Exploring the Settlement Experiences and Information Practices of Afghan Newcomer Youth in Toronto

Abstract

This study examines the settlement experiences and information practices of recently-arrived Afghan immigrant and refugee youth in Toronto. As part of this ethnographic study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Afghan youth between the ages of 18 and 28 who had lived in Canada for less than 10 years.Cette étude examine l’expérience d’emménagement et les pratiques informationnelles de jeunes immigrants et réfugiés afghans nouvellement établis à Toronto. Dans le cadre de cette étude ethnographique, des entrevues semi-structurées ont été effectuées auprès de sept jeunes afghans de 18 à 28 ans, établis au Canada depuis moins de 10 ans. ***Student to CAIS/ACSI Award Winner******Full paper in the Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science***

Imagining Winnipeg: The translocal meaning making of Filipino migrants to Canada

“…Despite the fact that migrant populations are in profound transition, typically information behavior research has examined migrants' lives at one static point in time. Although the need for research that applies a transnational orientation is increasingly being recognized within the literature (Baron & Gomez, ; Caidi, Allard, & Quirke, ; Pyati, ; Quirke, ; Srinivasan & Pyati, ), few information behavior studies apply a transnational lens. Information behavior studies that do employ a transnational orientation typically do so by taking one of the following three approaches: Studies examine how migrants continue to interact with their countries of origin upon arrival in a new setting.…”

Social inclusion within community youth programming: an exploration of the experiences of first and second generation youth within mainstream, multicultural and ethno-specific organizations

“…Many settlement and community organizations have a different interpretation of the term newcomer, as one that encompasses refugee and immigrant populations who are newly arrived in Canada (Quirke, 2011). It is this understanding of the term newcomer that will be applied within this study.…”

“…However, academic research is overwhelmingly focused on understanding and responding to the negative experiences of first generation newcomer youth during settlement, integration and social inclusion. Recent studies have examined structural barriers to academic achievement (Grahahm & Juvonen, 2002;Karlovic, 2004;Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2009;Phan, 2003), low English/French language proficiency (Karlovic, 2004;Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2009), employment barriers (Quirke, 2011;Yan, Lauer & Jhangiani, 2008), cultural conflict (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2009; Zhou, 1997), mental health (Beiser, Taa, Fenta-Wube, Pain & Araya, 2012), intergenerational conflict (Hyman, Vu & Beiser, 2000;Hynie, Guruge & Shakya, 2012;Qin, Way & Mukherjee, 2008), criminal and delinquent behavior (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2009;Rossiter & Rossiter, 2009), gang involvement (Rossiter & Rossiter, 2009) and racism and discrimination (Arthur, Chaves, Este, Frideres & Hrycak, 2008;Del Villar Nash, 2011;Graham & Juvonen, 2002;Grossman & Liang, 2008;Mesch, Turjeman & Fishman, 2007;Phan, 2003).…”

“…As well, youth "who arrive in Canada without a solid grasp of their first language may risk losing some aspects of their cultural heritage without access to heritage language support" (Ngo, 2009, p. 84). The Canadian education system is often another barrier for newcomer youth who may struggle adjusting to Canadian curriculum and education systems and making new friends within the classroom (Karlovic, 2004;Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2009;Quirke, 2011). First generation newcomer youth with low English language skills are disadvantaged when placed in English speaking classrooms in the Canadian education system (Karlovic, 2004;Ngo, 2009; Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2009; Quirke, 2011).…”

“…During integration stages, newcomer youth may face barriers in adapting to Canadian or western cultural systems and norms (Ngo, 2009). Feelings of isolation and loneliness may occur as the direct result of language barriers, separation from friends and family from their home country and trouble establishing new friendship networks within school and community settings (Hynie et al, 2012;Karlovic, 2004;Quirke, 2011). Newcomer youth may have difficulty acculturating due to experiences of ethnic discrimination (Del Villar Nash, 2011) or being labelled as 'different' based on physical features, name pronunciation, stories of origin or cultural or settlement needs (Karlovic, 2004).…”