Research Library

Interview with Jose (they/he), a queer, non-binary Mexican immigrant living in St. Albert, AB. Jose talks about how their supportive parents changed their entire coming out experience, especially as a Catholic immigrant. Interview with Jose (they/he), a queer, non-binary Mexican immigrant living in St. Albert, AB. Jose talks about how their supportive parents changed their entire coming out experience, especially as a Catholic immigrant.
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This report contains the assessment done by Constellation Consulting Group to assess the impact of service delivery mode on client satisfaction and therapy outcomes provided by CCIS during COVID. The main goal is to capture learnings about client preferences and service outcomes. This report contains the assessment done by Constellation Consulting Group to assess the impact of service delivery mode on client satisfaction and therapy outcomes provided by CCIS during COVID. The main goal is to capture learnings about client preferences and service outcomes.
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Parenting is a socially and culturally constructed role and experience. Parenting practices vary across and within communities yet most of what we know about parenting in the literature stems from Western worldviews on what ideal parenting and child-rearing looks like in practice. Taking a postcolonial feminist approach, this study helps to diversify the literature by presenting the perspectives of 11 parents with traditional and postcolonial African worldviews who have migrated to Canada. With the purpose of examining gender-based parenting practices of African refugees in Alberta, Canada, this study drew upon existing interviews from a larger study focused on gender relations in African immigrant families. The study used interpretative phenomenological analysis informed by three theoretical frameworks (transnationalism, postcolonial feminism, and intersectionality) to generate three themes and nine subthemes. These findings reveal old, new, and bifocal ways African refugees practice parenting in a postmigration context as well as the impacts of structural forces on their practices. Key among the complicating factors described involve a lack of community-focused and culturally-informed social supports for adjusting to new gender roles and relations in cultural traditions, family life, and parenting challenges typical in their post-migration experiences. Implications for childcare, community, and workplace supports to help African refugees successfully manage the higher risk of facing a host of interpersonal, systemic, and structural barriers when they arrive in Western host countries like Canada are discussed. Studies on gender roles and relations in parenting practices for African refugee parents are rare and this study provides much-needed insights that can be further explored. Parenting is a socially and culturally constructed role and experience. Parenting practices vary across and within communities yet most of what we know about parenting in the literature stems from Western worldviews on what ideal parenting and child-rearing looks like in practice. Taking a postcolonial feminist approach, this study helps to diversify the literature by presenting the perspectives of 11 parents with traditional and postcolonial African worldviews who have migrated to Canada. With the purpose of examining gender-based parenting practices of African refugees in Alberta, Canada, this study drew upon existing interviews from a larger study focused on gender relations in African immigrant families. The study used interpretative phenomenological analysis informed by three theoretical frameworks (transnationalism, postcolonial feminism, and intersectionality) to generate three themes and nine subthemes. These findings reveal old, new, and bifocal ways African refugees practice parenting in a postmigration context as well as the impacts of structural forces on their practices. Key among the complicating factors described involve a lack of community-focused and culturally-informed social supports for adjusting to new gender roles and relations in cultural traditions, family life, and parenting challenges typical in their post-migration experiences. Implications for childcare, community, and workplace supports to help African refugees successfully manage the higher risk of facing a host of interpersonal, systemic, and structural barriers when they arrive in Western host countries like Canada are discussed. Studies on gender roles and relations in parenting practices for African refugee parents are rare and this study provides much-needed insights that can be further explored.
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The report presents research findings on the challenges faced by different communities, examines these findings in light of stakeholders’ experiences and insights, and explores the strengths and weaknesses of these communities. The report highlights key areas of concern for Black community leaders and organizations in Edmonton, AB and across Canada, including issues related to accessibility, professional integration, social and cultural isolation, minority statuses, and shifting identity. A systematic analysis is currently underway to expand on this preliminary report. The report presents research findings on the challenges faced by different communities, examines these findings in light of stakeholders’ experiences and insights, and explores the strengths and weaknesses of these communities. The report highlights key areas of concern for Black community leaders and organizations in Edmonton, AB and across Canada, including issues related to accessibility, professional integration, social and cultural isolation, minority statuses, and shifting identity. A systematic analysis is currently underway to expand on this preliminary report.
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In this report, Edmonton City Council is being asked to approve the Anti-Racism Strategy to support the equity of racialized communities in Edmonton, structural changes within the City of Edmonton Administration, as well as the development of an implementation and financing plan to activate the Strategy. This work will be prioritized in Administration’s work for the long-term City Plan alignment. The proposed anti-racism strategy outlines 3 elements to advance anti-racism in Edmonton, and is asking Council for both approval of the strategy as well as an increase in operating expenditure budget. In this report, Edmonton City Council is being asked to approve the Anti-Racism Strategy to support the equity of racialized communities in Edmonton, structural changes within the City of Edmonton Administration, as well as the development of an implementation and financing plan to activate the Strategy. This work will be prioritized in Administration’s work for the long-term City Plan alignment. The proposed anti-racism strategy outlines 3 elements to advance anti-racism in Edmonton, and is asking Council for both approval of the strategy as well as an increase in operating expenditure budget.
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The Family Conflict Prevention Program provides culturally-sensitive family violence services and supports in 13 different languages. Evaluation showed the program superseded their targets for keeping clients safe from violence/abuse, accessing community services and education on family violence. The Family Conflict Prevention Program provides culturally-sensitive family violence services and supports in 13 different languages. Evaluation showed the program superseded their targets for keeping clients safe from violence/abuse, accessing community services and education on family violence.
