This study explored the support and service experiences of resettled Syrian refugee parents of autistic children in terms of their pre- and post-migration. These lived experiences were investigated with participants (n = 3) through semi-structured interviews using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This study identified the supports and services parents received, their experiences with those services, their overall experiences with resettlement having an autistic child(ren), the implications of culture in support/service provision, and their perceived areas of service need during and after their resettlement in Alberta, Canada. Parents all had unique experiences that were delineated through clustered emergent themes and subsequently organized into a superordinate conceptual structure. The results of the study are discussed in the context of theory and relevant literature to elucidate and make findings applicable. Practical implications and future directions are discussed. This study explored the support and service experiences of resettled Syrian refugee parents of autistic children in terms of their pre- and post-migration. These lived experiences were investigated with participants (n = 3) through semi-structured interviews using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This study identified the supports and services parents received, their experiences with those services, their overall experiences with resettlement having an autistic child(ren), the implications of culture in support/service provision, and their perceived areas of service need during and after their resettlement in Alberta, Canada. Parents all had unique experiences that were delineated through clustered emergent themes and subsequently organized into a superordinate conceptual structure. The results of the study are discussed in the context of theory and relevant literature to elucidate and make findings applicable. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
The research project Understanding Newcomers’ Experiences of Inclusion (UNEOI) examines newcomers’ experiences of settlement, integration, inclusion or exclusion and how these impact newcomer well-being. The research project Understanding Newcomers’ Experiences of Inclusion (UNEOI) examines newcomers’ experiences of settlement, integration, inclusion or exclusion and how these impact newcomer well-being.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
This thesis examined the narrative abilities of bilingual, English L2 newcomer and immigrant children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Typical Development (TD). Compared to the monolingual research, there have been fewer studies examining narratives in clinical bilingual groups, especially bilinguals with ASD, and no study so far has compared bilinguals with ASD to bilinguals with DLD. This thesis asked: (1) Is
macrostructure an area of weakness in DLD? (2) Do children with ASD experience difficulties with structural language, i.e., morphology and syntax? (3) Are narrative skills requiring perspective-taking abilities equally vulnerable in ASD and DLD? (4) Do bilinguals with ASD and DLD use the second language input they receive to the same as bilinguals with TD? Identified differences between newcomer children with ASD, DLD or TD can be utilized to create tailored interventions. This thesis examined the narrative abilities of bilingual, English L2 newcomer and immigrant children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Typical Development (TD). Compared to the monolingual research, there have been fewer studies examining narratives in clinical bilingual groups, especially bilinguals with ASD, and no study so far has compared bilinguals with ASD to bilinguals with DLD. This thesis asked: (1) Is
macrostructure an area of weakness in DLD? (2) Do children with ASD experience difficulties with structural language, i.e., morphology and syntax? (3) Are narrative skills requiring perspective-taking abilities equally vulnerable in ASD and DLD? (4) Do bilinguals with ASD and DLD use the second language input they receive to the same as bilinguals with TD? Identified differences between newcomer children with ASD, DLD or TD can be utilized to create tailored interventions.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Service providers and program managers from organizations working with newcomers participated in focus groups or interviews. Questions centered on mental health challenges, opportunities and/or priorities of newcomer young men in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Service providers and program managers from organizations working with newcomers participated in focus groups or interviews. Questions centered on mental health challenges, opportunities and/or priorities of newcomer young men in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Systemic and overt racism exist within education systems. If we are serious about addressing the problem of systemic racism and its effects within Edmonton Public Schools and on our students then we must first collect data that shows the race of the students we serve and the outcomes that these students experience. Currently, the lack of race-based data is making it difficult to measure educational inequalities and to identify inequities that exist because of racism and discrimination. This report describes recommendations to the Board of Trustees of Edmonton Public Schools to implement race-based data collection in their school board. Systemic and overt racism exist within education systems. If we are serious about addressing the problem of systemic racism and its effects within Edmonton Public Schools and on our students then we must first collect data that shows the race of the students we serve and the outcomes that these students experience. Currently, the lack of race-based data is making it difficult to measure educational inequalities and to identify inequities that exist because of racism and discrimination. This report describes recommendations to the Board of Trustees of Edmonton Public Schools to implement race-based data collection in their school board.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Beginning in April, 2020, The Immigrant Education Society conducted an internal study on staff and student reactions to the transition to remote services delivery precipitated by the COVID19 Pandemic. This consists of a preliminary survey deployed by the Research and Program Development Department, and the compilation of independently developed surveys deployed in June by the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) department and the Human Resources department. The analysis of the raw survey data was conducted by the Research and Program Development department. This document encompasses results from the Human Resources and LINC surveys. Beginning in April, 2020, The Immigrant Education Society conducted an internal study on staff and student reactions to the transition to remote services delivery precipitated by the COVID19 Pandemic. This consists of a preliminary survey deployed by the Research and Program Development Department, and the compilation of independently developed surveys deployed in June by the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) department and the Human Resources department. The analysis of the raw survey data was conducted by the Research and Program Development department. This document encompasses results from the Human Resources and LINC surveys.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
