The ACTEW Blog

The lack of suitable program supports and government eligibility criteria are the two greatest challenges to providing adequate services to newcomer women, ACTEW’s Pre-LMDA Survey finds.

Almost two-thirds of the survey respondents with newcomer women as clients reported that government criteria limits client access to programs. One respondent explained the situation:

“Some of the programs are for recent immigrants only. Some are for professionally trained individuals only. Those who do not belong to these categories are either excluded from services or fees are charged.”

According to respondents, eligibility rules need to recognize and respond to the typical life circumstance of newcomer women:

“The women we serve are in often in a state of trauma, and cannot commit to a strident eligibility or expectations of participation. They require something more fluid as they seek supports on immigration, family cohesion, affordable housing, and supports for their mental health issues.”

Like organizations that serve all women, those with many newcomer women as clients wish they could offer many more program supports. If they could offer more supports, agencies serving newcomer women say that increasing childcare would be their first priority. In comparison, the general survey respondent population gave training dollars for short-term courses the highest priority.

Labels: Issues_and_Trends, Resources_and_Research