Sonja Aicha van der Putten
WPS 2024/1
Abstract
Many young adult women aged 19-30 years old from refugee backgrounds have missed out on formative years of education because of war and displacement. The factors that influence the ability of young adult women from refugee backgrounds to access higher education in Canada are impacted by three key factors: time and expectations, resource availability, and community. This study used a constructivist lens to analyze data collected from interviews and focus groups. The findings suggest that the time available to pursue higher education is directly related to the resources young adult women from refugee backgrounds have available to them upon resettlement. Further, the experiences these women have getting involved in their new communities and the social networks they are able to build for themselves are significant factors in determining their ability to pursue higher education in Canada.
KEYWORDS: refugees; women; education; aspirations