% |
In response to the question “What did you value most about the 6th Biennial Ottawa Immigration Forum, participants answers included the following:
- Excellent speakers. Great examples of equity work from other jurisdictions.
- The Forum provided opportunity to connect/reconnect with others on important equity issues.
- Very well organized; effective use of time (several panel sessions over two half days)
- Le Forum offrait vraiment la possibilité des échanges très constructifs
- I appreciated the inclusive and courageous conversations that are not afraid of tackling difficult questions.
- I valued hearing from a range of different speakers from various areas and sectors on the issue of equity.
- I liked the Forum content, the storytelling by local artists, the discussion on data and equity and all the information covered in the panel sessions were impressive.
- I enjoyed the exposure to initiatives and strategies being pursued in other municipalities.
- The Q&A sessions and the resulting exchange and dialogues are definitely the richest part of these kinds of conferences. MP Naqvi and Dr. Etches get it, which is so refreshing to see in people of their stature.
- Keep up the great work! We want more of the same from OLIP!
In response to the question “What improvements would you suggest for future Ottawa Immigration Forums”, participants said:
- Hold the Forum in n person of course and create opportunities for networking and connection among the Forum participants.
- Add interpretation for non-English or non-French participants.
- Have breakout rooms for discussion, sharing, brainstorming
- Include practical skill development for attendees, including case examples of data collection, community engagement, and hiring practices.
- I really found the total experience very valuable. I would recommend you reach out to broader audience.
- I would love to see the next Forum in in-person meeting format, depending on COVID.
- Maybe have fewer speakers and go in more in-depth discussion about the topics.
- Provide a package of info upon registration to allow participants to be informed prior to coming to the forum. This will allow people to think about questions to ask