Study says many newcomers lack services to help ease transition

Many young immigrants are hitting a wall of racism and bigotry in Canada, especially at school and even from the teachers and staff who are there to help, a new study says.

Most of these 15- to 24-year-old newcomers face a traumatic adjustment because of their language and skin colour and have few places to turn, says a report by the Canadian Council on Social Development released yesterday.

The study, described by its authors as the first of its kind to look at the immigrant experience from a young person's perspective, was based on focus groups conducted by Ekos Research Associates with 50 young people in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The young people were chosen to reflect the country's immigrant mix.

The study also surveyed 88 school boards, police and public health departments and agencies serving immigrants, who say they are struggling to cope with a rapidly rising population of young immigrants at a time when their staff and resources are being cut.

The study says the young people in each focus group spontaneously raised the issue of racism, particularly among police and teachers, who they say single out certain students for harsher treatment because of their ethnic origins. The older ones encountered it when they tried to find a job.

``She said that she marked everyone on their diction and she was going to treat me just like the others because it was the only way I was ever going to learn,'' the report quotes her as saying.

``If a white kid does something and I do the same, there is no question that I'm going to get into worse trouble,'' said another.

``In fact, teachers don't even bother with me. I go to the principal's office for the slightest offence.''

Many said they would never talk to a school guidance counsellor about their problems because they didn't trust them.

``It seems that as with teachers, police and school administrators, guidance counsellors are viewed as somewhat untrustworthy and perceived to be part of a system to monitor and control young people, not to help them,'' the report said.

The young people interviewed said they are overwhelmed by the consumerism and superficiality of North American culture, which makes them feel even more isolated because their families don't have much money.

Other young immigrants say they are hassled by the police because of their dark skin, even though they aren't doing anything wrong.

The findings are troubling, said Louise Hanvey, co-author of the report, which calls for more money to be put into services for young immigrants, a group that is often ignored.

``Teachers and others providing services to immigrants have a lot of trouble understanding the experiences these kids come from,'' Hanvey said. ``And they don't have the resources for professional development or diversity training or things that would help them deal with this in an effective way.''

The study echoes a report the Toronto District School Board made to the federal government two years ago, warning that provincial funding cuts could jeopardize the government's immigration goals, said its chair, Gail Nyberg.

Under the new provincial model, English as a Second Language programs are available to young immigrants for three years instead of five, staff development programs have shrunk and professional activity days have been reduced.

``They squeeze you doubly - there is no time to do it and there isn't the money,'' Nyberg said.

Between 1996 and 1998, an estimated 230,000 immigrant children and youth arrived in Canada, half of them in Ontario. Seven out of 10 of those under 15 arriving in Toronto spoke neither English or French when they arrived.

More than a third live in homes where family income is under $20,000 a year, compared to only 17 per cent of Canadian-born children.

School is the centre of their lives, they say, but most don't see it as a refuge. Most say they cope by ignoring the racism or strengthening friendships with kids from the same background.

Copyright* 1996-2000 Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved.

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