Research Library

The health and wellbeing of African children and families, as an emerging demographic, is of interest and concern to various stakeholders in Canada. Yet, few studies have examined how parents and other members of the African community perceive the concept of mental health. This paper examines the perceptions of mental health of African community members concerning parenting children of African heritage. Findings show that linguistic differences, cultural beliefs, and life experiences play a role in how African immigrants living within the Canadian context view mental health and mental health difficulties. African immigrant parents struggle with the tension of holding traditional cultural views of wellness in an environment where structures and services are centred around Western notions of mental health and illness and the potential impact this can have on their parenting practices and children’s mental health. Recommendations for resolving conflicts relating to mental health perceptions are discussed to enhance service access and provision among African immigrant families in Canada and other Western countries. The health and wellbeing of African children and families, as an emerging demographic, is of interest and concern to various stakeholders in Canada. Yet, few studies have examined how parents and other members of the African community perceive the concept of mental health. This paper examines the perceptions of mental health of African community members concerning parenting children of African heritage. Findings show that linguistic differences, cultural beliefs, and life experiences play a role in how African immigrants living within the Canadian context view mental health and mental health difficulties. African immigrant parents struggle with the tension of holding traditional cultural views of wellness in an environment where structures and services are centred around Western notions of mental health and illness and the potential impact this can have on their parenting practices and children’s mental health. Recommendations for resolving conflicts relating to mental health perceptions are discussed to enhance service access and provision among African immigrant families in Canada and other Western countries.
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This article analyzes perspectives and strategies through which Black African immigrant youth in Calgary, Alberta, promote their social inclusion in Canadian society. This article stresses the agency and resilience among Black African youth in Calgary. Overall, the findings emphasize that Black African immigrant youths’ sense and strategies of inclusion are rooted in their ethnic group and religious associations. Specifically, participants identified 1) spaces of safety, 2) empowerment initiatives, and 3) support through social networks that made their sense of inclusion meaningful. The analysis of the agency of Black African youth illuminates the strength and power of the youth and their respective communities. Finding themselves in a new environment and context, they drew on continuous, centuries-long cultural knowledge and strategies to adapt to change. Not only are they coping, but they are also thriving and teaching and sharing their heritage and humanistic values with various peoples and cultures. This article analyzes perspectives and strategies through which Black African immigrant youth in Calgary, Alberta, promote their social inclusion in Canadian society. This article stresses the agency and resilience among Black African youth in Calgary. Overall, the findings emphasize that Black African immigrant youths’ sense and strategies of inclusion are rooted in their ethnic group and religious associations. Specifically, participants identified 1) spaces of safety, 2) empowerment initiatives, and 3) support through social networks that made their sense of inclusion meaningful. The analysis of the agency of Black African youth illuminates the strength and power of the youth and their respective communities. Finding themselves in a new environment and context, they drew on continuous, centuries-long cultural knowledge and strategies to adapt to change. Not only are they coping, but they are also thriving and teaching and sharing their heritage and humanistic values with various peoples and cultures.
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This report evaluates the impact of brief therapy sessions provided by the CCIS Centre for Refugee Resilience to recently-arrived refugees. A combination of client surveys, client interviews and referring partner interviews were used to evaluate brief therapy outcomes. This report evaluates the impact of brief therapy sessions provided by the CCIS Centre for Refugee Resilience to recently-arrived refugees. A combination of client surveys, client interviews and referring partner interviews were used to evaluate brief therapy outcomes.
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Investigations into immigrant resilience are now being called for in scholarly reviews of literature, policy, and practice related to immigrants, following decades in which the challenges they face in or pose to Western host societies took centre stage. Focusing on resilience not only recognizes immigrants’ strengths and contributions to their new homelands, but also creates a fertile landscape to explore possible pathways to optimize migration outcomes. The findings of focus group discussions with African immigrant stakeholders (service providers, community/religious leaders, and staff of policy-making bodies) in three Canadian cities align with this new emphasis. However, these findings also raise crucial questions about current conceptualizations of resilience applied to immigrants. Our thematic analysis indicates that African immigrants attach meanings, processes, and values to resilience that differ from conceptions of resilience in the scholarly literature. Their viewpoints and lived experiences presented below offer new understandings that prompt a re-evaluation of currently held assumptions about resilience rooted in Western individualistic notions about mental health. These assumptions, our study show, do not capture African immigrants’ settlement experiences and long-term adaptation to life in Western nations—as collectivist cultures. Investigations into immigrant resilience are now being called for in scholarly reviews of literature, policy, and practice related to immigrants, following decades in which the challenges they face in or pose to Western host societies took centre stage. Focusing on resilience not only recognizes immigrants’ strengths and contributions to their new homelands, but also creates a fertile landscape to explore possible pathways to optimize migration outcomes. The findings of focus group discussions with African immigrant stakeholders (service providers, community/religious leaders, and staff of policy-making bodies) in three Canadian cities align with this new emphasis. However, these findings also raise crucial questions about current conceptualizations of resilience applied to immigrants. Our thematic analysis indicates that African immigrants attach meanings, processes, and values to resilience that differ from conceptions of resilience in the scholarly literature. Their viewpoints and lived experiences presented below offer new understandings that prompt a re-evaluation of currently held assumptions about resilience rooted in Western individualistic notions about mental health. These assumptions, our study show, do not capture African immigrants’ settlement experiences and long-term adaptation to life in Western nations—as collectivist cultures.
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This report summarizes the evaluation work completed by Mindwise Communications between the period of September and November 2020 for the program: Language Link for Mainstream Mental Health. The intent of this report is to assist the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, CCIS, in making program improvements where necessary and to gather evidence of whether or not the provision of interpreter services to mental health services providers reduces client barriers. This report summarizes the evaluation work completed by Mindwise Communications between the period of September and November 2020 for the program: Language Link for Mainstream Mental Health. The intent of this report is to assist the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, CCIS, in making program improvements where necessary and to gather evidence of whether or not the provision of interpreter services to mental health services providers reduces client barriers.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

