Navigating Two Worlds: New Identity Constructions as Determinants for Successful Integration of New Black Immigrant and Refugee Youth in Canadian Society

Abstract

Problem statement: The interest in immigrant children and children of immigrants has been growing recently. There is a gap in the literature on current knowledge on the integration and adaptation conditions of the new second generation of immigrants. For teenage youth growing up in diaspora settings, the issue of identity becomes paramount. Approach: They come to define themselves, as well as how others define them, had important implications for social work practice. Immigrant children and youth were the fastest growing component of child and youth population in Canada. Results: We explored the pertinent issue of identity construction as a significant variable in the integration and settlement challenges that Black immigrant youth face in Canadian society. Conclusion: The article is based on an ethnographic study of a number of Black immigrant youth in two of Canada’s largest cities, Montreal and Toronto, the popular settlement points for many new immigrants to Canada.