Community Report: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Mental Health of Newcomer Young Men in Canada
The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of community stakeholders, specifically service providers and program leaders, on the mental health and unique mental health care needs of immigrant and refugee young men (under 25 years old) in Canada. Our primary objective was to better understand the mental health and mental health care needs of newcomer young men. In this study, newcomers broadly referred to individuals who moved to Canada within the last 10 years.
The research team (PI Hilario and a research assistant) conducted in-person individual interviews and focus groups with service providers and program leaders in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. These three research sites were chosen because they are the cities with the highest numbers of newcomers in Western Canada. 1 Conducting the research across three sites allowed for comparison of contexts, including racial and cultural diversity, socioeconomic environments, migration and resettlement histories, and pre-migration countries and contexts of the newcomer groups. The research team also had existing networks in the research sites, which facilitated collaboration, recruitment, data collection, and knowledge exchange. Focus groups and individual interviews were guided by open-ended questions, for example, ‘what are the key mental health challenges faced by immigrant and refugee young men at your organization?’ The responses to these questions were examined and summarized into key findings outlined in this report. Our study received ethical approval from the University of Alberta and Ryerson University research ethics boards.
