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In search of a “home”: Comparing the housing challenges experienced by recently arrived Yazidi and Syrian refugees in Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2020

Pallabi Bhattacharyya ,
Sally Ogoe Open the ORCID record for Sally Ogoe [Opens in a new window] ,
Annette Riziki  and
Lori Wilkinson
Pallabi Bhattacharyya
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Sally Ogoe
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Annette Riziki
Affiliation:
Oxford University
Lori Wilkinson*
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: LoriWinkinson@umonitoba.ca
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Abstract

Housing that is affordable and appropriate is a necessity for successful integration for all newcomers. It is not uncommon for newcomers to Canada to report difficulties finding suitable, safe, and affordable housing for their families. For refugees, however, the challenges are sometimes greater. Settlement organizations and refugee sponsors experience various challenges in accommodating families with large numbers of children, but as our research shows, refugee groups have differing needs based on their culture, family composition, and experience of trauma. Using data collected from two recent studies, we identify and compare the housing needs of two newly arrived groups of refugees to Canada: Syrians and Yazidis from northern Iraq. All participants in our study have lived in Canada for 2 years or less and currently live in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or Ontario. Data was collected either by face-to-face surveys (with Syrian participants) or unstructured interviews (with Yazidi women) conducted in Arabic, Kurmanji, or English. We discuss their experiences of living in resettlement centers and their transition to independent housing. In addition, we discuss how family composition and previous trauma influence their housing experiences with special attention to how increasing agency increases satisfaction with housing.

Keywords

CanadaresettlementSyrian refugeetemporary and permanent housing needsYazidi Refugees
Type
Original Article
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 41 , Special Issue 6: The Language, Literacy and Social Integration of Refugee Children and Youth , November 2020 , pp. 1415 - 1436
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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