Research Library

Since 2011, the armed conflict that began in the Syrian Arab Republic has displaced an estimated 12 million Syrians, forcing them to seek refuge in various countries around the world. Over half of those people are children. Education is key to integration of refugee children and is considered critical in bringing back a sense of normalcy, routine, as well as emotional and social well-being in their lives. In Canada, integration of Syrian refugee children in the public school system has, therefore, been identified as one of the vital aspects of their settlement needs. This article examines the challenges experienced by newly arrived Syrian refugee children as they struggle to integrate to the Canadian school system. Our research shows that Syrian refugee children not only find it difficult to make friends with local students but are also subjected to constant bullying and racism that affect their sense of belonging and connection. Making the views of these students explicit, we hope to provide a starting point for not only understanding their experiences in more detail, but also for developing educational strategies, resources and policies that might best meet the needs of these students and future refugee children and youth. Since 2011, the armed conflict that began in the Syrian Arab Republic has displaced an estimated 12 million Syrians, forcing them to seek refuge in various countries around the world. Over half of those people are children. Education is key to integration of refugee children and is considered critical in bringing back a sense of normalcy, routine, as well as emotional and social well-being in their lives. In Canada, integration of Syrian refugee children in the public school system has, therefore, been identified as one of the vital aspects of their settlement needs. This article examines the challenges experienced by newly arrived Syrian refugee children as they struggle to integrate to the Canadian school system. Our research shows that Syrian refugee children not only find it difficult to make friends with local students but are also subjected to constant bullying and racism that affect their sense of belonging and connection. Making the views of these students explicit, we hope to provide a starting point for not only understanding their experiences in more detail, but also for developing educational strategies, resources and policies that might best meet the needs of these students and future refugee children and youth.
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This study examined the barriers and facilitators to community belonging for immigrants in Alberta, Canada. Participants discuss two forms of community belonging in this study: (a) belonging to an ethnocultural group; and (b) belonging within mainstream Canadian society. Barriers to mainstream community belonging for immigrants include employment barriers, language barriers, and discrimination. Recent immigrants often experience a sense of belonging to their ethnic group within the host country before feeling connected to others in their local geographic community. A major factor contributing to this trend is the lack of ethnocultural diversity in local community organizations in the areas where immigrants live. Immigrant service agencies and religious institutions compensate for this deficiency through creating avenues for social connection within and across ethnocultural groups and to mainstream Canadian society. Thus local community organizations should address issues of ethnocultural diversity and discrimination to improve the mental health of immigrants by fostering community belonging. Supporting programs in immigrant service agencies and religious institutions to increase social participation and engagement would, also, help strengthen community belonging and improve immigrant mental health. This study examined the barriers and facilitators to community belonging for immigrants in Alberta, Canada. Participants discuss two forms of community belonging in this study: (a) belonging to an ethnocultural group; and (b) belonging within mainstream Canadian society. Barriers to mainstream community belonging for immigrants include employment barriers, language barriers, and discrimination. Recent immigrants often experience a sense of belonging to their ethnic group within the host country before feeling connected to others in their local geographic community. A major factor contributing to this trend is the lack of ethnocultural diversity in local community organizations in the areas where immigrants live. Immigrant service agencies and religious institutions compensate for this deficiency through creating avenues for social connection within and across ethnocultural groups and to mainstream Canadian society. Thus local community organizations should address issues of ethnocultural diversity and discrimination to improve the mental health of immigrants by fostering community belonging. Supporting programs in immigrant service agencies and religious institutions to increase social participation and engagement would, also, help strengthen community belonging and improve immigrant mental health.
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Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices. Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices.
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This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes. This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes.
