New to Canada and Homeless
After living in a refugee camp in Sudan for 3 years, getting a scholarship to study at a high school in the Netherlands and going to college in Iowa, Nabeel* travelled by himself across the Canadian border and sought asylum in Montreal. As he did not know how to speak French, he asked for his refugee hearing to be held in Toronto, and was told by someone who worked for the Red Cross about a homeless shelter for youth aged 16-24, Horizons for Youth (HFY). In the past six months since arriving here, Nabeel has been working hard. He takes accounting, software and finance courses at an employment skills centre and actively seeks out networking opportunities. His ultimate goal is to pursue a career in accounting, and he is considering moving to Edmonton where the job market for accountants is good, according to one of his teachers. In the meantime, Nabeel is working at a Tim Hortons downtown; a job that he likes and that he says has allowed him to build skills in customer service and communication.
While Nabeel has lived a remarkable and inspiring life thus far, his experience of homelessness as a young newcomer to Canada is unfortunately not unique. According to a recent report published by the City of Toronto,
the average number of refugee and asylum-seeking individuals who accessed Toronto’s shelter system each night rose from 643 in 2016 to 2,357 in 2019,[1]
with another study finding that approximately 40% of people accessing shelter services in the city were refugees and asylum-seekers.[2] We have witnessed this increase first hand at HFY, with some youth even coming directly from the airport and our shelter being their first glimpse of life in Canada.
Nabeel’s Case Manager, Robert Chalkley, describes some of the particular needs of clients who are recent newcomers. He notes that these youth often seek assistance with documentation and legal claims, requiring specialized knowledge and a significant amount of time. While it has been a common practice at HFY to refer clients to outside resources that can better assist them, these services have recently experienced funding cuts and have been overburdened, with wait lists spanning over two months. This has slowed down the process for youth who are eager to obtain refugee claimant status, a prerequisite to apply for a work permit and SIN number. In Nabeel’s case, he was able to obtain his work permit in about six weeks, allowing him to start working and taking classes quite quickly. He found a lawyer funded by legal aid and has been told that the hearing where he will learn if he has been granted Refugee Status will take place between six months and two years from now. He is anxious about this wait and doesn’t feel as though his life in Canada, and particularly a career in accounting, will truly begin until the judge determines whether or not he is allowed to stay here.
For Nabeel and other new youth to Canada who arrive at HFY, this documentation process is accompanied by a variety of other challenges. Many youth experience feelings of loneliness and isolation from leaving their friends and family members behind. Some youth carry immense feelings of guilt because they were the only ones in their family who were able to come to Canada to pursue better opportunities and/or escape from unsafe circumstances. Others experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and mental health challenges stemming from the violence and warfare they witnessed in their past. With regards to this adjustment process, Nabeel remembers feeling anxious when first arriving at HFY and asking the worker from the Red Cross in Montreal if a homeless shelter would be safe. He says that the negative stereotypes he had heard about individuals experiencing homelessness made him assume the worst about HFY. However, HFY has turned out to be a great place for him. He notes that he’s met people from completely different worlds here, and that “we all have problems that we’re trying to solve.”
In addition to adjusting to a shelter environment and learning English, HFY staff members also assist newcomer clients prepare for and find employment. Many youth who arrive here are highly educated and had successful careers in their home countries. Because it is common for our clients’ foreign credits or work experiences to not transfer into the relevant Canadian system, they often have to start again and work in entry-level positions or return to school. In other cases, youth enter the informal economy because of lack of documentation or opportunities, in turn risking exposure to unfair or unsafe working conditions. In both cases, youth can experience feelings of disappointment and frustration, unable to fully utilize their skills and having to readjust their short-term expectations for life in Canada.
With these unique challenges and opportunities in mind, the staff team at HFY welcomes newcomer clients with open arms and strives to ensure that they have the support and resources necessary to succeed. Like all clients at HFY, refugees and newcomer youth meet one-on-one with case managers like Robert in order to develop plans and goals, commonly related to education, employment, mental wellness and housing. These youth also participate in our daily programming at the shelter, learning many life skills like cooking, budgeting and healthy living. Participation in the Day Program also provides newcomer clients with opportunities to establish friendships with the other residents at the shelter, which can become crucial to their life in Canada.
When asked how he is currently feeling about his life in Toronto and time at Horizons for Youth, Nabeel commented “this is a challenge, but once you integrate into a society, build a career, meet people, find yourself and figure out what you want to do, you can solve any problems you have from there.” In addition to his long-term career aspirations, his short-term goals are to network, join a junior IT group, volunteer at a community organization and spread positive vibes to others. He has had this effect on his fellow residents and the staff members at HFY, uplifting everyone that he interacts with.
Written by Angela Bain
*The resident’s name has been changed to protect his confidentiality.
[2]https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/99be-2018-SNA-Results-Report.pdf