I COULD STAY HERE FOREVER… IF I FIND A JOB: EXPERIENCES OF INTEGRATION AND MARGINALIZATION OF YOUTH FROM REFUGEE BACKGROUNDS IN HALIFAX

Abstract

This study examines the experiences of integration and marginalization of six youth from refugee backgrounds living in Halifax. The research identifies formal and informal supports they access as well as barriers and challenges they face, and analyzes to which extent Halifax is a welcoming and/or unresponsive community in relation to the needs of these youth. The conceptual framework reframes and problematizes the concepts of integration, marginalization, and welcoming community, and introduces the notion of unresponsive community. Within a qualitative approach with individual interviews, the experiences of the youth are explored in six integration areas: education, official language, employment, health, housing, and social connections. Overall, the youth experienced different degrees of integration and marginalization in each area outlined. Halifax oscillated between a welcoming and unresponsive community depending on the area of integration and the age, country of origin, kind of sponsorship, and educational background of the youth.