According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 117 million people are displaced worldwide. Many of these are women and girls, who made up about 46% of the refugees resettled in Canada in 2020.
Displaced women and girls face unique challenges. It is crucial to understand their specific issues to improve their lives and enrich the communities they join.
Providing a home
Research from Toronto Metropolitan University examines the homestay experiences of Ukrainian refugee women in the Greater Toronto Area. The study looks at how well-designed homestay programs can significantly impact these women’s lives.
Canada has welcomed refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. However, settling these newcomers involves navigating complex social, cultural, economic, health, and personal challenges.
Homestays are different from private sponsorship programs, where individuals or organizations raise funds to support refugees upon arrival. In homestays, refugees live with host families, often in the same home. Many of these hosts are former refugees or immigrants.
A homestay is often a refugee’s first encounter with Canadian society. It is about more than just providing shelter; it is about ensuring safety, dignity, and integration into a new community.
Easing the transition
While homestay programs aim to ease the transition and improve refugees’ well-being, the interactions’ dynamics and their overall effects on both refugees and host families are not well understood.
There is little research on the specific dynamics of homestay arrangements. However, existing studies show a mix of benefits and challenges. Homestays can improve integration, social connections, and a sense of belonging. They can also challenge negative stereotypes and anti-immigrant sentiments.
Homestays are crucial in the early stages of integration. Refugees often face new cultural, social, and linguistic environments that challenge them and stimulate growth and adaptation.
Needing improvement
However, the current homestay model can be unpredictable and needs improvement. A model that considers the unique vulnerabilities and strengths of refugee women is necessary. Living in someone else’s home can put pressure on refugees to be good guests, reflecting the conditional nature of private hosting.
The research involved 18 Ukrainian refugee women who shared photos representing their homestay experiences. These visual narratives provided powerful insights into their challenges and successes in navigating settlement complexities.
These women’s experiences ranged from profound gratitude and mutual cultural enrichment to significant challenges in privacy, autonomy, and adaptation. Many expressed gratitude for the safety and support their hosts provided, including help with language barriers and cultural integration. These relationships often led to mutual cultural enrichment, with hosts and guests learning about each other’s customs and traditions.
High potential
Positive interactions highlighted the potential of homestays to facilitate smooth transitions for refugees into Canadian society. However, challenges were also evident, particularly in maintaining privacy and autonomy. Living in close quarters with hosts can lead to feelings of dependency and lack of personal space, complicating the adjustment process. Adapting to new household norms and expectations adds an extra layer of stress.
Issues such as lack of privacy, limited autonomy, cultural misunderstandings, and even exploitation emerged from these women’s stories. This suggests that the homestay experience can sometimes worsen the trauma already endured by refugees.
The research advocates for a homestay model that better supports refugee women facing particular challenges and vulnerabilities when they arrive in a new country. A well-structured, empathetic homestay program could provide a solid foundation for building new lives in Canada.
