Looking at improving access to Ontario’s education system for newcomer students
On June 14, 2024, FCJ Refugee Centre launched its report, A Rocky Path: Understanding Access to Education Challenges for Newcomer Children & Youth, at a well-attended event at Friends House in Toronto. The report presents FCJ Youth Network’s latest evaluation assessing access to education for newcomer youth and children in Ontario and continues the work started in 2016. This year’s evaluation rates the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary systems for newcomer students in Ontario in five areas: Getting In, Equitable Participation, Anti-Discrimination, Support, and Moving On. It will be followed up in 2025 with an update on how the recommendations have been implemented.
Focusing on the current challenges
Sharry Aiken, President of the Board of Directors at FCJ Refugee Centre, started the evening by giving the opening welcome and providing a land acknowledgment, emphasizing the Centre’s commitment to truth and reconciliation. Elizabeth McIsaac, President of Maytree, then explained why Maytree decided to fund this project and shared her hopes for the project in terms of bringing about change.
Before diving deeper into the report, members of the FCJ Youth Network performed a play illustrating the challenges faced by newcomer families during the school enrollment process. The play included interactive scenes depicting the experiences of a refugee claimant family and a non-status family.
Members from the audience had an opportunity to be part of the play by reading out some common experiences non-status families would encounter in the school system.
After the play, Stefan Enrique, Youth and Access to Education Coordinator, and Natalia Mercado Salazar, Youth and Access to Education Worker, presented highlights from the report (download their presentation slides). They discussed the need to increase financial support for newcomer families through scholarships and grants, provide cultural competency training for staff, and implement safe schools and equity policies to reduce dropout rates and improve graduation rates.
They also highlighted the report’s recommendations to enhance campus inclusivity with dedicated support centers, expanded counseling services and holistic support programs, and combat discrimination and bullying with enforced agreements, language support, and cultural sensitivity training. They pointed to the need to support families with multilingual materials and bilingual staff. Finally, they talked about the importance of comprehensive orientation programs and targeted academic and career counseling for students.
An emotional look at the situation in Quebec
The report presentation was followed by the short film, Errance (Wandering), directed by Karla Meza. Karla is a Quebec-based documentary filmmaker and independent journalist who reports on issues related to forced migration and challenges faced by marginalized communities. Karla introduced the film via Zoom and was joined by two of the main characters, Jorge Blas Jr. and Melissa Blas from the Blas family.
The film, produced by L’institut national de l’image et du son (L’inis), tells the story of Jorge, a young Mexican refugee in Montreal who has been forced to put his academic career and dream of becoming a police officer on hold due to his immigration status. Socially isolated, he clings to the daily life he shares with his family and tries, as best as he can, to occupy his time while waiting for his documents that will change his future.
Rounding up the evening with a panel discussion
The panel discussion was moderated by Stefan Enrique and included panelists Loly Rico, founder of FCJ Refugee Centre, Natalia Mercado Salazar, and Diana Abril Sanchez Martinez, member of the Youth Network. Loly focused her answers on the projects the Centre has undertaken and her years of experience of the system. Natalia and Diana shared personal experiences. On Zoom, the Blas siblings, Jorge and Melissa, along with filmmaker Karla Meza, also participated.
From left: Loly Rico, Diana Abril Sanchez Martinez, Natalia Mercado Salazar, and Stefan Enrique. On the Zoom screen: Melissa Blas and Jorge Blas Jr. on top; Karla Meza at the bottom.
The discussion focused on some key questions addressing the primary challenges newcomer families encounter regarding language barriers and cultural differences, the importance of building community to foster a sense of belonging, having support for their children’s academic and emotional well-being, as well as sharing success stories and some best practices.
Natalia mentioned that families don’t know where to find information; and even when information is found, it is not always reliable. The Blas siblings described how coming from Mexico, with a totally different educational system and environment, to Quebec City, where they had to learn both French and English to communicate, was very challenging. Loly spoke about how Ontario is one of the best provinces when it comes to the Education Act but also noted that it depends on where you live.
Diana shared an experience where, during a class, students were asked if they had a Social Security Number or knew how to get one. She raised her hand saying she didn’t have one, and the teacher said they should all go and get one. When she told her family, they made her skip school for three days because they didn’t understand what it was about.
Answering the question about success stories or best practices from schools or communities that have demonstrated effective strategies for supporting the diverse needs and aspirations of newcomer families in Canada, Natalia mentioned the challenges as a support worker when trying to contact schools to support families. Schools often do not respond, leading to miscommunication, especially since the families do not speak English. Loly spoke about some of the positive aspects, such as the bridging programs with York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Queen’s University. These bridging programs have been helping a lot of youth and have also been providing access to the schools.
Overall, the event was a comprehensive exploration of the challenges faced by newcomer children and youth in accessing education. It highlighted the critical role of community support and systemic change in addressing these challenges.
- Download A Rocky Path: Understanding Access to Education Challenges for Newcomer Children & Youth
- Learn more about the Access to Education Program