New research released by IWC’s Welcoming Communities Coalition takes a deep dive into what prevents the full integration of new immigrants and refugees in our communities.
The 2023 Needs Assessment Report invited newcomers who have lived in the Campbell River and Comox Valley regions for five years or less to participate in a survey or focus groups to learn more about the barriers and gaps around successful settlement.
“We believe the findings in this report can help local organizations improve programs and services to better support newcomers as well as others in our communities,” Coalition coordinator Julie Keumbehdjian said.
Some of the key findings include:
- 22% of newcomers said they experienced racism or discrimination in the past five years
- 38% of newcomers said they sometimes or often felt isolated in the community
- 38% of newcomers said they are currently in a job that is lower than or not related to their skills and experience
- 48% of newcomers said their household income is not quite enough for the needs of themselves and their family
More than 200 settled residents (those who have lived here for more than five years) were then surveyed to better understand community members’ perceptions around the impact of immigration on our community. Nineteen percent said they “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed” that immigration has a positive impact on our community, with the majority of those who disagreed stating that they think there is not enough supports available for settlement and integration of immigrants or that immigration puts pressure on public services.
“Most people agree that immigration is positive for our community for a variety of reasons – quality of life, arts and culture, fueling economic growth, diversity, and innovation being among those. But, there is work to be done,” Keumbehdjian said. “Our goal is to have a welcoming community where there is a strong desire to receive newcomers and create an environment in which they feel at home, and is one that ensures they can participate fully in our community.”
The Coalition also conducted one-on-one interviews with numerous local service-providing organizations to better understand their perspectives around the challenges and opportunities associated with supporting newcomers in our communities.
Read the full report at bit.ly/WCC2023NeedsAssessment.
To help organizations delve into the report and think deeply about what it means to be a welcoming community, we’ve created a handy workbook: Needs Assessment Workbook PDF
Register to attend our report launch on February 5, 2024, 1 p.m. at Robron Centre (740 Robron Road) in Campbell River at bit.ly/WCCResearchLaunch or by emailing julie.keumbehdjian@immigrantwelcome.ca.
The 2023 Needs Assessment Report was made possible with funding by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada/Financé par Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada.