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This paper focuses on experiences of settlement and seeking employment of immigrant women in Central Alberta. The study shows that immigrant women tend to rely on their family, ethnic, and religious networks to “survive” in the first stages of settlement, as well as when seeking employment. However, the support that they can receive from their social networks is limited because: (1) their family and friends themselves often lack economic resources; (2) their non-Canadian skills and credential are not always recognized by employers; (3) they have low income and have difficulty accessing training and educational programs that may be recognized by Canadian employers; (4) they are burdened by childcare; (5) some experience language barrier that affect their confidence and mental health. This paper focuses on experiences of settlement and seeking employment of immigrant women in Central Alberta. The study shows that immigrant women tend to rely on their family, ethnic, and religious networks to “survive” in the first stages of settlement, as well as when seeking employment. However, the support that they can receive from their social networks is limited because: (1) their family and friends themselves often lack economic resources; (2) their non-Canadian skills and credential are not always recognized by employers; (3) they have low income and have difficulty accessing training and educational programs that may be recognized by Canadian employers; (4) they are burdened by childcare; (5) some experience language barrier that affect their confidence and mental health.
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Vulnerable pregnant women (e.g. women with low socio-economic status or recent immigrants) are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care or to attend perinatal education classes. CenteringPregnancy (CP) is a model of group prenatal care which combines assessment, education and support. This study aimed to assess patient experience among vulnerable women in group prenatal care compared to individual care. Results: Women in CP were younger, more likely to be single and having their first baby than women in individual care. Women in CP were significantly more likely to report having received enough information on exercise during pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. Women in CP were more likely to report that they felt their prenatal care providers were interested in how the pregnancy was affecting their life. Hence, group prenatal care provides a positive experience and improves information exchange among vulnerable populations. Programs interested in engaging, educating and empowering vulnerable pregnant women may benefit from implementation of group care. Vulnerable pregnant women (e.g. women with low socio-economic status or recent immigrants) are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care or to attend perinatal education classes. CenteringPregnancy (CP) is a model of group prenatal care which combines assessment, education and support. This study aimed to assess patient experience among vulnerable women in group prenatal care compared to individual care. Results: Women in CP were younger, more likely to be single and having their first baby than women in individual care. Women in CP were significantly more likely to report having received enough information on exercise during pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. Women in CP were more likely to report that they felt their prenatal care providers were interested in how the pregnancy was affecting their life. Hence, group prenatal care provides a positive experience and improves information exchange among vulnerable populations. Programs interested in engaging, educating and empowering vulnerable pregnant women may benefit from implementation of group care.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Immigration in Canada has traditionally been associated with urban areas, but rural communities are host to an increasing number of new immigrants. As students of these immigrant families arrive in rural schools, there is increasing pressure on rural school divisions to meet the needs of a diverse student population of English Language Learners (ELLs), though often with limited previous experience with such students. In many of these situations, the nature of the workforce has led to family separation during the immigration process, with subsequent reunification in Canada. Newly-arrived immigrant students are thus having to develop academic English language proficiency as well as adjust to the dynamics of family reunification. This article recounts exploratory qualitative research on how Filipino secondary school immigrant students in Alberta, who are reconnecting with parents, acculturate and develop a sense of belonging when language and content acquisition, social-emotional, and acculturation supports are in place. Data is drawn from interviews with immigrant families from the Philippines and from teachers’ written responses to reflection questions on their growth as educators of ELLs. Although the needs of reconnecting immigrant families are multifaceted and complex, the findings from this study suggest a supportive role can be played by schools in assisting such families both through enhanced coordination with the immigrant community, and direct and explicit teacher training in pedagogical strategies for teachers of ELLs. Immigration in Canada has traditionally been associated with urban areas, but rural communities are host to an increasing number of new immigrants. As students of these immigrant families arrive in rural schools, there is increasing pressure on rural school divisions to meet the needs of a diverse student population of English Language Learners (ELLs), though often with limited previous experience with such students. In many of these situations, the nature of the workforce has led to family separation during the immigration process, with subsequent reunification in Canada. Newly-arrived immigrant students are thus having to develop academic English language proficiency as well as adjust to the dynamics of family reunification. This article recounts exploratory qualitative research on how Filipino secondary school immigrant students in Alberta, who are reconnecting with parents, acculturate and develop a sense of belonging when language and content acquisition, social-emotional, and acculturation supports are in place. Data is drawn from interviews with immigrant families from the Philippines and from teachers’ written responses to reflection questions on their growth as educators of ELLs. Although the needs of reconnecting immigrant families are multifaceted and complex, the findings from this study suggest a supportive role can be played by schools in assisting such families both through enhanced coordination with the immigrant community, and direct and explicit teacher training in pedagogical strategies for teachers of ELLs.