This report sheds light on the housing challenges, experiences, strengths and resiliency of newcomers in Edmonton, AB, Canada. Survey respondents were clients who accessed services from four immigrant and refugee serving agencies in the city with clients from 54 different countries speaking 58 different languages. It serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, service providers, and community members interested in understanding and addressing the housing needs of newcomers in the city. This report sheds light on the housing challenges, experiences, strengths and resiliency of newcomers in Edmonton, AB, Canada. Survey respondents were clients who accessed services from four immigrant and refugee serving agencies in the city with clients from 54 different countries speaking 58 different languages. It serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, service providers, and community members interested in understanding and addressing the housing needs of newcomers in the city.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
The success of the out-of-school time collaborative program coordinated by REACH Edmonton in empowering immigrant and refugee children and youth was evaluated. The report provides a high-level summary of the program’s description and reach, highlighting the various programs offered by the 13 organizations in the collaborative. The report also includes an overview of the themes found across all programs from the summer youth feedback sessions. The report concludes with recommendations for future program development and expansion. Overall, the report demonstrates the positive impact of the Bridging Together collaborative in promoting the well-being and integration of immigrant and refugee children and youth in Edmonton. The success of the out-of-school time collaborative program coordinated by REACH Edmonton in empowering immigrant and refugee children and youth was evaluated. The report provides a high-level summary of the program’s description and reach, highlighting the various programs offered by the 13 organizations in the collaborative. The report also includes an overview of the themes found across all programs from the summer youth feedback sessions. The report concludes with recommendations for future program development and expansion. Overall, the report demonstrates the positive impact of the Bridging Together collaborative in promoting the well-being and integration of immigrant and refugee children and youth in Edmonton.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Using PhotoVoice, this research explored the
settlement experiences of refugee youth who have exited high school and are in a program designed by
an Albertan school board to support their language and academic needs. Newcomer youth
encounter profound academic and social stresses as they attempt to create a new identity and
sense of belonging in their new home. This project examined what it means for refugee youth to recuperate a place of belonging. By focusing on the notion of belonging rather than barriers to settlement, the findings revealed that at the core of the youth’s efforts, connecting to people, especially in school, in addition to connecting to the natural world, fostered feelings of well-being and belonging. Educational
implications include recommendations for schools and teachers supporting newcomer youth. Using PhotoVoice, this research explored the
settlement experiences of refugee youth who have exited high school and are in a program designed by
an Albertan school board to support their language and academic needs. Newcomer youth
encounter profound academic and social stresses as they attempt to create a new identity and
sense of belonging in their new home. This project examined what it means for refugee youth to recuperate a place of belonging. By focusing on the notion of belonging rather than barriers to settlement, the findings revealed that at the core of the youth’s efforts, connecting to people, especially in school, in addition to connecting to the natural world, fostered feelings of well-being and belonging. Educational
implications include recommendations for schools and teachers supporting newcomer youth.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
About one in five Canadians is a former immigrant. In 2019, Canada welcomed over 340,000 permanent residents, 43,000 of whom came to Alberta.2 Starting in 2021, Canada proposes an ambitious plan to welcome even more permanent residents to Canada, increasing Canada’s population by more than 1 per cent every year for the next three years. Newcomers are an integral part of Canada; they support the local economy in towns and cities across the country by filling employment gaps and contributing their knowledge, skills and experiences to the community. Educated, skilled economic newcomers allow Canada to build its future economic capacity to address a shrinking labour force in the country. To help newcomers integrate in Canada, achieve their full potential and participate in the labour market and in society, the Government of Canada supports newcomers through settlement and integration services. The Settlement Program is characterized by a public-private partnership between the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), provinces
and territories, municipalities and many partner organizations. Settlement services are delivered
by a network of local organizations and service providers to all newcomers arriving in Canada,
removing barriers to their full participation in life and work in Canada and providing them with
the tools needed for a smooth and fast integration into their new home – Canada. To evaluate the success of its Settlement Program, the IRCC developed a Performance
Measurement Strategy. The Strategy outlines some immediate and intermediate desired outcomes of newcomer settlement and integration, including newcomers’ labour market
participation and income, their ability to use the official languages, their uptake of services, participation in the community and the program’s ability to meet and adapt to their needs. To
measure the level of integration by newcomers and estimate the direct and measurable outputs of program delivery, the government often uses proxy variables (such as service uptake, naturalization rate, labour market indicators and newcomers’ own sense of belonging). The introduction of Express Entry system in 2015 changed the way Canada selects immigrants. Canada now prioritizes younger, educated individuals with work experience, strong English or French language skills and the ability to integrate in Canada. These immigrants have
high human capital (intangible personal attributes such as knowledge, skills, training and
experience). These highly-educated skilled economic newcomers prioritize employment integration above all in the hopes of putting their knowledge, education and skills into use upon
arrival in Canada. However, once in Canada, many skilled economic immigrants struggle to quickly and effectively integrate economically.
