Constraints on the Leisure and Community Participation of Immigrant Women: Implications for Social Integration

Abstract

Most research on the lives of immigrant women in Canada has focused on language training, employment and economic welfare. However, community involvement and leisure may also be of importance to immigrant women, and affect their opportunities for social integration. This study involved in-depth interviews with thirteen Latin American women refugees currently living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The interviews explored the role of leisure, community and work participation in the lives of these women in terms of both perceived constraints and potential integrative benefits. The findings show that various factors, namely English language ability, day care availability, initial orientation and degree of ethnic community support, acted as constraints on the physical and social mobility of the women, negatively affecting their level of participation in all aspects of social life. Moreover, it was evident that the lack of involvement in community and leisure, as well as in paid work, affected the overall well-being of the immigrant women and their potential for social integration. Various solutions are proposed aimed at empowering immigrant women and helping them to alleviate some of the problems they face in integrating into Canadian society.

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