Resilience within the context of refugee youth adaptation to new life in Canada
Abstract
Notes
Community organizations: n/a
Integration timeline: had been in Canada for 3 – 5 years
Key findings:
1) Resilience was defined by refugee youth as consisting of doing well and feeling well as they resettled in Canada.
2) Positive adaptation to Canadian society was grounded in negotiating belonging, which consisted of: doing well in school, cultivating good friendships, engaging positively at home, participating in the community, negotiating (bi)cultural identity, reconciling culture clash, acquiring English and/or French language, nurturing positive self of self and competence, coping with trauma and emotional distress, coping with and working against discrimination, establishing permanency, and preparing for life after high school (e.g. post-secondary, career, starting a family).
3) Positive personal traits that fostered resilience in youth were: living by well-informed values, optimism, strong motivation, a sense of agency, perseverance, resourcefulness and flexibility.
4) The amount and availability of community supports and resources for refugee youth additionally impacted their feelings of resiliency.
Key populations: refugee youth ages 18 to 24 years old who had come to Canada as a refugee in their late teens (i.e. age 15+)
Key recommendations:
1) Develop educational programs and policy initiatives that promote positive public attitudes towards refugees to decrease discrimination and facilitate belonging.
2) Train teachers and educational staff to treat diversity as a strength and a personal resource rather than a barrier.
Locations: Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto
Future research / gaps identified:
Better understand the impact of diversity within refugee youth (e.g. unaccompanied, unauthorized, gender, sexual orientation, different locations across Canada).
Open access: Yes