A new multi-year research report, Sustaining Welcome: Longitudinal on Integration with Resettled Syrian Refugees, follows the integration journeys of over 200 resettled Syrian refugees living in British Columbia from 2017-2020.
Through regular annual interviews with participants, the researchers were able to track changes in the social, economic, physical and mental well-being of Syrian refugees year-on-year. The report brought together academic experts, front-line workers and practitioners including psychologists, social scientists, geographers and epidemiologists to present one of the most comprehensive and nuanced assessment of the post-arrival refugee experiences in BC to date.
The report found that women were dispropotionality disadvantaged in terms of economic opportunities, social network development and language learning classes.
Therefore, the report calls for longer-term mental health services for refugees to support them navigate both their pre-arrival traumas and post-arrival stresses. In addition, more targeted employment and English language programs are required to overcome the barriers that women face in receiving services.
You can access the full report, Executive Summary and infographics here.