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The entire healthcare system, including primary healthcare (PHC) services, has been disrupted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the crisis threatens all citizens significantly, further barriers to accessing care exist for those who are most vulnerable, experience marginalization, and have pre-existing challenges. We aimed to explore immigrants’ lived experiences in accessing and receiving PHC services during the pandemic. A multiphase mixed-methods study using a sequential explanatory design was employed. The first study includes a systematic review that synthesizes the evidence on the experiences that immigrant patients have receiving PHC. Study two provides insights from a recently employed “COVID-19 Experiences and Impacts Survey” data and compares the experiences of Albertans that were born in and outside Canada. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed, using STATA. The third study is a qualitative inquiry that aims to gain a deeper understanding of the newcomers’ (living in Canada ≤5 years) and providers’ experiences in PHC during the pandemic. A thematic analysis was applied, using NVivo software. Immigrants reported many challenges in accessing and receiving PHC, and these challenges have been increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this thesis yielded six recommendations that can inform PHC quality improvement initiatives and PHC policy. The entire healthcare system, including primary healthcare (PHC) services, has been disrupted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the crisis threatens all citizens significantly, further barriers to accessing care exist for those who are most vulnerable, experience marginalization, and have pre-existing challenges. We aimed to explore immigrants’ lived experiences in accessing and receiving PHC services during the pandemic. A multiphase mixed-methods study using a sequential explanatory design was employed. The first study includes a systematic review that synthesizes the evidence on the experiences that immigrant patients have receiving PHC. Study two provides insights from a recently employed “COVID-19 Experiences and Impacts Survey” data and compares the experiences of Albertans that were born in and outside Canada. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed, using STATA. The third study is a qualitative inquiry that aims to gain a deeper understanding of the newcomers’ (living in Canada ≤5 years) and providers’ experiences in PHC during the pandemic. A thematic analysis was applied, using NVivo software. Immigrants reported many challenges in accessing and receiving PHC, and these challenges have been increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this thesis yielded six recommendations that can inform PHC quality improvement initiatives and PHC policy.
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The Community Newcomer Needs Assessment is an opportunity for municipalities to learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of local services and supports for newcomers, and challenges the communities to develop a plan to address gaps and weaknesses; help municipalities assess challenges for newcomers provide information about the immigration process. Key strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in services and various challenges and opportunities for newcomers are identified in this report through the lens of the newcomer journey and the newcomer developing a sense of belonging. The Community Newcomer Needs Assessment is an opportunity for municipalities to learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of local services and supports for newcomers, and challenges the communities to develop a plan to address gaps and weaknesses; help municipalities assess challenges for newcomers provide information about the immigration process. Key strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in services and various challenges and opportunities for newcomers are identified in this report through the lens of the newcomer journey and the newcomer developing a sense of belonging.
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Children with disabilities are among the most at-risk groups for marginalization due to compounded disadvantages from the intersection of risk factors such as refugee status and disability status. Despite this high risk, there is no systematic data collected on this group and scant literature on the topic contributing to a feeling of invisibility. We conducted a narrative inquiry on the experiences of two Syrian refugee families with children living with disabilities. Narrative inquiry is a way to understand experience as a storied phenomenon. In order to understand the complexities of the experience as a refugee with a child living with disabilities, attending to the lived and told stories is essential. In hearing the narration of these experiences across time, place, and social contexts various narrative threads emerged. The narrative threads that resonated across the experiences of two families included waiting and a struggle for agency, as well as disruption and continuity. Children with disabilities are among the most at-risk groups for marginalization due to compounded disadvantages from the intersection of risk factors such as refugee status and disability status. Despite this high risk, there is no systematic data collected on this group and scant literature on the topic contributing to a feeling of invisibility. We conducted a narrative inquiry on the experiences of two Syrian refugee families with children living with disabilities. Narrative inquiry is a way to understand experience as a storied phenomenon. In order to understand the complexities of the experience as a refugee with a child living with disabilities, attending to the lived and told stories is essential. In hearing the narration of these experiences across time, place, and social contexts various narrative threads emerged. The narrative threads that resonated across the experiences of two families included waiting and a struggle for agency, as well as disruption and continuity.
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The CCIS Centre for Refugee Resilience Youth Therapy 2020-2021 Evaluation is a report that highlights the positive impact of the Youth Therapy Program on immigrant and refugee children and their families. The report provides an overview of the mental health services offered by the program, including individual and group therapy, as well as the use of interpreters to ensure multilingual accessibility. The report also emphasizes the importance of confidentiality in the program and provides data on the success of the program in helping children heal from trauma. The report concludes with a list of resources consulted in the evaluation, including academic studies and government reports. Overall, the report demonstrates the effectiveness of the CCIS Centre for Refugee Resilience Youth Therapy program in supporting the mental health and well-being of immigrant and refugee children. The CCIS Centre for Refugee Resilience Youth Therapy 2020-2021 Evaluation is a report that highlights the positive impact of the Youth Therapy Program on immigrant and refugee children and their families. The report provides an overview of the mental health services offered by the program, including individual and group therapy, as well as the use of interpreters to ensure multilingual accessibility. The report also emphasizes the importance of confidentiality in the program and provides data on the success of the program in helping children heal from trauma. The report concludes with a list of resources consulted in the evaluation, including academic studies and government reports. Overall, the report demonstrates the effectiveness of the CCIS Centre for Refugee Resilience Youth Therapy program in supporting the mental health and well-being of immigrant and refugee children.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly