Notes
Location
Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and Lethbridge, Alberta
Community organizations
Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) providers in each city
Integration timeline
At what point during the integration process the study was conducted?
A majority of survey participants had been in Canada between 8-11 months
Key recommendations
Develop a client-centered care model for refugees, including: a Syrian refugee hotline; volunteering opportunities; help with legal papers; more translation services; targeted programs for employment
Key populations
Syrian refugees
Key findings
Six-month study on the resettlement experiences of 100 Syrian refugees arriving in Alberta during 2015 and 2016, from five cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Red Deer and Lethbridge. The study explored the needs, barriers and experiences of Syrian refugees in three areas: employment, language and social connections, to inform client-centered programming.
Gaps identified
More opportunities for professional development for service providers working with refugees; need for longer term support for refugees; increased funding for refugees with disabilities; more engagement of refugees in the design and implementation of services