Josoor Project Research Report (2023)

This research report details the Josoor Project, an Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT) project aimed at improving settlement services for vulnerable newcomer and refugee women in Ontario. The project identified four key barriers hindering their integration:

1. language
2. socio-economic status
3. geographic location
4. digital skills

To address these challenges, ACCT developed a prototype service delivery model which includes providing hardware (laptops) and internet connectivity, offering digital literacy training in English and Arabic, and establishing a digital service protocol for service providers.

Main Themes and Key Ideas

Addressing Barriers to Digital Integration: The central theme of the report is the identification and analysis of the significant barriers that prevent newcomer refugee women from effectively using technology to access settlement services and information.

The report provides in-depth findings on each of the four barriers, supported by quantitative data from surveys and qualitative insights from focus groups:

• Language Barrier: A prominent barrier, significantly impacting access to services and correct information. The need for interpreters is high, especially for those with lower formal education, Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), larger families, and older participants. Understanding bureaucratic language in areas like banking and immigration is also a challenge.
• Socioeconomic Status Barrier: An inability to afford necessary devices and reliable internet access. While most participants own smartphones, ownership of laptops is significantly lower, often requiring sharing within households, which prioritizes children's educational needs during periods of remote learning. The cost of reliable internet is also a major issue.
• Geographic Barrier: While not as prominent as other barriers in the survey data, the report highlights the difficulties of accessing in-person services due to long distances and the cost, inconvenience, and impracticality of public transit, particularly in suburban areas and during winter. Remote services are often preferred for their convenience and ease with childcare.
• Digital Skills Barrier: This barrier is closely linked to the others, particularly language and socioeconomic status. Some Newcomer women lack the necessary skills to effectively use laptops and navigate Canada's digital environment, which is more computer-dependent than smartphone-dependent. There is a strong willingness to learn new digital skills if support is provided. Misinformation online is also a significant concern.

Service Provider Capacity and Digital Transformation: The report also examines the digital capacity of settlement service providers, noting a lack of standardized frameworks and resources for digital service provision. While some agencies are experimenting with digital tools, there is a need for adequate resourcing, professional development, and clear guidelines for remote and hybrid service delivery. The report highlights the emergence of "Digital Navigators" as a crucial support role in the sector.

Development and Testing of a New Approach (Josoor's Prototype): Based on the research findings, the Josoor project developed a multi-component prototype designed to address the identified barriers and improve Newcomer women's access to settlement services and information.

How can you use this research?

The findings of this report have significant implications for settlement service design and delivery in Canada. Addressing the interconnected digital barriers is crucial for promoting equitable access to information and services for vulnerable Newcomer populations. The Josoor prototype offers a potential model for a more client-centred and technologically-enabled approach to settlement support. The results of the ongoing pilot study will provide valuable evidence to inform future policy and practice in the settlement sector.

Other immigrant and refugee-serving organizations can use the research from the Josoor project in several significant ways to improve their service delivery, particularly in leveraging technology to support Newcomer and refugee women:

Understand the Barriers: The report identifies and details four primary barriers that hinder Newcomer refugee women from digitally integrating into Canada: language, socio-economic status, geographic location, and digital skills.

Learn from the Josoor Prototype: The report presents Josoor's prototype as a "new approach" designed to mitigate the identified barriers. Other organizations can review and potentially adopt or adapt components of this prototype for their own service delivery models.

Build Sector Capacity: The research explicitly aims to build the settlement sector's capacity to serve vulnerable populations remotely or through a hybrid approach. By sharing what has been learned, the project contributes to the "knowledge base of what does and does not work in remote service delivery". The report highlights the challenges settlement agencies face, such as limited resources, lack of staff training, and the difficulty in quickly transitioning to remote services. Other organizations can use this information to understand common challenges and advocate for necessary support and funding.