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Over the past decade, scholars have begun to explore neglected aspects of immigrant family life such as gender relations, domestic violence, parenting, and relationships with service providers. Many of these studies, however, are based on women’s experiences. As an equally crucial starting point in building sustainable and resilient immigrant communities, our study focuses on the experiences of African immigrant men in a Canadian context. It reveals African immigrant men’s frustration with their search for a better life. Our thematic analysis of participants’ responses identified three main stressors among this group: challenges with economic integration, changing ideals about masculinities and gender relations across transnational spaces, and tensions in the parent-child relationship. These findings suggest that despite the vulnerabilities they face in Canada, African men could play a strategic role as critical agents of change in families’ transitions and integration. Overall, our study calls for the active engagement of both African immigrant men and women in developing policies and practices that impact their everyday lives. Over the past decade, scholars have begun to explore neglected aspects of immigrant family life such as gender relations, domestic violence, parenting, and relationships with service providers. Many of these studies, however, are based on women’s experiences. As an equally crucial starting point in building sustainable and resilient immigrant communities, our study focuses on the experiences of African immigrant men in a Canadian context. It reveals African immigrant men’s frustration with their search for a better life. Our thematic analysis of participants’ responses identified three main stressors among this group: challenges with economic integration, changing ideals about masculinities and gender relations across transnational spaces, and tensions in the parent-child relationship. These findings suggest that despite the vulnerabilities they face in Canada, African men could play a strategic role as critical agents of change in families’ transitions and integration. Overall, our study calls for the active engagement of both African immigrant men and women in developing policies and practices that impact their everyday lives.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This article presents the issues and challenges facing older Chinese immigrants in accessing mainstream services in Edmonton, Alberta, in Western Canada. The awareness and access to mainstream services and information, perceptions of services, system improvements and use of social media are discussed. Barriers to services include: isolation, impacting physical and mental health; few multicultural services (barriers around translation and access to services); barriers around age and ability (accessibility); cost barriers. The article suggests several recommendations: culturally competent service provision by mainstream services (including removing cost barriers, improving translation and accessibility); more collaboration between ‘mainstream’ service providers and ethno-specific organizations; more consultation with Chinese community; greater accessibility to translation; increased funding for human resources and training. This article presents the issues and challenges facing older Chinese immigrants in accessing mainstream services in Edmonton, Alberta, in Western Canada. The awareness and access to mainstream services and information, perceptions of services, system improvements and use of social media are discussed. Barriers to services include: isolation, impacting physical and mental health; few multicultural services (barriers around translation and access to services); barriers around age and ability (accessibility); cost barriers. The article suggests several recommendations: culturally competent service provision by mainstream services (including removing cost barriers, improving translation and accessibility); more collaboration between ‘mainstream’ service providers and ethno-specific organizations; more consultation with Chinese community; greater accessibility to translation; increased funding for human resources and training.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The Syrian conflict and war has contributed to the largest refugee crisis in recent history. Many refugees are seeking protection and safety for their family. This article discusses the context of the Syrian refugee crisis and how a group of social work faculty members are responding by supporting the resettlement of a Syrian refugee family in Canada. Private sponsorship options, grassroots activities, and the role of social work in resettlement are discussed. The paper explores the experiences of one refugee sponsor group composed of social work faculty, argues that social worker have an important role to play in refugee resettlement (through private sponsorship and other social work-related activities). This article concludes with a call to action for social workers to strengthen their support and involvement in the resettlement of refugees. The Syrian conflict and war has contributed to the largest refugee crisis in recent history. Many refugees are seeking protection and safety for their family. This article discusses the context of the Syrian refugee crisis and how a group of social work faculty members are responding by supporting the resettlement of a Syrian refugee family in Canada. Private sponsorship options, grassroots activities, and the role of social work in resettlement are discussed. The paper explores the experiences of one refugee sponsor group composed of social work faculty, argues that social worker have an important role to play in refugee resettlement (through private sponsorship and other social work-related activities). This article concludes with a call to action for social workers to strengthen their support and involvement in the resettlement of refugees.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly