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June 19, 2000
Immigrant Youth in Canada
Immigrant Youth in Canada, a new report from the CCSD, combines the latest available statistics with focus-group research from Ekos Research Associates to provide a picture of the language abilities, lifestyle differences and religious beliefs of immigrant youth in Canada. The report, a companion to the CCSD's acclaimed The Progress of Canada's Children 1999/2000, was prepared by CCSD Senior Research Associate Jean Lock Kunz and Louise Hanvey, Project Director of The Progress of Canada's Children. Findings include:
Between 1996 and 1998, an estimated 230,000 immigrant children and youth arrived in Canada. Nearly half came from Asia and the Pacific region. Many had little knowledge of English or French when they arrived. Like their adult counterparts, immigrant children and youth generally stayed in large urban centres, especially Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Recent immigrant youth were more involved in religious activities and they placed greater emphasis on religious faith in their daily lives than did Canadian-born youth. But these differences diminished as immigrant youth became more integrated into their new country. In focus groups conducted for this project among recent immigrant youth in three major Canadian cities, most displayed a remarkable ability to adapt to their new country. Generally, they said they felt fairly well integrated into the society and they were happy to be in Canada. However, the vast majority of focus group participants said they found it difficult to feel totally accepted as Canadians because of their accents and their physical features. Recent immigrant youth viewed North American culture as a double-edged sword. Most said they enjoyed the freedom that the youth culture in Canada afforded them, but many felt somewhat overwhelmed and alienated by what they perceived to be its rampant consumerism and superficiality. Some said this caused them to feel socially isolated, particularly in high school. Focus group participants reported that their key challenges were learning the language and overcoming social isolation. However, they felt their parents experienced more difficulties than they did in adapting, particularly with respect to finding gainful employment. These youth were keenly aware of their parents' struggles and hardships. School is at the centre of these young peoples' lives. The trials and tribulations of the often-difficult high school years - which most youth tend to encounter - were magnified for immigrant youth. Most reported experiencing some ostracism, bullying and difficulties with school work. Many felt that teachers and other staff constituted part of the problem, rather than being providers of solutions. Despite experiencing frustrations at school, most recent immigrant youth reported that their schools were successful in placing them in the appropriate class or level. They generally lauded English or French language classes (ESL and FSL) for their effectiveness in teaching students the language and for providing them with a place in which they could learn how to integrate into Canadian society. Most of the focus group participants reported experiencing racism and bigotry. This was especially so for those who were members of visible minority groups. For younger participants, this problem was experienced mainly at school; for older participants, it was encountered when looking for work. Many said that racial discrimination in Canada was generally disguised. They expressed little hope that racism and bigotry would ever be completely eliminated. Social support is extremely important to all young people, and particularly those who experience a major life change such as immigrating to a new country. Findings from the National Population Health Survey show that the majority of both immigrant and Canadian-born youth reported feeling loved and cared for in their daily lives. However, recent immigrants were less likely to have someone in whom they could confide compared to both Canadian-born youth and young immigrants who had been in Canada for a longer period of time. To varying degrees, recent immigrant youth reported using community agencies that served immigrants and health agencies. The most commonly used services were those that provided opportunities for immigrant youth to come together to socialize and participate in organized outings. A survey of service providers conducted for this report indicated that most of the agencies had identified barriers to access among their immigrant clients. While steps have been taken to address these issues, most service providers acknowledged that there were still many unmet needs. Many agencies also experienced a decline in their financial and human resources in recent years, making service delivery more challenging.
Immigrant Youth in Canada - Related Material
Canadian Council on Social Development,
190 O'Connor Street, Suite 100,
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2R3
Tel: (613) 236-8977, Fax: (613) 236-2750, Web: www.ccsd.ca, Email: council@ccsd.ca
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