Structures and Strategies for Social Integration: Privately Sponsored and Government Assisted Refugees

Abstract

This study identified structures and strategies that assisted social integration of privately sponsored and government assisted Syrian refugees in Canada. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions. Sustained, personalized commitment of private sponsors to a single refugee family created respectful relationships, opportunities to cross social boundaries, and potential access to greater social capital. Short-term, large group settlement services given to government sponsored refugees did not offer any of these. Both groups subsequently forged social relations with people like themselves but only some refugees could cross linguistic, cultural, and religious boundaries based on commitments made by well-established Canadians.