This varied economic integration occurs in part because Canada’s Settlement Program is slow to respond to the needs of high skilled economic immigrants. Additional opportunities of on-the job training and improvements to the system of professional accreditation would allow
newcomers to contribute their knowledge and skills to the Canadian society while enhancing their skills and easing their integration. To achieve this, settlement services must be made more accessible for all types of newcomers by offering services much sooner in the immigration
process and expanding the eligibility criteria for services beyond permanent residents to include temporary residents and naturalized Canadians.
To understand newcomer integration from a local perspective, I address settlement and integration services in Calgary, Alberta. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cooling
off of the natural resources market, the city is experiencing unemployment levels much higher
than the national average. Newcomers in Calgary are especially impacted by the recession as they tend to experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. With the economy
predicted to be sluggish for the next few years, settlement programs are more important than ever, especially as the Government of Canada prepares to welcome over 400,000 of newcomers annually until at least 2023, some of whom will arrive in Calgary. Afterwards, I also give a preliminary overview and evaluation of the Alberta Gateway Project. About one in five Canadians is a former immigrant. In 2019, Canada welcomed over 340,000 permanent residents, 43,000 of whom came to Alberta.2 Starting in 2021, Canada proposes an ambitious plan to welcome even more permanent residents to Canada, increasing Canada’s population by more than 1 per cent every year for the next three years. Newcomers are an integral part of Canada; they support the local economy in towns and cities across the country by filling employment gaps and contributing their knowledge, skills and experiences to the community. Educated, skilled economic newcomers allow Canada to build its future economic capacity to address a shrinking labour force in the country. To help newcomers integrate in Canada, achieve their full potential and participate in the labour market and in society, the Government of Canada supports newcomers through settlement and integration services. The Settlement Program is characterized by a public-private partnership between the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), provinces
and territories, municipalities and many partner organizations. Settlement services are delivered
by a network of local organizations and service providers to all newcomers arriving in Canada,
removing barriers to their full participation in life and work in Canada and providing them with
the tools needed for a smooth and fast integration into their new home – Canada. To evaluate the success of its Settlement Program, the IRCC developed a Performance
Measurement Strategy. The Strategy outlines some immediate and intermediate desired outcomes of newcomer settlement and integration, including newcomers’ labour market
participation and income, their ability to use the official languages, their uptake of services, participation in the community and the program’s ability to meet and adapt to their needs. To
measure the level of integration by newcomers and estimate the direct and measurable outputs of program delivery, the government often uses proxy variables (such as service uptake, naturalization rate, labour market indicators and newcomers’ own sense of belonging). The introduction of Express Entry system in 2015 changed the way Canada selects immigrants. Canada now prioritizes younger, educated individuals with work experience, strong English or French language skills and the ability to integrate in Canada. These immigrants have
high human capital (intangible personal attributes such as knowledge, skills, training and
experience). These highly-educated skilled economic newcomers prioritize employment integration above all in the hopes of putting their knowledge, education and skills into use upon
arrival in Canada. However, once in Canada, many skilled economic immigrants struggle to quickly and effectively integrate economically.
This varied economic integration occurs in part because Canada’s Settlement Program is slow to respond to the needs of high skilled economic immigrants. Additional opportunities of on-the job training and improvements to the system of professional accreditation would allow
newcomers to contribute their knowledge and skills to the Canadian society while enhancing their skills and easing their integration. To achieve this, settlement services must be made more accessible for all types of newcomers by offering services much sooner in the immigration
process and expanding the eligibility criteria for services beyond permanent residents to include temporary residents and naturalized Canadians.
To understand newcomer integration from a local perspective, I address settlement and integration services in Calgary, Alberta. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cooling
off of the natural resources market, the city is experiencing unemployment levels much higher
than the national average. Newcomers in Calgary are especially impacted by the recession as they tend to experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. With the economy
predicted to be sluggish for the next few years, settlement programs are more important than ever, especially as the Government of Canada prepares to welcome over 400,000 of newcomers annually until at least 2023, some of whom will arrive in Calgary. Afterwards, I also give a preliminary overview and evaluation of the Alberta Gateway Project.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
