Researchers look at how refugees adjust to life in Saskatchewan

Researchers at the University of Regina are looking into the experiences of refugees.

Two professors with the Faculty of Social Work are studying what has enabled people to transition to living in Regina. They are looking for refugees who have arrived in the past five or more years.

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Professor Daniel Kikulwe said people normally focus on special needs and circumstances that refugees arrive with.

"You usually come with lots of needs," he said. "But we're taking a different approach to these and saying 'What are these good things? What are some of the strengths that people have that help them through these transitions?'"

He said it's important to look at the refugees in the prairies because people often hear only about experiences in larger centres such as Toronto.

Along with Professor Donalda Halabuza, Kikulwe said the research could shed a light on what has already worked for newcomers to the province.

"How then do we build on that? Or how do other newcomer families that come after them [transition]?" Kikulwe asked. "What kind of things can they draw on by looking at some of the things people have done during their transitions?"

The study is particularly relevant with hundreds of new refugees coming to the province from Syria.

The professors will be working with the Regina Open Door Society as they search out 10 to 20 families in Regina. They will learn both success stories and hurdles that the families faced.

The researchers are also hoping to extend such studies to other communities in Saskatchewan.