For vulnerable patients (immigrants or those with low income), it is crucial for pharmacists to be accessible to allow patients benefit from pharmacists’ advanced services, such as independent prescribing. This research examines the geographical relationship between Alberta pharmacists with Additional Prescribing Authorization (APA) and a neighbourhood’s proportion of vulnerable populations. Our research shows that high income areas estimated to have 0.44 more APA pharmacists. Similarly, areas with the highest number of recent immigrants were estimated to have 0.66 more APA pharmacists than other aggregated dissemination areas. A sizable proportion of the Alberta population still does not have access to a pharmacist with APA, and those with APA seem to concentrate in areas with higher income and higher proportions of the population who are immigrants. Future research should examine the utilization of expanded scope of practice in relation to the distribution of vulnerable populations. For vulnerable patients (immigrants or those with low income), it is crucial for pharmacists to be accessible to allow patients benefit from pharmacists’ advanced services, such as independent prescribing. This research examines the geographical relationship between Alberta pharmacists with Additional Prescribing Authorization (APA) and a neighbourhood’s proportion of vulnerable populations. Our research shows that high income areas estimated to have 0.44 more APA pharmacists. Similarly, areas with the highest number of recent immigrants were estimated to have 0.66 more APA pharmacists than other aggregated dissemination areas. A sizable proportion of the Alberta population still does not have access to a pharmacist with APA, and those with APA seem to concentrate in areas with higher income and higher proportions of the population who are immigrants. Future research should examine the utilization of expanded scope of practice in relation to the distribution of vulnerable populations.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

In this article, we discuss our recent and current efforts to offer an innovative form of ongoing teacher education designed explicitly for Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs). This form might be considered a type of in-service teacher education. Using data gathered from IETs, the article describes how that the program was successful. The participants were satisfied with the design and outcome of the program. They learned a great deal from the seminars and were also able to find jobs commensurate with their qualifications. At the same time the paper points out the lack of financial support for such programs. The authors mention that the future of the Bridging Program at the University Alberta is facing uncertainty due to shifting government priorities. In this article, we discuss our recent and current efforts to offer an innovative form of ongoing teacher education designed explicitly for Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs). This form might be considered a type of in-service teacher education. Using data gathered from IETs, the article describes how that the program was successful. The participants were satisfied with the design and outcome of the program. They learned a great deal from the seminars and were also able to find jobs commensurate with their qualifications. At the same time the paper points out the lack of financial support for such programs. The authors mention that the future of the Bridging Program at the University Alberta is facing uncertainty due to shifting government priorities.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The article documents the settlement experiences of Syrian refugees in a major city in Alberta, Canada, in the first year of their resettlement. It then compares them across the three government and private sponsorship programs to understand which program is most effective in helping refugees settle and integrate in Canada. The findings suggest that all three programs were largely successful in bringing in Syrian refugees, from various asylum countries in the Middle East to safe places in Canada. However, the settlement experience of refugees varied after they arrived in Canada. Challenges in learning English and finding employment were paramount among all three refugee streams. Contrary to some academic literature, privately sponsored refugees faced resettlement challenges similar to their counterparts in the two other sponsorship streams. The article documents the settlement experiences of Syrian refugees in a major city in Alberta, Canada, in the first year of their resettlement. It then compares them across the three government and private sponsorship programs to understand which program is most effective in helping refugees settle and integrate in Canada. The findings suggest that all three programs were largely successful in bringing in Syrian refugees, from various asylum countries in the Middle East to safe places in Canada. However, the settlement experience of refugees varied after they arrived in Canada. Challenges in learning English and finding employment were paramount among all three refugee streams. Contrary to some academic literature, privately sponsored refugees faced resettlement challenges similar to their counterparts in the two other sponsorship streams.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This study examined the challenges and critical psychosocial needs of Syrian refugee families with young children in Western Canada. It also looked at the role of cultural brokering in facilitating their psychosocial adaptation. Results reveal that Syrian families struggled with feeling safe and secure in Canada, adjusting to the changing roles in the family, and trying to find meaning in their lives. These struggles were attributed to families’ overall challenges navigating various domains of integration (i.e., health, social services, and education), resulting in a heavy reliance on cultural brokers for social linking and bonding activities, including connecting families to needed supports and helping family members build relationships with one another. This study provides evidence for the use of both of these frameworks in further studies involving Syrian refugee populations; they proved useful for understanding how families, over time, can develop necessary skills to engage on their own in linking activities with various Canadian institutions and bridging activities with communities at large. This study examined the challenges and critical psychosocial needs of Syrian refugee families with young children in Western Canada. It also looked at the role of cultural brokering in facilitating their psychosocial adaptation. Results reveal that Syrian families struggled with feeling safe and secure in Canada, adjusting to the changing roles in the family, and trying to find meaning in their lives. These struggles were attributed to families’ overall challenges navigating various domains of integration (i.e., health, social services, and education), resulting in a heavy reliance on cultural brokers for social linking and bonding activities, including connecting families to needed supports and helping family members build relationships with one another. This study provides evidence for the use of both of these frameworks in further studies involving Syrian refugee populations; they proved useful for understanding how families, over time, can develop necessary skills to engage on their own in linking activities with various Canadian institutions and bridging activities with communities at large.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly