Aspirations for Higher Education among Newcomer Refugee Youth in Toronto: Expectations, Challenges, and Strategies

Abstract

A large percentage of refugees have low levels of education and official language fluency upon arrival in Canada. Thi spaper discusses educational goals of newcomer refugee youth from three communities in Toronto (Afghan, Karen, and Sudanese), and explores how these are linked to premigration and post-migration determinants. Guided by community-based research principles, we collaborated with eight refugee youth peer researchers and conducted ten focus groups and thirteen interviews with refugee youth. Results show that newcomer refugee youth develop strong aspirations for higher education in Canada as a proactive response to overcome pre-migration experiences of forced migration and educational disruptions. We then discuss how these youth negotiate educational goals in post-migration context in relation to shifts in family responsibilities and everyday encounter with multiple systemic barriers in Canada. In doing this, we examine the thin line between vulnerability and empowerment that refugee youth straddle and reveal policy gaps and contradictions in the depoliticized humanitarianism within refugee resettlement in Canada.

Les Parcours Scolaires Des Jeunes Canadiens D’origine Immigrante Aux Études Supérieures : Qui Y Accède Et Comment?

“…Cette piste prend deux directions. La première est que non seulement les immigrants sont scolarisés dans les mêmes établissements que les autres jeunes Canadiens, mais des ressources supplémentaires sont également allouées au soutien à leur intégration, dans le cas des élèves nés à l'étranger (SHAKYA et al, 2010). La deuxième, qui complète la première, tout en la nuançant, tient aux caractéristiques des parents d'élèves et aux politiques de sélection auxquelles sont soumis les immigrants.…”

The super-disadvantaged in higher education: barriers to access for refugee background students in England

“…Usually new to the country (see also Newcomer Factors below), RBS rely on the government, third sector organisations and other official bodies to provide them with all the information-and have no control over what these state and nonstate bodies decide is the information they need. This lack of information permeates every stage of their experience, as has been evidenced in few studies already, both in the UK and other national contexts (Elwyn et al 2012;Shakya et al 2010;and Stevenson and Baker 2018). Firstly, RBS are unaware of their legal rights in relation to HE participation-these are not communicated with them as part of the immigration process, or in the information packs they receive in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) 7 accommodation or council provided housing for refugees arriving under the resettlement programme.…”

Student migrant, refugee or both?

“…Perhaps just as important as acknowledging the real benefits of higher education for refugees, is understanding refugees' perceptions of higher education, for they ultimately play a role in shaping refugees' strategies and actions. The literatures on refugee education and education in emergency settings reveal that refugees and migrants coming from areas affected by conflict place a high value on higher education (Alzaroo and Hunt 2003;Donald 2014;Shakya et al 2010). Sommers (2003) held that as soon as a conflict or emergency begins to subside and refugees secure their basic needs of food, water, and shelter, they will look for educational opportunities for their children and youth.…”

“…The literature on refugee higher education is dominated by program evaluations, most often of universities within developed, resettlement country contexts, particularly in Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom (Donald 2014;Prokop 2013;Shakya et al 2010;Stevenson and Willott 2007). These evaluations have assessed how well universities integrate refugees into student bodies and classroom environments, best practices for teachers, and the factors that impede and promote enrollment and graduation, to name a few (Ben-Moshe et al 2008;Earnest et al 2010;Lee 1997).…”

“…These studies have explored how higher education acts as a mechanism for nation-building and/or shapes refugees' socio-political identities, challenges conventional gender dynamics, and enhances refugees' agency or capacities (Ben-Moshe et al 2008;Donald 2014;Dryden-Peterson 2011;El Jack 2010;Farah 2010;Fiddian-Qasmiyeh 2009;Fiddian-Qasmiyeh 2011;Oh and van der Stouwe 2008;Zeus 2011). These studies have also explored refugees' perceptions of and aspirations for higher education (Alzaroo and Hunt 2003;Chelpi-den Hamer 2009;Clark-Kazak 2010;Shakya et al 2010).…”