Idea Statement of my Practicum
Practicum Experience
Through three years that I lived in Halifax, I learned a lot about why Canada is so welcoming to immigrants. In my country, immigration is a very different issue, possibly due to an old and conservative culture that remains prevalent until today. I have a Yemeni friend, who was born in Saudi Arabia, and her parents and grandparents were born in Saudi Arabia, but she still considered herself Yemeni. In Canada, any person born in this country is automatically given citizenship. I believe the reason for this is because Canada is a very young country, and has been an immigrant country since its creation. In addition, Canada is a big country with a much smaller population as compared to other first world countries. Opportunities are immense and in order for the country to optimize its growth opportunities and resources, immigrants would be a big help for the country in general.
During my stay in Halifax, I met several immigrants and international students, and I felt that I understand the challenges they are facing in a foreign country. First, landing a job can be difficult and intimidating, even for highly skilled and intelligent immigrants. In addition, learning new language, lifestyle and being engaged in an unfamiliar culture also poses a challenge to someone’s ability to adapt to a new environment. Senior immigrants are also experiencing the same dilemma considering that they also need to make adjustments in order to settle in. Therefore on my practicum my focus is to assist and mentor new senior immigrants in addressing issues such as healthcare, community services, learn new culture, language and social isolation. In addition, my objective also includes getting them to sustain community participation through communication and activities.
My practicum’s goals are to aid seniors immigrants in adjusting to their new environments, making sure that they are comfortable integrating into an unfamiliar social environment, while ensuring greater well-being conditions.
References
Durst, D. (2005). Aging Amongst Immigrants in Canada: Population Drift. Canadian Studies in Population, 32(2), 257-270. Retrieved from http://Fejournals.library.ualberta.ca/Findex.php/Fcsp/Farticle/Fdownload/F15949/F12754
