FEW TEAMS UP WITH WLU TO LAUNCH A NEW RESEARCH PROJECT FOR IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE WOMEN: SOCIAL INTEGRATION THROUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Focus for Ethnic Women has teamed up with Dr. Mark Eys, (Professor in the Departments of Kinesiology/Physical Education and Psychology and Canada Research Chair in Group Dynamics and Physical Activity), to launch a Research project , called ACTIVEIntegration, which aims to facilitate social integration of immigrant and refugee women in the community through physical activity.
This initiative originated when members of the executive board from the organization, Focus for Ethnic Women (FEW), approached Dr. Eys, an expert on group dynamics in physical activity contexts, to help them understand the experiences, barriers, and preferences of physical activitybehaviors for new Canadian women with whom they interact.
ACTIVEIntegration will be implemented between 2019 and 2022. Over the course of the next 3 years, FEW, acting in a consulting role for the current project, will participate and support Dr.Eys and his team throughout the research process. At the regional level, this pilot project will offer insight into the lived experiences of recent immigrant and refugee women as well as build a better understanding of their perspectives of belonging and the potential for physical activity to facilitate connectivity and integration into the community.
ACTIVEIntegration is generously funded by Sun Life Centre for Physically Active Communities (CPAC) Research Grant program. Additionally, SSRHC funding will support a pilot project that involves a qualitative examination of recent female immigrants’ views of physical activity after arriving in Canada. Partners are City of Kitchener, KW Multicultural centre and Laurentian University.
A steering committee composed by Dr. Eys, including FEW will guide the implementation of the program.