Immigration and Settlement Programming in SW Ontario

Immigration and Settlement Programming in Southwestern

Ontario

Jennifer Long Wilfrid Laurier University

Sessional Faculty Anthropology Program

Research funded in by a Mitacs Accelerate Grant

and the United Way London & Middlesex With Dr. Vicki Esses and Andrea Brown

Information about Canadian Immigration – National Household Survey, 2011

1. In 2011, Canada’s foreign-born population represented 20.6% of the total population.

2. Asia (including the Middle East) was Canada's largest source of immigrants during the past five years.

3. More than 200 ethnic origins were reported in the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS).

4. The vast majority of the foreign-born population lived in four provinces: Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta.

Where do immigrants go?

Immigrant Population of Milton, Ontario

Statistics Canada. 2011 National Household Survey

Immigrant Population of London, Ontario

Statistics Canada. 2011 National Household Survey

London Immigration

Shields, John and Adnan Türegün (with research assistance from Sophia Lowe). 2014. “Settlement and Integration Research Synthesis 2009 - 2013.” A CERIS Report Submitted to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa.

Research Questions

1. What similarities and differences exist between newcomers’ perceptions of accessibility to targeted, mixed, or universal services?

2. Did program or personal characteristics of participants influence newcomers’ preferences for use of targeted, mixed, or universal services?

3. What role do services (either universal, mixed or targeted services) play in developing networks and integration with the host society?

Terminology1

Targeted centres provide services (programs) for a specific group of individuals, in this case, immigrants

Universal centres typically provide services for all people, regardless of group membership

Mixed centres refers to those organizations providing both targeted and universal services or programs

1 Esses, Victoria, Paula Brochu, Carolyn Camman, Muhammad Raza, Neil Bradford, Nina Hamou and Huda Hussein. (2010) Community Capacity and Needs Report. Available at: http://immigration.london.ca/pdfs/LMLIP/LMLIPreport-april2010FINAL.pdf

Methodology

96 in-depth interviews conducted with newcomer client participants at 5 centres funded by the United Way (chosen for the type of services they provide – universal, mixed, targeted)

15 interviews with service providers at the 5 sites

Online survey of 24 organizations funded by the United Way

Demographic Information of Research Participants

Largest Age Group Interviewed: 30 – 49 years old.

Four Largest Source Countries of newcomer participants: Nepal, China, Colombia, and Iraq.

Three Largest Self-Reported Immigration Status: Refugees, Skilled Workers, and Family Class

Average Time Lived in Canada: 4.4 years

Interviews Findings from Service providers’ Perceptions of

targeted, mixed, or universal services

Summary of Findings - Newcomers

Newcomers were satisfied with programming at all centres

Targeted and mixed centres are used more often than universal centres.

Participants had to use more than one centre to access necessary services (2.35 on average)

One-stop-shops and multi-use programs beneficial and lacking.

Summary of Findings - Newcomers

Networking to find employment, practice English, and fulfill other social functions

Current service options did not fulfill networking needs

Few if any centres (or programs) had mixed participant groups

Multi-use programs with Londoners

Summary of Findings – Service Providers

Barriers to Service Provision:

Lack of awareness of available services

Regulations about immigration status

of clients (targeted centres)

Perceived intercultural

miscommunication

Recommendations

Additional Services – Internship opportunities

Improving Current Services – More hosting and mentorship programs

Suggestions for Organizational Changes - Concurrent services or programs for family/children involved in programs

Suggestion for Additional Support Roles – Cultural Heritage Education Broker (community connectors)

Implementation

Pilot program - Mutual Aid Parenting Program – amalgamation of English- and Spanish-speaking programs

Increased opportunity for integration (networking, efficient programming)

Move programs under one individual – community connector

Focus on neighbourhood (location-based) programming

Kelly, Philip (with research assistance from Lualhati Marcelino and Catherine Mulas). 2014. “Foreign Credential Recognition Research Synthesis 2009 - 2013.” A CERIS Report Submitted to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa.

Post-Postdoc Research Directions

Cultural miscommunication and experiences of diversity in the workplace

Created and piloted intercultural competency (diversity) training materials

Current Research – Brantford & Waterloo, Ontario

Experiences of cultural diversity among English Language Learning students at the Brantford and Waterloo campus

Create a better understanding of which services can be provided to help support their integration

Understand their willingness to stay within Canada following their degree

Questions?

Jennifer Long, PhD

[email protected]

Thank You

Acknowledgements

Dr. Vicki Esses, Western University

Andrea Brown & Kelly McManus

Auleen Carson

Refe

rences

CBC News. November 10, 2014. Canadian attitudes toward immigrants conflicted, poll says. CBC News. Available at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-attitudes-toward-immigrants-conflicted-poll-says-1.2826022

Community Development Halton. 2012. Profile of Newcomers in Halton. Available at: file:///C:/Users/user/Dropbox/BE.%202014-2015/Conferences/Milton/Profile-of-Newcomers-in-Halton-FINAL.pdf

Esses, Victoria, Paula Brochu, Carolyn Camman, Muhammad Raza, Neil Bradford, Nina Hamou and Huda Hussein. (2010) Community Capacity and Needs Report. Available at: http://immigration.london.ca/pdfs/LMLIP/LMLIPreport-april2010FINAL.pdf

Kelly, Philip (with research assistance from Lualhati Marcelino and Catherine Mulas). 2014. “Foreign Credential Recognition Research Synthesis 2009 - 2013.” A CERIS Report Submitted to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa

O’Brien, Jennifer and John Miner. 2013. Left Behind by Canada’s Economic Recovery, the London area is also bucking the nation’s key population trend. News Article, London Free Press. Available at: http://www.lfpress.com/2013/05/08/the-london-census-metropolitan-area-has-more-canadian-born-residents-and-fewer-immigrants-than-province-as-a-whole

Shields, John and Adnan Türegün (with research assistance from Sophia Lowe). 2014. “Settlement and Integration Research Synthesis 2009 - 2013.” A CERIS Report Submitted to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa.

Statistics Canada

2011a. NHS – Focus on Geography Series, Milton. Available at: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/Pages/FOG.cfm?lang=E&level=4&GeoCode=3524009

2011b. NHS – Focus on Geography Series, London. Available at: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/Pages/FOG.cfm?lang=E&level=4&GeoCode=3539036

2013. Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity in Canada (based on the National Household Survey, 2011). Catalogue No. 99-010-X2011001.

Wachsmuth, David. 2008. Housing for Immigrants in Ontario’s Medium-Sized Cities. CPRN Research Report. Available at: http://www.cprn.org/documents/50555_EN.pdf